Trip to Coatings by Sandberg

The date is August 12^th, and we are making our way to Orange, CA, for our annual trip to Coatings by Sandberg. We go on in to tell Samantha Sandberg we are here and there are 20 more people to come. As people arrive at the building, the first thing they notice is all the dichroic art in the foyer or MODA – Museum of Dichroic Art.

Once we are all there, Samantha begins the tour and takes us into the production room. We pass by the washing area, where they prepare all the clear glass and black glass for the dichroic process. From there, it goes into the dichroic chambers for the dichroic coating. They have two chambers running, but only one we can see, so we lined up one by one and we peeked in the dichroic chamber. Once all the questions were asked and Samantha had answered them, it was time to shop. Almost 45 minutes later, everyone had made their purchases, and it was time for lunch.

Lunch was at Rutabegorz, and everyone was full and happy. Some went on to Hollander West to see what new glass they could find, and the rest headed back home.

AGASC 44^th Annual Members’ Exhibition

The 44th Annual Members’ Exhibition was held October 23rd through November 3rd. Right off, I want to say a giant Thank You to our sponsors and donors. Without them, we would not have an exhibition. Our two sponsors, who are really a joy to work with, are Oceanside Glass & Tile (Pam Barthomew and John Stehle) and Coatings by Sandberg (Samantha Sandberg). Our donors, who are also very special to us, are Toyo Glass Cutters (Steve Shupper), His Glassworks (Mark Bolick), Red Hot Metals (Jeff Lindsay), Inland Craft (Jen Merchut, VP of Marketing & Sales), Pacific Art Glass (John Williams), Techniglass (Michael Hacikyan), D & L Art Glass Supply, and Creative Paradise.

The judges for the show were Kéké Cribbs, Alexander Salazar, and Myles Freedman. They were very thoughtful and took 3.5 hours to judge the show. For the results of their efforts, you can go to our website.

Zoom Presentations by Mark Abildgaard

In October and November, we had Zoom presentations by Mark Abildgaard. In the first presentation, Mark shared how his work has evolved over time, from glass blowing to hot glass casting, kiln casting and hot wax kiln casting. He highlighted how each process shaped the development of his art.

In the second presentation, he focused on the technical aspects of kiln casting. He covered mold materials, firing schedules, and gave us step-by-step approaches to successfully create kiln-cast glass objects. In addition, the participants also received a handout which included firing schedules and other useful resources.

Fallbrook Galaxy of Glass

The 28th Annual Galaxy of Glass Exhibition at Fallbrook Arts Center has always been a great showplace for our glass artists. Blown, fused, cast glass, and more are always highlighted in this show. The setup and lighting were especially well done this year, with many thanks to the curator Randall Reece, who had a special vision and created not only areas for each artist but also mounted bios and pictures of each Artist. That offered insight for the viewer to have a better understanding of the work. The Artist's reception had great attendance, and the visitors got a chance to ask more about pieces they were curious about. Quite a few pieces were sold during the reception.

Stay Glassy Fest Event at Oceanside Glass & Tile

Hosted at their headquarters in Vista, CA, this free, public event brought together artists, vendors, and newcomers for two days of glass, design, and hands-on discovery. The event included incredible deals on Oceanside glass, meeting the people behind the work, and seeing the craft up close through live demos and studio pop-ups. The VIP Experience offered a behind-the-scenes factory tour in Mexico, a private glass sale, and exclusive merchandise. Stay Glassy Fest was a hit!

A Trip to The Glass Furnace 
in Beykoz Istanbul, Turkey

In August this year, Kathleen Mitchell and Krista Heron traveled to Beykoz Istanbul, Turkey to work at The Glass Furnace (Cam Ocagi Vakfi) https://glassfurnace.org a world-renowned glass studio and school. Krista studied glass casting with Petr Stacho from the Czech Republic and Kathleen worked on blown glass sculpture with Karen Willenbrink Johnsen and Jasen Johnsen from Washington state. Aside from Karen and Jasen, Kathleen and Krista were the only Americans expanding their international connections.

Founded in 2002, the mission of the institution is to be a main hub for all glass-related works, production and studies, to bring attention to glass as a prominent branch of art in the country and make it accessible to everyone. Originally designed as a glass production studio, it quickly became a world-class glass arts center, contributing to the education of countless glass artists and artisans, inviting international professionals and masters to share knowledge of intricate techniques, and catering to the needs and demands of many prestigious glass related projects and productions, all the while increasing awareness among the local community about the wonders of glass.

Next up is the Glass Art Society meeting in Corning, New York for these two!

Art Show and Sale at Heron Studios

Eight Artists showed and sold their work at Heron Studios at 961 Turquoise Street on November 15 and 16. The show included several glass artists, a painter and a jewelry artist. This new studio space, owned by Krista Heron, was perfect for the exhibit. There was an Artist Reception on Friday evening, November 14.

These glass layers are then stacked and melted together in the kiln to create a single glass panel that is often 2-3” thick. This technique allows Messink to create a sense of perspective and a three-dimensional effect within his work.

Paul Messink's geometric and topographic abstract art uses these layered glass techniques to create striking works of art. These pieces can evoke a sense of movement and complexity, blending abstract forms with his signature multi-layered approach. His work in this area is part of his larger focus on creating dimensional glass art that challenges traditional boundaries of painting.

Messink's artistic journey began more than 25 years ago with drawing and painting as a hobbyist, then he later used these skills to develop new techniques applied to enamel and glass art. His original 40-year career was in the computer field but he shifted to a second career in 2015 when he moved with his husband Bob to Palm Desert to focus on art full-time. (He blames Bob for his second career, after Bob gifted him his first glass class for his 50^th birthday.)

Paul Messink is an award-winning artist and international instructor. He no longer teaches live classes, after spending his pandemic time recording a series of video courses which are now sold online to artists worldwide. His computer skills continue to be used as a volunteer for the Artists Council.

New Members

Calendarx2025 & 2026

X2025

Nov 19-xxxxxxAGASC Election of Officers

Dec 21xxxxxxXPresident and Treasurer

X2026

Jan 3xxxxxxxxAGASC New Year's Party

xxxXxxxxxxxXKrista Heron's House

xxxxxxxXXxxxxTheme: "What was I thinking?"

Jan 11xXXXXxAGASC General Meeting         

xxxxxxXXXXXxTom Marosz's Studio

xxxxxxxxXXxxx606 Concepcion Avenue

xxxxxxxxxxXXxSpring Valley, CA 91977 

xxxxxxXXxXXX3-4pm with a blown glass demo and Potluck afterward

Apr 17-19xxxxGlass Craft & Bead Expo

xxxxxxXXxxxxxSouth Point Hotel and Casino

xxxXXXXXxxxx9777 S Las Vegas Blvd.

xxxxxxXXxxxxxLas Vegas, NV 89183

May 9 & 10xxxSpring Guild's Patio and Sale

xxxxxxXXxxxxxSpanish Village Art Center

xxxxxXXxxxxxxBalboa Park

June 3-6xxxxxGlass Art Society Conference

xxxxxxxxXXxxxxxCorning, NY