Studio Paran

Showroom open this weekend Sat & Sun 12-5 for your holiday shopping !

see my newest installation work at Abel contemporary gallery through Dec 31
STORM WINDOWs
artist talk tomorrow Dec 2 2pm

Thanks to everyone who stopped in last night for gallery night. i will be open tomorrow -Sunday 5/7 hours 11-4 , new work for flowers and birds ( Wet felted bird houses by Terri Wolf )

Open today til 4pm
many gifts for under $50

Studio Sale continues today 11-4
stop in and pick up a gift and support an artist in transition
See new work in progress have a cup of Chai or help paint a banner in support of UAW180 in Racine striking for fair wages

online and showroom sales -

online and showroom sales

now on sale in studio. Remaining Paperweights $30 each
Originally $100

In Person Studio Sale - https://mailchi.mp/eedd5c7c1994/in-person-studio-sale-14192975

22 : VII : 22 — S T U D I O P A R A N This week I put together an alcove in the showroom modeled after the tokonoma found in traditional Japanese tea houses. This was scared space set aside for a flower arrangement and picture or calligraphy scroll. My intent in creating this in my showroom is to have a space to practice arranging thin

YES we will be open Gallery Night Friday 5/6
Featuring new engraved wall pieces* and selling blown glass while it lasts
* you wont see these on social medial ( sorry zuck)

Found

new candleholders now in web store
https://www.studioparan.com/candlestick/blue-candleholder-short-with-optic-foot

https://mailchi.mp/21a5bae25b46/new-hours-new-work

Studio Paran updated their business hours.

DECEMBER HOURS 12-5 EVERYDAY through the 24th

turn off your device and go outside and look at the sky. laugh and cry

Day 6 of our 30 year review :
The PAVILION series was another iteration in the attempt to create a collection of simple shapes, with the hope they be used as frames for flowers.
I was at the time thinking about evolution and biodiversity, and decided to do an experiment, to see how many different shapes I could make out of one gather of glass, no bits, no feet, no tricks like folded rings. These initial pieces were made in clear glass (see last photo) and I got to around 200, all made with out premeditation. I edited these down to 48 and offered them with a silver leaf and silver foil skin, that is, the silver was picked up on the glass before inflating it resulting in a gold tones. In subsequent offerings I edited this down to 24 shapes and added an undertone of transparent color.

Day 5 of our 30 year review;
CARVED , sandblasted patterns and freehand engraving
This work was my exploration of how pattern might be integrated with form. having spent many years refining my skills at making all different kinds of vessels, the next challenge was " how to decorate them." Technically this was done with either applying a stencil to the cold form and sandblasting it, resulting in a sharp crisp image or going at it on the engraving lathe with diamond wheels, which in my world resulted in freer, more intuitive building of the pattern. Mostly I would reheat these pieces in a kiln and picking them up on a pipe and rework them, fire-polishing and altering the form. It took a long time to be comfortable enough to do this last part as I could easily lose the piece and all that work but it could also result in unexpected results. Surprises are the best part of creative work!

Day 4 of our 30 year review
SILVER : Enso , Flora, gramineae, bamboo, etc.

This work evolved out of a problem ; in making my PALADIN series I was frustrated to discover small bubbles in the color or other imperfections that could not be seen until it was blown out half way into the process. The solution was to "cover it up" and one thing to use was metal leaf, and silver in its thicker versions could be cut and made into simple patterns. The silver looked great against the opaque colors I was using for the Paladins and my new designs soon surpassed them in popularity and in creative possibilities. They were to become the large part of my work for many years.

Day 3 of our 30 year review, the PALADIN series.
Conceived as a collection of simple functional vases in colors not usually taken up by contemporary Glass artists this collection originally was limited to 12 shapes, which suggested the name "paladin" - being any of the 12 knight of Charlemagne- or later anyone with a noble cause. Which I liked ; that there might be something noble in making a vase to simply accent Flowers, and not draw attention to itself.
This collection soon was expanded to 24 shapes in two sizes as these were also
an exploration of the history of vase forms, drawing much from Sung era Chinese ceramics. They were made in different color palettes over the years and were sold through a fancy NY department store before they went bankrupt.

Day two of our review of 30 years of Studio Paran glass blowing, The O TWIST series
or optic twist; after plunging the initial bubble into a tapered ribbed mold the glass is twisted as its is simultaneously blow out, which takes some practice not to lose your nice crisp ribbing. From there your bubble can be shaped to a variety of forms. This series also utilized the coil as a neck or foot. The "flask" was one of our longest running and popular designs, with many iterations of color schemes. and one of the designs I'm most proud of. At one point I made flasks in every color I could get, as shop reference library, these will be offered for sale now in the showroom. The Candlesticks were sold for a time at Tiffany & Co.

This week in preparing for galley night this Friday 11/12 I'm posting highlights from 30 years of designing and blowing glass. Join me for this little trip down memory lane
Frist stop early 1990s
The Vertigo series employed spiral wraps and contrasting colors. These vases were done in 8 color versions, with a satin finish. Our first large corporate order was the lapis and yellow green version for The Nature Company, a now defunct retail chain that seemed to be the gift shop sans natural history museum. Later we would have many museum gift shops as regular outlets, alas those days are gone. and the museum gift shops if they exist are mostly filled with "design" and branded mech. from China
Making hundreds of those taught me to blow glass
These are the last two I have and will be for sell Friday

In the showroom now