Ausglass Magazine a Quarterly Publication of the Australian Association of Glass Artists Aus Ass
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Ausglass Magazine A Quarterly Publication of the Australian Association of Glass Artists aus ass POST CONFERENCE EDITION Registered by Australia Post Publication No. NBG1569 1991 CONTENTS Introduction 3 An Historical Context - by Sylvia Kleinert 5 ausglass The Contemporary Crafts Industry: magazine Its Diversity - by John Odgers u Contemporary Glass - Are We Going the Right Way? - by Robert Bell 15 Dynamic Learning - A Quality Approach to Quality Training - by Richard Hames 17 POST CONFERENCE The Getting of Wisdom: the gaining of EDmON 1991 skills and a philosophy to practice Session 1 - Cedar Prest 20 Session 2 - Bridget Hancock 22 Session 3 - Richard Morrell 23 Session 4 - Anne Dybka 24 New Editorial Committee: Fostering the Environment for Professional Practice - by Noel Frankham 27 Editor Technique and Skill: its use. development Bronwyn Hughes and importance in contemporary glass Letters and correspondence to by Klaus Moje 32 Challenges in Architectural Glass - by Maureen Cahill 35 50 Two Bays Road, Ethics and Survival - by WtuTen Langley 42 Mt. Eliza, VIC. 3930. When is a Chihuly a Billy Morris? - by Tony Hanning 43 Phone: Home - (03) 787 2762 Production Line: A Means to an End - by Helen Aitken-Kuhnen 47 The Artist and the Environment - by Graham Stone 49 Editorial Committee Working to a Brief- Bronwyn Hughes Chairperson Working to a Philosophy - by Lance Feeney 51 Jacinta Harding Secretary A Conflict of Interest - by Elizabeth McClure 53 Mikaela Brown Interstate & The Gift - Contemporary Making - by Brian Hirst 55 O.S. Liaison Meeting Angels: Reconciling Craft Practice Carrie Westcott and Theory - by Anne Brennan 57 Advertising Kim Lester Function? - by Grace Cochrane 6S Juliette Thornton Internationalism in Glass Distnbution Bronwyn Hughes Too Much Common Ground - by Susanne Frantz 67 David Hobday Board Gerie Hermans Members Graham Stone President: Elizabeth McClure FRoNT COVER: C/o Glass Workshop, The Crowning of the new President. Elizabeth Canberra Institute of Arts, Mcdure. held on the final night of the Conference. P.O. Box 804, Acton. AC.T. 2601. Work: (06) 249 5829 Next Issue: The next issue will be prepared and published by the Please note the address for new Editorial Committee from Melbourne. Membership Enquiries: Maggie Stuart, 1 Frederick Street, St. Peters. RespolllibiJil.y ClIDDOt be aa:epted by AUSGLASS, iIB EIecutive Committee or N.S.W. 2044. the Editorial Committee for iDformation in this magazine whidl may be Phone: (02) 550 3626 amblguolll or 1Dcorrect. To the belt of their knowledge, the iDformation publisbed iI oorrect. 2 INTRODUCflON Amidst the heat of a true Sydney summer, and the disquiet of the Middle East, Ausglass held its much awaited conference. Staged in the scholarly grounds of St. Andrews College at Sydney University, the occasion brought together over 160 attendants spanning the whole spectrum of glass practitioners, students, lecturers, curators, writers and delegates from supportive organisations for the largest event in the Australian glass community's calendar. Some even spanned the Tasman to participate. It was launched by a festive poolside evening at Victoria Park, complete with an acappeUa group, a mock blessing ceremony, and apple bobbing races for the executive: a dose of fun to precede an intensive 3 day programme. This conference braved new and difficult ground from previous years. Many issues needed exposure, clarification and discussion. With the theme "Contemporary Making-Current Thinking" the programme was constructed to extend the practice of glass making to include personal and medium-based philosophy, and the professional and public scrutiny that ensues the finished work. A day was allocated for each of these 3 processes: firstly, the theoretical and historical frameworks which help to explain the present position of glass within the arts field; secondly, the contemporary practice of glass making, considering the environment in which glass develops in Australia and overseas; and lastly, the critical analysis of work by the guardians of the arts - art historians, theorists, curators and critics. Each day presented key speakers, followed by a series of brief afternoon addresses. Panel discussions, and a session of simultaneous discussion groups, facilitated audience exchange. Two distinguished overseas guests were invited to deliver papers and extend the perspective even further to an international one: Dana ZWnealikova from Czechoslovakia, a noted artist who works with glass; and Susanne Frantz from America, who is curator of Twentieth Century Glass at the Coming Museum of Glass. Here again, a balance of practitioner and theorist, echoing the conference theme. The papers were timely, honest and insightful Some were more compelling and will be activating debate and consideration for some time yet. Some were described by a delegate as lucid and substantial treatises on craft. Particularly important were papers by Sylvia Kleinert, whose opening paper reminded us of the strength that medium based decorative and applied arts came from, despite their minority status in the present day, alongside the dominant paradigms of fine art and industrial design; Grace Cochrane presented a fascinating defence for the role of "function" in the artwork, expanding our unpopular perception of function to an acceptable one stating that "everything that is made has a function". Susanne Frantz delivered a charged, courageous and challenging paper essentially dealing with the ethics and integrity on all levels of glass practice from artist, gallery through to art museum: drawing on her considerable and specific experience of glass, her comments demanded attention and carried warnings of short sightedness. Dana Z6mecnikova gave a special expose of 10 Czechoslovakian contemporary artists working in glass across several generations, confirming the innovative edge survives despite strong tradition and political oppression. Anne Dybka and Klaus Moje gave sensitive accounts of their personal philosophies, emphasising the importance of keeping the skills of head and hands united in one process. Anne Brennan gave an articulate paper on her transition from practitioner to theorist and the difficulties it presented, though ultimately she recognised the value that each had to offer the other; and then, to conclude and consolidate, Robert Bell gave an excellent summary paper confirming what many had sensed throughout: that the conference was riveting, and that it had identified the failure of the art world to ascribe a value to craft, creating much prejudice against those working with glass. Bell felt that this was not exclusive to glass: it was evident across the medium-based arts. Outside the formal conference programme, seven workshops were conducted in the preceding week: four were held at the Sydney College of the Arts and three in private studios. Tutors were Dana ZWneroikovA, Paddy Robinson, Lance Feeney, Scott Chaseling with Ben Edols, Anne Dybka, Alice Whish and Pavel Tomecko. All provided a valuable practical exchange hard to find in Australia outside a college context. A diverse exhibitions programme ran concurrently with the conference. Three were prize giving events organised by Ausglass of selected work by members. Two of these were judged by the overseas guests: "Challenging the Medium", held at the Blaxland Gallery, called for original work, and produced 3 joint winners, namely Kathy Elliott, Warren Langley and Richard Morrell; ''Appreciating the Medium" 3. concerning high quality production work, was staged at the Glass Artists' Gallery, with the prize shared by Brian Hirst and Meza Rijsdijk. Both judges expressed much interest and surprise at the quality and style of work on show (is this the international reassurance that Australian glass artists have sought?). "Making for the Spoce" was another exhibition, displayed at Sydney College of the Arts. It was a competition for an architectural stained glass commission for the Royal Alexandra Childrens Hospital, and was awarded to Cedar Prest. An unselected Members' Show was organised at the College grounds, giving an informal expose. A satellite exhibition of glass entitled "Three Sydney Women" was held at Hamilton Design Glass Gallery, providing an off-site event. Collectively, these exhibitions formed the best platform yet for the exposure of glass to a wider audience. With such an intensive programme, breaks and entertainment were a crucial counterbalance. "Thunderbirds" theme music announced the entries and exits of the talented and quick-witted Masters of Ceremony, Michael Keighery and Neil Roberts; a crystal glass organist enchanted the whole contingent with classical music in the courtyard; and a genuinely hilarious auction managed to raise considerable funds, where even Susanne Frantz managed to walk away with a cast glass koala head. There was fun to be had despite the serious issues being propelled in the formal sessions. One already senses that the conference was a turning point in the course of Ausglass. This was a conference which declared Ausglass mature enough to invite comment and criticism from outside itself, and be strengthened by the process. It put Ausglass in front of a mirror and reflected it into the eyes of all those who have taken an interest in glass over the years. There was much to be gleaned for a strong future; a rich legacy of information to fortify a craft identity within the arts, or at least to be aware of the parameters. The executive and convenor responsible for orchestrating such a successful