Spring 2011 **PRINT**

Profitable Glass Quarterly Spring 2011

Letter from the Editor

Social Media Trends
by Maureen James
Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites have become major marketing tools that cannot be ignored. These sites are a perfect place for posting content that speaks to the people whom glass art businesses want to reach. Putting the effort into deciding which one is right for a particular business and working to discover unique ways to grow an audience can reap huge benefits.

Dichroic By Design 2010 Contest Winners
Each year since 2007, Coatings By Sandberg has sponsored its Dichroics By Design contest. Artists send in photos of their artwork, which must include dichroic glass, and the winners are selected by a committee. This year’s top three winners include Blue Moon, a mosaic-covered guitar by Michelle Wilcox, a kitchen backsplash by Denise Lanuti, and Going Viral, an outdoor sculpture by Barbara Yawit.

Hot Glass Studio Profile-Jennifer Umphress
by Colleen Bryan
Jennifer Umphress lives in the Seattle, Washington, area where an abundance of glass artists work in every imaginable medium. A sophisticated community of glass collectors constantly challenge these artists to further develop their work, and they provide an economic foundation for doing so. For Jennifer, sitting on land that overlooks the water lends both distance and perspective to her work, which is growing more personal, introspective, and reflective.

Art Glass Studio Profile-Big Sky Stained Glass Art
by Colleen Bryan
David Fjeld is well-schooled in traditional stained glass techniques, having studied under the old English master, Patrick Reyntiens, and mentors at the Pilchuck Glass School. Having built expertise and a career in that area, however, he is now enthusiastic about his adventures in fusing, which allow him to move more quickly to an end product.

Retailer Profile-Glass Endeavors
by Colleen Bryan
John and Zoi Sandy, owners of Glass Endeavors, call on their backgrounds in the fine arts and their determination to make a success of their retail glass art business to bring superior support to their customers. This includes providing competent help with glass selection and the social interaction that their clients are looking for. There are also plenty of opportunities to see presentations, practice skills, and reflect on what their students produce.

Glasscaster with Marcie Davis
Elizabeth Mears—Finding the Path to Flamework
by Marcie Davis
Elizabeth Mears, who began her career as a stained glass artist, is currently known for her unique, sculptural flamework. She enjoys the more immediate rewards that are offered by sculpting and blowing hot glass. Currently she is expressing her inner and outer worlds with glass art that reflects themes taken from nature.

Historical Perspectives
Tiffany Angel Windows Come Home to Cincinnati at the Taft Museum
by Peter Brakman
When the Swedenborgian Church of the New Jerusalem in Cincinnati, Ohio, was demolished to make way for Interstate 71, parishioners went the extra mile to save some special treasures. Seven angel windows, created by Louis Comfort Tiffany for the church in 1903, were stored in wooden crates in various barns and garages, yet they miraculously escaped major damage. The windows are currently on tour, the proceeds of which will help to pay for their conservation and upkeep.

Show Talk-Booth Design and Merchandising
by Bruce Baker
The design of the booths used by trade show participants can make or break their ability to draw attendees into the booth. Using multiple levels for display and paying special attention to how well the lighting complements the artwork are exceptionally important. These two aspects create allure and interest, turning casual lookers into potential customers.

SAMA News
Showcasing Forty-Two Works at Mosaic Arts International 2011
by Rhonda Heisler
One of the most anticipated events for participants in the upcoming Mosaic Arts International 2011 is the juried show of members’ work. This highly anticipated exhibition, which is held in conjunction with the Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) annual conference, will showcase forty-two works of mosaic art that were selected from more than three hundred entries.

ISGB News
The Nineteenth Annual Gathering—Discovering Diversity and Creativity in Glass Beadmaking
by Alethia Donathan
The International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) provides a place where beadmakers are introduced to many new techniques by artists from all over the world who are willing to share their personal glass tips. Inspiring preconference workshops, presentations, and tours also await the attendees of this annual conference.

Independent Artist
Artist-Produced Educational Videos—Preliminary Planning
by Milon Townsend
An important step for artists who are preparing to produce an educational video is noticing the quality of other videos that will be competing with theirs for the attention of the buying public. Comparing the various levels of sound and picture quality available as well as deciding whether their own video should reflect high-quality or inexpensive cost are all essential points to consider.

AGA News
A New Kind of Coupon
by Steve Shupper
Members of the Art Glass Association (AGA) are finding marketing value through participation in their local Groupon programs. These Internet coupons make deeply discounted classes, products, and other items available to customers, thus helping coupon users discover businesses that they may not have known existed. Once introduced to the artist or retailer, chances are they will return, even after the coupon offers have expired.

GAS News
The Glass Art Society Welcomes New Board Members
Five outstanding new artists will be serving on the Glass Art Society Board of Directors (GAS) for 2010–2011. They include Pat Bako, Lance Friedman, Karen Donnellan, Peter Layton, and Jay MacDonnel. The organization looks forward to working with these individuals as it prepares for its upcoming conference, GAS 2011 Seattle.

Personal Development
The Un-Comfort Zone—Change . . . Please !
by Robert Evans Wilson, Jr.
All of the motivations people have that encourage change in their lives seem to boil down to two things—fear and desire. Business people desire better outcomes for the bottom line, but they often avoid change because they fear that it could create a whole new set of problems. The trick to getting comfortable with change is to start with small ones that are accomplished a little at a time.

RAGS News
Getting Acquainted with RAGS
by Denny Berkery
The Retailers of Art Glass and Supplies (RAGS) is an association of brick-and-mortar retail store owners who voluntarily work together to improve and enhance each other’s businesses. They keep in touch mainly by e-mail and take pleasure in helping each other solve day-to-day problems that arise during the course of operating their businesses.

Marketing
Groupon “Deal of the Day”—A New Marketing Tactic to Boost Your Customer Base
by Colleen Bryan
Groupon, the new “deal of the day” Internet company consolidates and promotes heavily discounted goods and services on its website for many businesses across many metropolitan areas around the world. It can be a boon to glass art retailers who are always trying to find new ways to involve younger people in glass art, since the program tends to attract those who are already comfortable with social networking programs.

SGAA News
2011 SGAA Annual Summer Conference in Syracuse
The Stained Glass Association of America (SGAA) is looking forward to its annual conference, which will take place this year in Syracuse, New York. Participants will be treated to a wide variety of educational opportunities that are designed to inspire them and help them improve their involvement in the glass arts.

AGG News
The AGG—Who Are We?
by Lonnie Lyketsos
The American Glass Guild (AGG) is made of people from the glass industry who are all different, yet each one is an important “piece” in the organization’s diverse and colorful puzzle. AGG introduces four of those very important people: Joseph 2bears (Joseph Bremmers), Victor Rothman, Mary Clerk Higgins, and Judy Killian.

Fire and Water at the NICHE Awards
NICHE, the magazine that is written exclusively for retailers of American and Canadian craft, named its finalists for the 2011 NICHE Awards Competition. The awards annually recognize excellence and innovation in fine craft made by professionals and students. This year’s awards for blown glass honored single entries from Edward “Ted” Clark, Hyungsung Cho, Cody Nicely, and Mark Rosenbaum, and a joint entry from Peter Muller and Joseph Peters.

New Books and Patterns

Industry News

What’s Hot

News and New Products

Advertisers’ Index

 

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