Refract Seattle is an annual event on glass art.
2023 is its 5th year, but I just heard of it.
Many events this year, from 10.12-15. Weather is lousy this weekend, so I stayed in town. Signed up a studio tour on Sunday. Board a minibus under Space Needle. Led by two Refract organizers, Ashley and Kathy, who gave us an overview before each stop. Met a lady who also went on Saturday (a different set of 5 studios), and she liked it.
Today, 7 locations (more studios were open, just 7 on our tour).
It ran a bit longer than expected.
First, Radiant Neon in Belltown. Alleson Buchanan does neon lights, using both colored and clear glass. She bended an R in front of us, and talked us through the process. She even mentioned that her average cost for gas is ~$60-90/month. Very informative.
2nd Kait Rhoads Studio, in West Seattle. It's also Kait's home, overlooking water.
Very nicely decorated with her artwork. Downstairs is her workshop.
She has a couple of house guests helping to layout stacks for visitors, also a tasty zuchinii soup. So nice.
3rd stop, Misoda Glass Studio a few streets away in West Seattle. Melissa and Andy, wife and husband team (both high school teachers, busy with teeage sons).
Their car garage is the studio, no cars, but multiple furnaces and warming boxes.
They did a demo of adding stripes to glass, and wrapping one color on another.
It seems you need 2 people to do these.
4th stop: Illuminata Art Glass Design in Geroge Town area, in an area of warehouses and graffitti.
An non-descriptive buidling with high ceilings, many different art studios inside.
Outside in the courtyard, many trailers, probably a cheaper form of rental.
Julie Conway's studio is right by the door. More like a storage than a working studio.
Her specialty is incandesant light housed in her glass art.
She's all business. Bright and cheery.
5th stop: Sean Hennessey Studio in his home in Mt. Baker neighborhood.
Sean does relief glass. His studio is behind his house.
There's a big box for molding, with very fine white sculpture powders.
He is soft spoken. Very gentle.
6th stop: Color.Glass.Light in the old Rainier Brewery building.
The building hallway smells a bit weird (maybe the old yeast).
Carrie Grey and her son actually live in her studio. It has a loft. 15 foot ceiling.
Carrie makes stain glass windows.
She showed us how to cut glass and steel frame with her special tools. A very sweet person.
She's moving to Oregon.
7th stop, the historic Bemis Building.
7th studio is Dave Walters + KCJ Szwedzinski. KC is a print-maker by trade, does everything, politically motivated topics.
She also manages this studio.
Dave Walter is a ceramic/glass artist.
Worked with Lino Tagliapietra over 20 years.
Soft spoken. Kind enough to answer my stupid questions.
KC also manages his studio.
Last visit, Richard Royal Studio in a very specious room.
A lot of big pieces on display.
He talked chronologically over his work and the thought behind his periods.
Also kindly answered my stupid questions.
We retunred to Space Neele at almost 5pm. I really enjoyed this tour. Learned a lot. I'm most impressed by how nice everyone is. It's a very welcoming community. Kathy and Ashley also emphasized this point many times. According to Ashley, Seattle-Tacoma-Pilchuck area is the largest consentration of glass artists and studios, outnumbers Venice area. Next year, if they go visit other studios, I think I'll join again.
Afterwards, I went to Refract's closing party at Pratt. However, no party to be found, or closed early.
