In conjunction with their exhibit, “Now Playing: New Forms in Contemporary Glass,” William King Museum of Art is hosting Glassfest—a weekend of talks, demonstrations and performance all centered around the art of glassmaking.
“Now Playing: New Forms in Contemporary Glass,” curated by William King, features work from the collection of the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia, as well as work by artists associated with the Chrysler’s Perry Glass Studio.
“The opportunity to partner with The Chrysler Museum came at a perfect moment for us as WKMA is in the middle of renovating a multi-use studio and education building to open in Spring of 2020,” said Sarah Stanley, curator for William King. “We also saw this exhibition as a great way to build institutional relationships across the state — something that is particularly important for us as a rural museum with a lot to offer.”
“William King always strives to bring something new and artistically relevant to our region,” says Callie Hietala, WKMA’s tours and community programs manager. “Our goal is to bring a diverse range of experiences to our region, to give folks opportunities to see and learn things they may not otherwise have the opportunity to encounter. With Glassfest, we are essentially bringing a part of the Chrysler Museum — one of the leaders in the contemporary glass movement — to Abingdon.”
Glassfest is the William King’s effort to bring their exhibit, and the drama of glassmaking alive in Abingdon. Glassfest kicks off at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 29 with a talk by Mark Russell, owner of the Firehall Glass Studio in Greeneville, Tennessee. His lecture will touch on the history of contemporary glass as well as his own journey and process as a glass artist.
Friday, Aug. 30, and Saturday, Aug. 31, the Chrysler Museum’s Mobile Glass Studio is in Abingdon, doing live glassblowing demonstrations throughout each day. Friday, the studio is set up on William King’s grounds and Saturday it moves to Main Street for Abingdon’s Main Street Buskerfest.
The weekend wraps up on Sunday, Sept. 1 with two events, both at WKMA. That day, artist Suzanne Peterson performs her piece, “60 Grit Finger,” in the world fine art gallery. There will be two performances, one at 1:30 p.m., and another at 3 p.m. At 2 p.m., Carolyn Needell, the Chrysler Museum’s Carolyn and Richard Barry curator of glass, talks about the Chrysler’s glass program followed by a tour of the exhibit currently at William King.
One additional talk by Thor Bueno, a founding member of The B Team, wraps up the programming for “Now Playing.” The B Team was a collaborative, experimental glassblowing performance group in the ‘90s dedicated to challenging conventional ideas of glass forms. Bueno speak at WKMA Thursday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m.
For more information on the William King Museum of Art’s Glassfest, visit WilliamKing Museum.org or contact Callie Hietala at chietala@wkmuseum.org.
