Fallbrook gallery hosts 11th annual glass exhibition

By PAM KRAGEN - Staff Writer | Wednesday, July 2, 2008 12:15 PM PDT ∞

From hot-blown glass to fused, etched, slumped and cut glass, as well as jewelry, the work of more than 25 regional glass artists will be on display beginning July 6 at the Fallbrook Art Center.

The Fallbrook gallery is hosting its 11th annual "Galaxy of Glass" exhibition, which will run through Aug. 10. The show will feature a broad spectrum of handmade glass, including sculpture, vessels, jewelry, lamps, paperweights, perfumers and functional ware. The styles of glass-making represented include blown, torched, slumped, fused and cast.

The show is sponsored by this year by father-and-son glassblowers Merrill and Christopher Everett of Fallbrook, owners of Fallbrook Propane Gas Co. The company has been a major sponsor of the "Galaxy of Glass" show since it's inception 11 years ago.

Merrill Everett, who holds a master's degree in art from Claremont College graduate school, has been an artist most of his life, working in both ceramics and glass. Chris Everett has been blowing glass by his father's side since he was 14 years old, and he recently visited the famous glass-blowing factories on the island of Murano near Venice, Italy, where glassblowing was first developed in 1291.

"We always had a studio in our home," Merrill Everett said. "We would have Friday night get-togethers where Chris and his friends would blow glass and do ceramics; it was a lot of fun."

Among the eight new artists this year are Kathleen Mitchell, who teaches glassblowing and lampworking at UC San Diego Crafts Center in La Jolla. She said she loves the act of blowing glass.

"The sheer physical aspect, the sweat, the dance, the communion with your partner. It's earthy and it's difficult," she said.

Also new this year is George Jercich, an art professor at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo who likes to create mixed-media glass pieces using different techniques, including blown, fused and cast glass and welded metal.

This year's other artists include glass-blowers Buzz Blodgett of Encinitas, Ed Broadfield of San Marcos, Anna Mitchell of San Diego, John Ruth of Corona, Rose Goehner of La Costa, Leslie Wilton of Vista, Michael Hermann and Gina Lunn of San Clemente, and Scott Kempton of Escondido; glassblower/jeweler Lea de Wit of Solana Beach; painted glassware maker Lyn Leahy of San Marcos; Steve Maddy of San Diego, who makes painted glass vessels and paperweights; and Rob Morey, a fused glass artist from San Diego.

Also featured are four glass jewelers: Marlene Rantanen of Fallbrook, Carol Silrum and Debra Nelson of Vista, and Teresa Soit of San Diego; Julie Nagesh of Los Angeles, who makes kiln-formed glass paintings; Todd Nelson of Santa Ana, who makes slumped glass dinnerware and vessels; and JoAnne Wedge-Broadfield of San Marcos, who makes fused glass and mineral specimen jewelry. Finally, two art glass companies in Vista ---- Mad Art Glass and Mingo & Asho --- will show blown glassware, paperweights, jewelry and vessels.

To kick off the exhibition, a preview reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. July 5. Merrill Everett will offer a gallery talk at 6 p.m. July 5. Admission to the reception is $10.

The gallery will also stay open late (until 7 p.m.) on July 11 and 25, and Aug. 8 for the town's annual "Hot Summer Nights" downtown programs.

"Galaxy of Glass"

When: Opens July 6 and runs through Aug. 10; gallery hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; noon to 3 p.m. Sundays

Where: Fallbrook Art Center, 103 S. Main St., Fallbrook

Admission: $5

Phone: (760) 728-1414

Web: fallbrookart.org

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