Announced at the 2014 GAS Conference in Chicago during the James Carpenter Lecture, the Technology Advancing Glass (TAG) program assists the advancement of the glass arts by providing an annual grant to an artist or group of artists to fund research to advance the field of glass art. The idea behind the TAG program follows the worldwide educational trend that combines science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with the arts (STEAM) to accelerate the development of new, expressive forms.

Long-time glass collectors and supporters of GAS Ted and Melissa Lagreid and glass artist and former GAS Board Member Wayne Strattman made the grant possible through generous donations. The Lagreids originally approached GAS with the desire to help the glass arts community. A GAS Committee of interested members then decided to create an annual grant program and competition for the grant. Committee members include Lagreid and Strattman, as well as artists Rik Allen and Peter Houk, who work with glass.

“Glass, with its unique characteristics, offers a special contribution to the larger art world,” states Lagreid. “And because of how younger people interact with the world in a very technologically oriented way, perhaps adding evolving technologies to the art-making process will elicit a new set of positive responses from a segment of society who are in the formative stages of artistic awareness.” 

Mlasowsky will use the award money to finance the development of a new sculpture-making method based on the glass-making technique of pate de verre. The method integrates digital prototyping, 3D modeling and printing techniques to generate structures that serve as sculpture molds, liberating the artist from making traditional molds. “This new sculpting method…will allow artists to create large work while using much less material than commonly used in other techniques, as well as the opportunity to work on complex shapes in kiln-forming otherwise not possible,” Mlasowsky states. “This development will help to keep glass art a contemporary and diverse art form that evolves together with other creative enterprises and industry.”

Dickson will combine the possibilities of data capture, computer modeling, digital fabrication, and 3D printing to offer a new method for producing imagery in glass sculpture. The process will translate the digital photograph into a glass object by using modeling software such as AutoCAD and Rhino to produce a digital, 3D surface. The artwork can then be created through water-jet machining, CNC machining, 3D printing and kiln casting. According to Dickson, the new method “merges the printed image with manufacturing technologies, moving from the flatness of pictorial space to the interiors of transparent glass and beyond into concepts of printed sculptures and innovative ways of making images with glass.”

The team of Stern, Dave, Kayser and Klein will continue their research begun at Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the first automated, hot-glass 3D printer. The team plans to use 3D printing to add variety to existing glass-working techniques, furthering their capabilities, precision and visual effects. The team states, “The fusion of 3D printing and glass will provide a dynamic opportunity to engage people from the larger 'maker' community that exists around 3D printing and ultimately help introduce new minds to glass-working.”

“We are hoping for this first set of recipients to not only make progress on their individual proposals, but that the GAS membership becomes inspired to start thinking about developing new technologies,” states Strattman. “These proposals are bringing computer-based technologies to bear to the production of artistic pieces. This is an almost universal movement in the ‘maker’ community, and it will be exciting to see what these people will be able to create.”

TAG grant recipients are required to give a presentation on their completed project at a GAS conference or other event within three years of receiving the funding. GAS will also publish their findings in the annual GAS Journal. The lecture will be a new, regular feature of GAS conferences. Applications for the 2015 grant will open in March 2015. 
Visit www.glassart.org for more information.


About the Glass Art Society
Founded in 1971, the Glass Art Society is an international non-profit organization whose purpose is to encourage excellence, to advance education, to promote the appreciation and development of the glass arts, and to support the worldwide community of artists who work with glass. GAS strives to stimulate communication among artists, educators, students, collectors, gallery and museum personnel, art critics, manufacturers, and all others interested in and involved with the production, technology and aesthetics of glass. We are dedicated to creating greater public awareness and appreciation of the glass arts.
 
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