Artebella On The Radio: May 28, 2020

Tiffany Ackerman Westmoreland talks about the resurgence of her stained-glass practice during self-isolation and how long it will take Flame Run, where she is the Gallery Director, to fire up their furnace again on this week's Artebella On The Radio. Tune in to WXOX 97.1 FM, or stream on Artxfm.com each Thursday at 10am to hear Keith Waits talk with artists.

On her Instagram page: tart_ackerart, Westmoreland describes herself as:

Artist, gallery director, all things colorful, & porkchop adventurer. #art #arttherapy #arteducator #maker #louisville #painter #stainedglassartist

Vignette: Steve Heine

“Sweet Camille’s Halo” by Steve Heine, 18x18x2in, laser-cut steel, blue handblown sheet glass, poplar, one of a series of “Cloud Panels” (2015), $2700 | BUY NOW

Steve Heine is the owner of Cranium Glass in Louisville, Kentucky, where he is also the chief designer. Although trained as an architect, his work is primarily commissioned art glass for individual and corporate clients.

“Stained glass—composed of glass, paint and metal [lead]—is the prototypical architectural glass form. Currently, I’m working on a fresh approach to architectural glass using these same materials—hand blown sheet glass, paint [stark white metal primer] and metal [laser-cut steel]. My “Cloud Panels” [like stained glass] are designed to be illuminated by the sun. I’m particularly fascinated by the wash of color across steel. I’m working primarily with blue, violet, amber or green hand blown sheet glass for each of my “Cloud Panels”.

“I’m trying to transition to some smaller pieces and gallery sales. However, the high cost of my materials creates a bit of a dilemma for me. So, I’m trying to sell these new "Cloud Panels" by way of a concept drawing and a paper study model [8” x 8”] and images of past, completed pieces. Once a concept is commissioned, I can then make the piece in my studio.”

“Lucent Cloud” (concept drawing on left) by Steve Heine, 18x18x2in, laser-cut steel, blue handblown sheet glass, poplar, one of a series of “Cloud Panels” (2016), $2700 | BUY NOW

Of course the final glass version is what both artist and viewer are drawn to, yet the minimalist clarity of Heine’s paper models is notable, a clean, simple aesthetic with an appeal all its own. While we envision an artist’s preparation as furiously scribbling on a pad, hands dirty with charcoal or chalk, the architect’s approach is on display here; the merging of the artist’s creativity with the practical functionality of an engineer. 

“Buoyancy” by Steve Heine, paper study model (2016) | Available for Commission

During 2016, Heine’s work was accepted in three juried exhibitions: 

•Louisville Visual Art & University of Louisville’s Hite Institute’s Open Studio Weekend Exhibition, juried exhibition, Cressman Center for the Visual Arts, Louisville, KY
• Gathering: Contemporary Glass from the Heartland, juried exhibition “featuring the best of emerging and established glass artists from Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Wisconsin—the heartland of America”, Muncie, IN
• Merit Award in Bluegrass Biennial: A Kentucky Juried Exhibition, Morehead, KY

Heine is now a member of PYRO Gallery in Louisville, and will be featured in the PYRO New Members Show, January 5 through February 11, 2017.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Age: 55
Education: BA, Architecture, University of Kentucky, 1996; 
Website: http://www.craniumglass.squarespace.com/

“For My Brother, Gary, Who Is Much Older Than Me” by Steve Heine, 7x5(d) in, cast glass [lost-wax process], lathe-turned Kentucky black walnut. The wax positive for the glass was slowly turned by hand on a wood lathe. One of a series of “Wood Lathe Vessels”, NFS

A wax model for one of Steve Heine's “Wood Lathe Vessels”

Are you interested in being on Artebella? Click here to learn more.

Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2016 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

For information on how you can advertise through Artebella click here.