Pumpkin Patch in Benicia

Usually I'd just post these images to FB but the FB page isn't working today. So folks, yes, Nourot has been making glass pumpkins. We couldn't make them all the same, never. We have short ones, tall, ones, black ones, orange ones, silver mirrored ones and well, just about any color! The pale ones are my personal favorite. There is allot to making these as we found out. The stems are kind of tricky and time sensitive. Not real forgiving once they touch down!

For more images write us at the shop or call. We are off to an outdoor art fair this weekend at Phil and Chad Glashoff's near Green Valley, CA. Not our usual venue, but it's a party so what the heck. Try and catch your self one this month before they are all gone. The prices start at $50. Thanks for reading.

Holiday Decor

“There is something about Red Glass that can add warmth to a room, and at this time of year it can also be used for Holiday décor.” The Artful Home.

Wall Piece here is by Micheal Nourot, a "Rivergate" approximately 24" at widest point; 2" depth.

Red glasses are a specialty at Nourot Studio. Visit this weekend for our Holiday sale; hours are 10AM--5PM at 675 East H Street in Benicia, California. Located in the small town of Benicia, just 40 minutes from Napa or San Francisco on Freeway 780; 1 mile from the Benicia Bridge at Hwy 680. See our google places map link.

Glassmaking and refreshments will be served this Saturday and Sunday. Get a free ornament by buying two vessels made by Nourot at 20% off.

Holiday Weekend Number Two Tomorrow

"Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire: The i-shares Commission


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujpSNddzYlA"

Looks like some good weather is on the way for Saturday and Sunday.  We've melted glass for the weekend demos and are tidying up the glass gallery for your visit.  See Nourot, too, on First Street in Benicia at the Holiday Street Fair produced by Benicia Main Street.

In the gallery this week ornaments are going fast at $30 and $40.  Bead jewelry, too is a good gift from the Marco Polo company of Portland, Oregon.  We have a great selection.  But don't forget the blues this year by Nourot: we've blown many nice pieces of lustre work in new shapes and have just finished Cobalt Metallic pieces in the cabinet (9 inch) size.  These are good choices for those who have collected our trademark "Red Satin" and "Scarlet Nova" patterns for years.

Custom works for 2010 are the leading edge at Nourot Studio in Benicia.  We have blown custom work for people as far away as Virginia.  You can write us with your ideas or call and we will work with you on your special piece.  The one that came out so perfect was the "Rivergate" wall piece for Ted Quinn.
Above is our new Youtube video made for us by John Beck of http://www.slideshowvideo.com/.  John wants to learn how to blow glass. Ha. We want to learn video production.

Noted on the left are our important patrons. Thanks to you we have the will and means to continue our art. Sincerely, we really appreciate all of you who invest in American art glass.

Stop by or just join our email list at www.benicianglass.com/moreinformation.html

Spring Sale in one week

Save 30% on every Nourot made piece in the gallery starting April 29; 30 and May 1; 2. Nourot Glass Studio's annual Spring Open House and Sale coincides with Arts Benicia Open Studios, too: May 1 and 2.

New in the gallery this time will be the work of Craig and Anny Zweifel. They are the guest artists this year. As well as demonstrating goblet making, they will be here showing their glass works (pictured).

Demonstrations of glass making will be as long as the glass lasts for the four day show. You can see up close how works of beauty in hand blown glass take form right before your eyes. Get as close as you dare to the 2,000 degree "glory holes" and watch the expert crafts people at the Nourot Studio make goblets, vases, paperweights and other items out of their signature red glass.

Hours are 10Am to 5PM April 29; 30 and May 1; 2. Location is: 675 East H Street in old town Benicia, California. Take the 5th street exit off Freeway 780 or turn East off First Street (six blocks away) and follow H to the end.

Smyers Glass is located in the same building as Nourot and will be showing their style glass items during the Spring Open House.

For more information or to schedule a tour at another time please call the Nourot Gallery at 707-745-1463.

Guest Artists Craig and Anny Zweifel

Spring Sale at Nourot Studio is coming up in a month. This year's guest artists will be Craig and Anny Zweifel of Williams, Oregon.

Craig and Anny make a type of glass that is not often seen. The lustre effects they get always make them stand out at the art fairs and markets where we have seen them and their works.

Colors they work in are Amber, black and irredescence of many colors. No diachroic is ever used to achieve these effects.

The secret to making glass like the Zweiffel's will be revealed at the Nourot Spring Sale. Thursday through Sunday the last two days of April and the first two days of May there will be glassmaking by both the Zweiffels and the Nourots.

You may drop by the studio then to view their works. You can also sign up for email alerts on Benician Glass website which is the studio tourist site.

We hope next month this time we'll be welcoming you into our shop to see molten glass take form right before your eyes.

Location is 675 East H Street in Benicia, California about a half hour's drive from Napa and about an hour from San Francisco.

They will be refreshments as well and you won't want to miss Arts Benicia's Open Studios that weekend also. Many of the best artists in the area will be open to visitors. Look at the Arts Benicia website for information on who is participating. No charge for admission. At Nourot there is plenty of free parking and a great view of the straits! Vista Point bridge walk is now open too, for bicycles and pedestrians from here to Martinez. Google Vista point for location.

Dr Richard Sennet explains the Essence of Craft

In our last post we mentioned a really out there concept: that an object could become a craft object of sorts by pairing it with really good writing: the Significant Objects project. We were giving it our back hand because it lacks what qualities we feel most embody craft art, if you will, or just plain American Craftmanship as we've know it.
Now comes a pod cast from American Craft Council. A pod cast no less. About another viewpoint. A viewpoint we find inspiring and hopeful. Please give it a listen.
In Dr. Richard Sennett’s view, "Craftsmanship is misunderstood when it is only connected with manual skill. It is also a mental skill and should be measured by standards. It is highly intelligent."
To find out more about this please go to this lage for Dr. Sennet's podcast.

“A craftsman,” he explained, “is someone dedicated to doing good work for its own sake.” They do not take shortcuts.

One examplehe used was an analogy between open source software development and crafts (you have to stay current to keep an audience's attention it seems). It goes something like this: if all craftwork is about problem solving and problem finding, then the work (as in software development)is constantly evolving. He says: "Just as in the work of a potter, skills and standards are set by the community; quality equals democracy."
Well, yes, Dr. Sennet, and the customer is always right. Some artist's attitude is you can take it or leave it. In this economy the idea the customer will have the last say is very evident.

At the American Craft conference last month in Minnapolis Dr. Sennett made the point tha the real problem today is that modern society no longer values the idea that craft is ever growing and exploratory.
Instead, we have noticed here at Nourot Glass, crafts people are workers hamstrung by the need to compete with global products that are mass produced.

Quality is no longer rewarded, says Dr Sennett. This loss of quality is pervasive and with the proliferation of machines, the work of the artisan craftsman is even more threatened.

The American Craft site ends the article with: "Mr Sennett make a final argument for architects using hand drawing versus computerized drafting software to render their buildings. Dr. Sennett concluded that we must revisit slowness for a different social order."

Bring me a punti Mr. Slowsky.

See GlassMaking This Friday at Nourot Studio

 
 
 
 

Nick Nourot is hard at work. You can visit the Nourot Studio this Friday and see how he blows the large blue vase like is pictured in these photos. The Koi pond is also ready for visitors after a month long renovation. Come to 675 East H Street in Benicia, CA 94510 or call 707-745-1463 for directions. The Benicia Bridge is a nice walk and the point of departure is close by the Nourot Studio. A fun trip for couples or a family on a sunny afternoon.

Soul Glass: Michael Hopko Glass Fish

It's a fishy day and raining too, at the Nourot Glass Studio for Michael Hopko's demonstration at Arts Benicia Open Studios. Michael and wife, Darcy have come to Nourot to show off their glass making talent for all kinds of hand blown realistic fish sculptures. Demonstrating the fish making techniques will be Michael Hopko and his assistant Ron . This time Hopko is unveiling some new techniques. The octopos he brought with tiny glass canes is really amazing. Hopko is also showing wall mounted glass fish sculptures that are new. Prices range from $400--$900USD.

Nourot Spring Open House and Sale is located at 675 East H St in Benicia, CA USA. For more information see: http://www.benicianglass.com/

The Nourot Studio site: http://www.nourot.com/ has portfolio pictures of works by Micheal Nourot and family. Sale days are today May 2nd and tomorrow May 3rd.

Call the studio for more information: 707-745-1463.

Hopko Faces the Trout Opener

Guest Artist Michael Hopko will make his trophy glass trout and salmon at the Nourot Spring Open House May 2 & 3. Here Michael Hopko puts the finishing touches to one of his unique and realistic glass fish.
An opening reception is scheduled at the Benicia California glass studio of Nourot on Thursday evening. Demonstrations of blown glass making will be continuous during the whole four day Open House.
See Michael Hopko make glass fish and other sea creatures. Children welcome. Free parking. Handicap accessible. Location: 675 East H St. Benicia, CA 94510 USA. Phone: 707-745-1463 web: www.benicianglass.com

Open Apprentice Day a Big Success

Nourot Glass Studio's 34th Anniversary Party and Open Apprentice Day on Saturday brought out many glass loving fans. Here you can see some visitors trying to blow glass of their own.



Starting from scratch with just a little help from your friends is how these novice glass makers got into the art scene Saturday. Selected visitors to the Nourot Glass Studio and gallery in Benicia were "walked through" their first piece of art glass. Participants came from all walks of life, new moms, software developers, aerobics instructors and even one eight grader found their muse in the glowing 2000 degree molten honey. Paperweights, drinking cups and even a few vases were produced by the day's end.
The "One and Olny Open Apprentice Day" drew glass artist wanna bes who were not afraid to get hot and sweaty. The gathering was done by the Nourot staff for the most part and the beginners took it from there. Feeling the pull and drop of the heavy molten glass proved very alluring to everyone who took part. Collectors Myrna and Richaed Kimmelman from Napa even had a second go round when their first creation hit the pan. Oops the punti let go! A Benicia Herald staffer Christi and new editor Mark Ethier came by to give it a whil as well. Thanks for your support, guys.
In the gallery it was a usual Saturday with Paula Foster and Rene Silcox taking care of the Chihuly Show fans who continue to dribbble in from the excellent article about us (and Dale) by Gretchen Eberle that ran in the San Francisco Chronicle in mid-July. Newly weds beginning their glass collection inspired by the deYoung's "Chihuly at the deYoung" picked out a new "Shifting Sands" pattern vase by Micheal Nourot. This new enamel pattern is in soft browns, acid green, maroon and yellow.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time taking part in the fun. Other participants included Linda Wright's four children, Benicia fisherman "Chip" pictured here making the most massive piece of the day and soccer mom Christina Strohl.
Glassmaking in the Italian tradition would not have been achieved without the help of real life professional artist Scott Zoog who attended with his wife Erika, also a glass artist. Mr. Zoog attempted a large "Venetian" curlyque ala Chihuly with the help of the Nourot's son Nicholas.
The vault glass got some exposure and a couple of 29 year olds from Alameda found the 70's looks there the most intriguing of all Nourot's pieces on display. Could it be that the "Earth Bottles" will soon make a come back?
Time will tell, as we roll on into our 35th year before the glory hole. Pray the saftey glass did it's job and we'll still be able to see what's going on in there next year!