01 May Cheers to Collaboration!
Hot Shop Glass and Racine Art Museum
Raise Their Glasses to Collaboration!
On Saturday, May 18, Hot Shop Glass and Racine Art Museum (RAM) will join in partnership for an intimate tour of the Raise Your Glass (Goblets) exhibition in RAM’s Windows on Fifth Gallery, a gift from the collection of Alan and Barbara Boroff and the Kohler Foundation, Inc. Following the museum guided tour, guests will be treated to a glass goblet making demonstration in the studio at Hot Shop Glass with award winning, Italian-trained glass artist Mathew Urban. A wine and cheese reception with the artist will follow, including a trunk show of his latest work. Below is the schedule for the event. Limited tickets are available for this exciting evening, and may be reserved by phone at 262-833-0095 and online at ramart.org
Saturday, May 18
4-5 pm: RAM guided tour of the Raise Your Glass (Goblets) exhibition
5:30 – 6:30 pm: Demonstration with Matthew Urban at Hot Shop Glass
6:30 – 7:30 pm: Artist reception at Hot Shop Glass
$30 per person / $25 RAM members
Tickets to the event include full museum access, and guess are invited to come early to enjoy all the current exhibitions as well as shop the treasures in the Museum Store.
Raise Your Glass (Goblets) in RAM’s Windows on Fifth Gallery
In a contemporary context, glass goblets may seem like a rarified object—one associated with historical ceremonies or formal banquets. But in the fine craft field, glass goblets are akin to ceramic teapots in that they are functional forms that makers explore either as exercises in technique and style or as singular forms that reflect an idea or serve a purpose. Open through July 21, 2019 at the Racine Art Museum (RAM), Raise Your Glass (Goblets): Recent Acquisitions from Alan and Barbara Boroff and the Kohler Foundation, Inc. debuts over 100 glass goblets donated to RAM by Alan and Barbara Boroff and the Kohler Foundation, Inc.
This RAM Windows on Fifth Gallery exhibition offers examples by a wide range of contemporary glass artists—those that focus on creating glass vessels specifically and those who typically use glass in their work in other ways but have tried their hand at the goblet form. Likewise, a variety of styles, techniques, and sizes are represented. Artists whose works are featured include: Lucio Bubacco, Fritz Dreisbach, Shane Fero, Katherine Gray, Richard Jolley, James Minson, Michael J. Schunke, and Charles Savoie.
This important recent gift to RAM reflects the passionate collecting of Alan (1932-2016) and Barbara Boroff who acquired over 650 glass goblets before sharing them with public institutions. The museum has work that dates back to the 1980s, but the Boroffs have collected from the 1960s through to the present, including multiple pieces from the same artist made at different times. The Boroffs employed an approach that was both analytical and heartfelt. On one hand, their desire to amass a historically significant collection spurred them toward supporting a wide range of artists including those that have been living and working for decades and those newer to the field. On the other hand, Barbara Boroff has discussed
a commitment toward advocating for artists making a living through selling their work. They have cultivated personal relationships with several of the makers over the years. Our guest artist Matthew Urban has work that remains in the Boroff family’s personal collection.
Hot Shop Glass and Mathew Urban
Located in a fabulous old cream brick building just west of downtown Racine’s Main Street, Hot Shop Glass blends a working glass blowing studio with gallery of lovely glass art, all under one roof. For fourteen years artists, locals, tourists and glass enthusiasts alike have delighted in the classes, demonstrations and collections at Hot Shop Glass. Owners Amanda Cosgrove Paffrath and Daniel Sviland have more than 50 years of combined experience working with this illustrious medium and love to share their enthusiasm for glass with all who visit.
For this special event, artist Matthew Urban, who is an inspiration to local glass artists and many around the world, will demonstrate the making of a Venetian style blown glass goblet with the team at Hot Shop Glass. Matthew has studied and taught in many of the most prestigious glass programs in the world including The Corning Museum of Glass, Penland School of Craft, Pilchuck and Murano Italy with numerous glass masters, including Maestro Gianni Toso.
The environment at Hot Shop Glass is always engaging and fun. Guests are invited to join RAM staff, the Hot Shop Glass team, Matthew Urban, and an art loving community as they collaborate to celebrate Raise Your Glass!
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Racine Art Museum
Together, the two campuses of the Racine Art Museum, RAM in downtown Racine at 441 Main Street and the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts at 2519 Northwestern Avenue, seek to elevate the stature of contemporary crafts to that of fine art by exhibiting significant works in craft media with painting, sculpture, and photography, while providing outstanding educational art programming.
Docent-led contemporary craft and architectural tours of the museums are available. Both campuses of the Racine Art Museum, are open Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, and are closed Mondays, Federal holidays and Easter. RAM is open Sunday Noon – 5:00 pm, while Wustum is closed Sundays. An admission fee of $7 for adults, with reduced fees for students and seniors, applies at RAM. Admission to Wustum is free. Members are always admitted without charge to either campus.