Art in the Shop (Featured Artwork)
Update on a recent commission by Malcom Potek:
My friend Troy Schmidtke and his wife Jodi Lawton were renovating their home and there was a call for art glass in the architect's drawing. Troy is always looking to involve his community in the projects he takes on and so called me to ask if I was interested. I knew that Troy loved the outdoors and was adventurous not only in his spirit, but in his willingness to see what others had to offer.
After some conversation and sketches we agreed that this was a good fit. I was able to do the work I love the most. Head out into the woods and start finding inspiration. I found it on one of my favorite hikes in western Wisconsin. Standing Cedars is a land conservation site that has saved an amazing property along the St.Croix River from development. There are many beautiful paths but one in particular that I am fond of is a large group of aspen that just sing in the sunlight, especially in spring.
Here is my memory of that beautiful spot. A special thanks to Gary Johnson of SMSQ Architects for overseeing the design of the room divider panels.
Art in the World: Nico Williams
About:
Nico Williams, ᐅᑌᒥᐣ (b. 1989) is a member of Aamjiwnaang First Nation (Anishinaabe), currently living and working in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal. In 2021, he graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from Concordia University. He has a multidisciplinary and, often collaborative, practice that is centred around sculptural beadwork. Williams is active within the urban Indigenous Montréal Arts community and a member of the Contemporary Geometric Beadwork research team. He has taught workshops at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the McCord Stewart Museum, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and the University of Toronto.
Artist Statement:
"Using the bright, tactile materiality and relational nature of beadwork, my practice looks at the ways we live through connections with objects, place, and language. Often in collaboration and community with others, I make sculptures that are sometimes highly patterned abstract geometric forms, sometimes sparkling representations of familiar objects, and always hand-woven from hundreds of glass beads. In their making, these sculptures become points of relation between the multiple hands that wove them as well as the cultural lenses through which different audiences access them.
I choose to work with forms and objects that, like beadwork, have an overt—if often overlooked—relationship to gratitude, exchange and commerce, land, and the shaping, and morphing ability of language. Sculptural geometries are a meeting point for technologies, stories, and lineages of knowledge. Translating everyday, accessible objects into beadwork re-presents regular things from our daily lives to reattune us to their attraction and code-switching, overlapping, shifting resonances across cultural contexts and modes of identity. This deep layering of held meaning about the connectivity of the past and present, cross-cultural interweaving, and both the harshness and beauty of our current reality shapes and motivates my practice."
About and Artist Statement sourced from Nico Williams' Artist Website
Upcoming Classes at Potekglass
Stained Glass Leaded Window
Master the Art of Traditional Leaded Stained Glass! Take your stained glass skills to the next level with this 4-week intermediate course. Learn the classic lead came technique to design and construct a beautiful stained glass window using traditional methods. Class is 2 hours each week for 4-weeks, with the majority of your project finished as homework outside of class.
Instructor: Mark Trease
Cost: $115.00
Class Sessions:
- Saturday, July 12 | 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Saturday, July 19 | 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Saturday, July 26 | 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Saturday, August 2 | 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Try-iT! Basics from Boron
Instructor: Malcom Potek
Cost: $95.00
Class Session: Thursday, July 31 | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Try Your Hand at Borosilicate Glasswork! Discover the sculptural potential of Borosilicate glass, an American hard glass infused with boron for added strength and versatility. In this beginner-friendly torchwork class, you'll learn essential techniques to gather, blend, and shape molten glass while creating your own unique pieces. No experience necessary: Perfect for beginners!
Beginning Stained Glass | August
Learn the Art of Stained Glass! Join us for this beginner-friendly, 4-week course designed to teach you the Tiffany copper foil method of stained glass. Whether you're new to glass art or looking to refine your skills, this class will guide you through the steps to creating your own stained glass masterpiece. Class is 2.5 hours each week for 4 weeks. Students will have 2-4 hours of homework each week. No experience necessary: Perfect for beginners!
Instructor: Mark Trease
Cost: $115.00
Class Sessions:
- Saturday, August 9 | 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
- Saturday, August 16 | 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
- Saturday, August 23 | 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
- Saturday, September 6 | 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Try-iT! Italian Soft Glass Bead Making
Experience the Art of Italian Soft Glass Bead Making! Discover the joy of working with vibrant Italian soft glass as you learn to gather, shape, and decorate molten glass beads. In this beginner-friendly torchwork class, you’ll explore essential techniques for creating beautiful, handcrafted beads. No experience necessary: Perfect for beginners!
Instructor: Malcom Potek
Cost: $95.00
Class Session: Thursday, August 14 | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Wild Color Mosaic Pet Portrait with Erin Ward
Learn the Art of Mosaic Glass! Join this three-day workshop to create an abstracted and boldly colored glass mosaic based on a photograph of your pet or an animal of choice. Under the guidance of Erin Ward, an experienced glass artist, you’ll explore the nuances of color, line, and shape as you bring your subject to life in mosaic form. Please note, this class will have homework, students will need to complete glasswork during the week between classes.
Instructor: Erin Ward
Cost: $195.00
Class Sessions:
- Saturday, August 16 |10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- Sunday, August 17 | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- Saturday, August 23 | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Sheet of the Week Playlist: June Review
At Potekglass, we invite you to join us on an artistic journey that unfolds each week as we hand-select a sheet of glass. Each selection is paired with a thoughtfully chosen song that resonates with the unique essence of the glass. Each week, we offer a 15% discount on this exquisite piece, providing an excellent opportunity to enhance your collection. We encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for real-time updates.
Here is our review of last month's selections:
"Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World)" by The Undisputed Truth
- Youghiogheny YU6595IR
"Waiting Room" by Fugazi
- Youghiogheny Y5009SP
"2 Dusty Foot" by Jackie McLean
- Bullseye 6231-00
"Wake Me Up" by Norah Jones (Not Too Late album)
- MRG 5000 IR
Sheet of the Week Email Opt-In
Wow! We received so many opt-ins to our Sheet of the Week email list that our submission form maxed out - that's a crazy awesome problem to have!
If you weren't able to opt in last time, send us an email at info@potekglass.com & let us know that you want to opt in now!
Subscribing to Sheet of the Week emails means that every week you'll receive an email where you can:
- Watch a video sneak peak of which stunning sheet is discounted 15% that week.
- Learn fun facts about the glass manufacturer for our featured sheet.
- Listen to the incredible artist featured with our sheet selection.
Don't worry - we'll only send you weekly sale emails if you opt in! If you take no action, you won't receive Sheet of the Week updates (but you will continue to receive our monthly newsletter).
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June 2025 Newsletter
August 2025 Newsletter