September 2024 Newsletter

Art in the Shop: Amerigo's Sister

This piece is by co-owner and artist Kara van Wyk. In the famous painting by Botticelli, “The Birth of Venus,” the personification of beauty is served up on a half-shell. She is graceful, young, pure and white. Her long hair flows in the wind. What the future holds for this innocent is unspoken. Her beauty is simply offered.

A woman’s beauty starts before a girl is old enough to realize it. There are dangers that lurk just below the surface of her rippled reflection. Before she is even aware, the thought of her has dwelt in the darker minds of others.

The model for Botticelli’s painting was a sister to another in the employ of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’Medici. This person was sent forth to explore the New World and later would be the namesake of a country—Amerigo Vespucci.

Featured Work:

"Amerigo's Sister"

Low-fire enamels on plate-glass

Kara van Wyk

24″ x 23 1/4″

$6500

Artist in the World: Jim Bachor
Chicago artist Jim Bachor beautifully intertwines his passion for ancient history with his desire to leave a lasting mark on the world, much like the vibrant glass art we cherish at Potekglass! His volunteer experience on an archaeological dig in Pompeii serves as a profound source of inspiration for his creations, illustrating how art can echo through time. We invite you to explore Bachor's captivating feature in the Winter 2023-2024 issue of Stained Glass: The Quarterly Magazine of the Stained Glass Association of America, available in our shop.

Featured Work:

"Dyin' Stylin" (Chicago)

Smalti Glass

14" x 13.25"

2024

This piece is all Italian glass, it is 3rd in a varying edition of 10. It proudly sports Chicago's 6 point star and the two rows of light blue teeth reference the stripes from the city's flag. This recent work features Bachor's new investigation of incorporating 3D printed frames to produce organically shaped works.

Featured Work:

"Hot Sauce Packets"

Pothole Mosaic Installation

3650 North Hermitage, Chicago

N 41° 56’ 54.51” W 87° 40’ 20.90’’

May 2017

Using the same materials, tools and methods of archaic craftsmen, Bachor creates mosaics that speak of modern things in an ancient voice. The work locks into mortar unexpected concepts drawn from the present.

Featured Work:

“Dead Cockroach”

Pothole Mosaic Installation

Manhattan, New York

N 40° 43’ 37.36”W 73° 59’ 49.38’’

​July 2018

"With around 110 pothole installations under his belt at this point around the US and internationally, Bachor has been able to standardize his process to maximize his success when working within the unknown variables that come with his pothole work." - Jaclyn Miller

Upcoming Classes at Potekglass

• Stained Glass Succulent and Water Lillies
  • Date: Saturday 2pm - 4:30pm, September 7th
  • Cost: $65 | Member Price: $58.50
  • Details: Beautify your world by making stunning succulents or water lilies that require no care or watering! Over two weeks, students will construct two items and learn decorative soldering techniques, edge soldering and 3D construction.
• Try-iT! Basics from Boron
  • Date: September 21st, 10 AM - 1 PM
  • Cost: $95 | Member Price: $69
  • Details: Learn basic borosilicate glass techniques, including creating small paperweights and icicle ornaments.
• Try-iT! Kiln Class: Fusing and Slumping
  • Date: September 28th, 5 PM - 8 PM
  • Cost: $95 | Member Price: $69
  • Details: Create a 5" x 5" glass tile and slump it into a catch-all dish. Learn fusing and slumping techniques.
• Beginning Stained Glass Class
  • Dates: September 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 10am-1pm
  • Cost: $95 | Member Price: $69
  • Details: Learn the basics of stained glass from start to finish using the Tiffany copper foil method. 
• Halloween: Glow in the Dark Skulls
  • Date: October 26th, 10am-1pm
  • Cost: $115 | Member Price: $103.50
  • Utilize Glo-powder and Thompson Enamel application/techniques, basic sculpture color striking, and annealing to create ghoulish glow-in-the-dark pendants.

Kansas City SGAA Conference: Kiln Work for Stained Glass Workshop

• Dates: October 2nd and 3rd, Wednesday and Thursday 9-5
• Cost: $350 + $70 materials fee
• Location: Monarch Glass Studio, 1919 E Truman Rd, Kansas City, MO 64127
• Details: In this hands on workshop, we will explore designs that can be fired into a single sheet appropriate for foiling or lead technique. Using, powders, frits, stingers, enamels and stencils. Students can expect to create 2- 3 custom sheets, more depending on kiln space.

Sheet of the Week Playlist

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.

• "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy
  • Sheet: OGT-BR-6000, Black/White/Clear Baroque
• "You Don't Know Me"by Caetano Veloso
  • Sheet: Uruboros 00-752-5, Verdant Green and Yellow
• "Anything You Want" by Belleruche
  • Uroboros 00361, Mottled Amber/Yellow/White
• "Ways of Seeing" by BADBADNOTGOOD
  • Sheet: Y1634SP, Ice White, Green, Blue, Purple

Lowry Ave Reconstruction

Hennepin County, in collaboration with the City of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Metro Transit, and the six Lowry Avenue Northeast corridor neighborhoods, plans to improve Lowry Avenue (County Road 153) between Marshall Street (County Road 23) and Johnson Street in Northeast Minneapolis. Reconstruction is anticipated throughout the summer. Please click the link below for directions to Potekglass!