Visiting Artist Series
BAGI brings local, national and international artists to the facility to teach and to interact with the local community. The program has brought local artists and students in contact with some of the most innovative artists working today and those interactions have inspired both the students and the artists to create new work. In addition to being hands-on with students, the visiting artists spend time with patrons and the local community to talk about their art and demonstrate their process in the studio.
Artists have traveled from Japan, Canada, Italy and Australia to perform demonstrations.
Artists have traveled from Japan, Canada, Italy and Australia to perform demonstrations.
Upcoming Artist 2020
Past Visiting Artists
2019
Visiting Artist Devin BurgessThe Bay Area Glass Institute is pleased to announce Devin Burgess as our visiting artist for March 21-24. Devin Burgess is a glassblower in Greensboro, VT. His handblown glass forms portray a graceful elegance with acute attention to detail. After receiving a BFA from Alfred University in 2001, he continued his education working as an apprentice with the prestigious Ben Moore, Inc. in Seattle, Washington. In 2011, Devin completed a three year residency program at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. His work has been published in national publications and has exhibited at the Mint Museum of Craft and Design in Charlotte, NC and the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, PA. |
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2018 Davide Penso
Although bead making and jewelry continue as mainstays of Penso’s creative production, his current Seaweed sculptures challenge the artist to work larger on the torch. A recent outdoor sculpture measured over 3 meters and included more than 70 blown pieces. Visitors from around the world stop to take photos and marvel at the work, inspiring Penso to move in a more sculptural direction with his ideas.
In 2001, Penso began teaching lampworking and jewelry design, collaborating with Abate Zanetti School of Glass in Murano. An invitation in 2007 to lecture at Boston University School of Visual Art led to subsequent teaching stints at CMOG; the Glass Furnace in Istanbul, Turkey; and Nuutajärvi Glass Village, Nuutajärvi, Finland.
Special guest appearances include the 2017 Gathering, sponsored by the International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB), and the upcoming 2019 Festival of Glass, Drysdale Australia.
His 2018 teaching schedule includes Master the Art of Blown Glass Beads at Blue Moon Glassworks, Austin, Texas, October 4 – 5, Patty Lakinsmith, Los Gatos, California, October 10– 14, and at the Bay Area Glass Institute October 12.;
plus his Murano Glass Week, held in September in conjunction with the Venice Glass Week.
Although bead making and jewelry continue as mainstays of Penso’s creative production, his current Seaweed sculptures challenge the artist to work larger on the torch. A recent outdoor sculpture measured over 3 meters and included more than 70 blown pieces. Visitors from around the world stop to take photos and marvel at the work, inspiring Penso to move in a more sculptural direction with his ideas.
In 2001, Penso began teaching lampworking and jewelry design, collaborating with Abate Zanetti School of Glass in Murano. An invitation in 2007 to lecture at Boston University School of Visual Art led to subsequent teaching stints at CMOG; the Glass Furnace in Istanbul, Turkey; and Nuutajärvi Glass Village, Nuutajärvi, Finland.
Special guest appearances include the 2017 Gathering, sponsored by the International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB), and the upcoming 2019 Festival of Glass, Drysdale Australia.
His 2018 teaching schedule includes Master the Art of Blown Glass Beads at Blue Moon Glassworks, Austin, Texas, October 4 – 5, Patty Lakinsmith, Los Gatos, California, October 10– 14, and at the Bay Area Glass Institute October 12.;
plus his Murano Glass Week, held in September in conjunction with the Venice Glass Week.
2015
Museum of Glass Hot Shop Team - Kids Blow Glass™
Glassblowing The Kids Design Glass™ program at the Museum of Glass (MOG) invites children age 12 and younger to submit drawings that are then interpreted into sculpture by the museum’s... » read more 
Karina Guèvin & Cèdric Ginart
Flameworking Guévin and Ginart will work simultaneously, making many components with borosilicate glass, and then attaching the parts together to create one crazy piece. » read more 
John de Wit
Flameworking De Wit will create an object that reflects his interest in the re-imagined vessel, using a variety of methods that he has adapted and perfected in his 38 years of working glass. » read more 
Alexander Abajian & Jerry Lin-Hsien Kung
Glassblowing Ryan “Buck” Harris will demonstrate how he freestyles a hollow borosilicate skull using his torch stand technique. » read more 
Ryan "Buck" Harris
Flameworking Ryan “Buck” Harris will demonstrate how he freestyles a hollow borosilicate skull using his torch stand technique. » read more 
Jay Musler
Flameworking Jay will explain how he manipulates glass tubes on the lathe to make wineglasses, stems, buckets, twigs, and other small glass objects. » read more 
Bob Snodgrass
Flameworking Snodgrass will demonstrate how to make marbles and pendants with fumed images encased. He will also use the boro technique of mushroom marble and create some assorted vessels. His original coloring discovery began with silver;... » read more 
Demetra Theofanous & Beau Tsi
Flameworking This collaborative demo will merge signature elements of each artist’s work. They will sculpt components in boro, bringing them together in a larger piece, to create nature’s story. » read more |
2013
Laura Donefer
Glass Blowing Laura has been working and teaching for over three decades. She was born in Ithaca, NY and raised in Quebec, Canada. In 1973 Laura studied sculpture for a year at the National Art School of Cubanacan in Havana,... » read more |
Jeff Mack
Glass Blowing Jeff Mack Is a glass artist and the manager of the glass studio at The Toledo Museum of Art. He has worked in glass for 20 years in contexts including master glass blower, factory stem maker, artist's assistant and gaffer for... » read more |
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2012
Paul DeSomma
Solid Hot Glass Sculpting Paul taught a well-attended sculptural workshop and graciously gave a demonstration for the public at 1pm on August 26th. He taught a two-day intensive workshop focused on the basics of sculpting in hot glass... » read more |
Jaime Guerrero
Hot Glass Sculpting Jaime taught a sculpting class at BAGI in 2012, followed by a free demonstration for the public. Jaime Guerrero received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from California College of Arts and Crafts, studied at Pilchuck, and has been in... » read more |
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Sara Sally LaGrand
Lampworking Sara Sally LaGrand has had the great fortune to study with many gifted teachers both in Italy and the U.S. She has been melting glass since 1996. In that time she has won numerous awards and has the great privilege to teach... » read more |
Abhilasha Natarajan
Fusing Abhilasha Natarajan has promoted art within the San Joaquin County area for the past 11 years. Teaching workshops and creating glass art have been Natarajan’s main focus. She has been the primary glass instructor at The Grand... » read more |
Cassandra Straubing
Casting In July Cassandra taught a four day workshop focus on the basic process of glass casting and investment mold making. Students started out initially using wet clay to create a three-dimensional sculpture, incorporating... » read more |
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Phil Vinson
Mold Making Blowing glass into molds has been around since Roman times. It is a great way to make shapes and textures out of glass that would otherwise not be possible. There are a variety of materials that glassblowing molds can... » read more |
2011
Lucio Bubacco
Lampworking Bubacco, born on Murano in 1957, began playing with glass as a boy, making small animals, beads, and the usual lampworker's tablet. At fifteen he received his artisan's license and began marketing flameworked Venetian... » read more 
Fritz Dreisbach
Glass Blowing, GLANC 10-Year Anniversary The alliance held its 10 year anniversary celebration at BAGI. Fritz Dreisbach spoke about the history of Studio Glass and then he did two public demonstrations in BAGI's hotshop. He made a unique drinking glass and a pickup truck... » read more 
Charles Lowrie & Michael Angelo Menconi
Glass Blowing This course was intended for sculptors and designers wanting those next steps to obtaining the keys that release the idea from their imagination and place it in the annealer. Daily demonstrations and individual instruction unlocked... » read more 
Jenny Pohlman and Sabrina Knowles
Glass Blowing From their earliest collaborative efforts Knowles and Pohlman have explored the inherent physical properties of glass - its fluidity, plasticity and strength. In this three day workshop, these master craftswomen demonstrated... » read more
Hiroshi Yamano
Glass Blowing International Glass Artist Hiroshi Yamano demonstrated his glass expertise in a public demonstration and lecture. A sense of refinement and love for materials pervades Hiroshi Yamano's luxurious, metaphorical... » read more |
2010
Boyd Sugiki & Lisa Zerkowitz
Glass Blowing Boyd Sugiki and Lisa Zerkowitz made an appearance at BAGI in December 2010 and taught a 2-day class focusing on the most difficult core shape, the BOWL. Boyd and Lisa met as graduate students at the Rhode Island School... » read more 
Michael Janis
Bas Relief and Imagery Michael Janis creates glass pieces that have both visual and spatial depth. By layering and fusing sheets of glass with overlapping elements, he strives for interactive commentary using simple forms with intricate glass... » read more 
Martin Janecky
Glass Blowing Martin Janecky began his career with glass at the age of 13 and later explored sculpting methods in the Czech Republic. By the time he was 20, he was employed by leading artists and designers around the world to assist and execute... » read more 2010 Second Sunday Artist Series
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2009
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Marc Petrovic
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2008
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Afro Celotto
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Charles Savoie
Glass Blowing Based in Ripon, Wisconsin, Savoie strives to take traditional forms and evolve them into contemporary glass art. The unique quality of his work lies within the glass itself as he makes his own glass from scratch. Some of the formulas... » read more 
Jay Macdonell
Glass Blowing Jay created one of his signature Allium bulbs. The bulbs explore relationship issues between form, tension, and balance. He resolves the issues by connecting three separate forms together. Jay along with his team... » read more |
2007
Jaime Guerrero
Hot Glass Sculpting Being a first generation Mexican‑American, Jaime has used glass art to explore his origins, which has not only enabled him to express his views on culture and heritage, but has simultaneously provided him with a means by which to... » read more 
Third Thursday Glass Artists Demonstration & Lecture Series
BAGI has expanded its quarterly artist lecture and demonstration series into a monthly program called the Third Thursday Visiting Artist Program. Established artists are invited to demonstrate.... » read more 
Jenny Pohlman and Sabrina Knowles
Glass Blowing The collaborative team of Knowles and Pohlman enters the hot shop with a plan but embraces freeform, coaxing and capturing curvature in the moment. Watch... » read more 
Boyd Sugiki & Lisa Zerkowitz
Glass Blowing Boyd will demonstrate a variety of cocktail glasses, from the “olive martini” to a champagne flute. He is known for his cocktail sets and utilitarian objects. Combined with his point of view, the result is contemporary, unique... » read more 2005 Visiting Artist
Afro Celotto
Glass Blowing Afro Celotto was born in Venice on August 24, 1963. Maestro Celotto began his glassblowing career at the early age of 14, apprenticing with the legendary Lino Tagliapietra. Today, Maestro Celotto works in his own... » read more 2005 Third Thursday Artist Series
Pamina Traylor
Glass Blowing Pamina Traylor is an artist and educator, and currently Adjunct Professor at California College of the Arts. She received her MA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and her BA from Bryn Mawr College, with... » read more 
Elin Christopherson
Glass Blowing Elin Christopherson earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Glass from California College of Arts and Crafts in 1989, and her Graduate degree in Glass at Alfred University in 2001. Elin taught glassblowing at Pratt... » read more 
Erik Eiserling
Glass Blowing Erik Eiserling began glassblowing while attending Santa Monica College. It was then that the connection between his Swedish heritage and the art of glassblowing came to light. He later studied at the Orrefors Glass... » read more 
Randy Strong
Glass Blowing Randy Strong, artist, designer and master craftsman, combines his eye for contemporary design with ancient techniques, and is a modern day master whose work is unique... » read more 
Chris Tedesco
Glass Blowing Chris Tedesco has been a sculptor and glass artist for over 30 years. His work is represented internationally and he has shown at the LH Selman Gallery and the Traver Gallery in Seattle. Since establishing Tedescoglass... » read more 
Michael Sosin
Glass Blowing Michael Sosin earned his Master’s degree from the UC, Berkeley, where he later taught. He subsequently spent two years studying glass at the California College of Arts and Crafts, and established his own studio,... » read more |
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Jaime Guerrero
Glass Blowing Jaime Guerrero, born in Los Angeles, a first generation Mexican American, received his B.F.A. from the California College of Arts an Crafts, Oakland. Thee he explored and experimented with concepts, ideas,... » read more |
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2004 Third Thursday Artist Series
Treg Silkwood
Glass Blowing Treg Silkwood was born and raised in Montana. Growing up he knew that he wanted to work with his hands. He studied pre-medicine at the University of Montana before deciding to pursue a career in the arts. In 1996... » read more 
Johnathon Schmuck
Australian Rollup Glass Blowing Johnathon was born and raised in Northern California. Through a convoluted process of studying geology to discover art, Johnathon’s first exposure of glass making came from a glass class at San Jose State University with... » read more 
Brian Hirst
Glass Blowing, Casting Brian Hirst of Victoria, Australia, has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the United Stated, Japan, China, Sweden and France. Hirst’s glass pieces are... » read more |
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2003 Visiting Artist
Davide Salvadore
Glass Blowing Davide Salvadore was born into a family of glassworkers in Murano, Italy. At a very early age he began following his grandfather into Murano's furnaces, learning how to build kilns and work glass... » read more |
1999
Paul & Marsha DeSomma
Glass Blowing In June, husband and wife team Paul and Marsh DeSomma visited BAGI and put on a demonstration for the general public... » View pictures from the event |