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The Mansfield Art Glass Exposition – MAGE 2013

Glass artists from almost every state and territory in Australia are amongst the winners and recipients of high commendations at this growing national event.

The MAGE 2013 has proved to be a great success due to the efforts and good will shown by many people to whom the Arts Council of Mansfield is very grateful. We congratulate all the finalists exhibited in Mansfield – especially those who won prizes and awards or were commended for their work.

This year the Mansfield art glass ‘exposition’ was made up of a preview event to which the local community was invited, an official opening and announcement of winners and a 10-day exhibition of the finalists in 5 juried competitions and invited exhibitors plus an award based on a popular ballot.

The venue – an almost perfect space

The Mansfield Cultural, Heritage and Art Centre Committee is about to seek planning approval for Mansfield’s own museum and gallery so, while we await its funding and construction, the MAGE has exhibited in the very best venue available in our region – the Martin’s Garage car showroom.

One judge wrote, “The quality of the exhibition space, with its large expanses of glass [windows], reflective surfaces and open floor space, makes this venue ideal for display of glass …” Experienced glass artists who saw the exhibition in this space also commented favourably saying things like “The venue was well suited and the glass shown off beautifully.”

Selection and judging – ‘blind’

Australian glass artists were invited to enter any or all MAGE major prize competitions for which they were eligible and to supply up to 3 electronic images of each entry (Architectural Glass Project Award entrants provided 6 images). Finalist works were selected ‘blind’ from those images. These works were shipped for display in Mansfield where the judges came to assess each one (again ‘blind’ – except for the Kirra Galleries Emerging Artist Award), choose the winner and award any high commendations or commendations they wished.

The competitions – an opportunity for every glass artist

1: The MAGE Architectural Glass PRIZE

This prize is awarded for excellence in the design and execution of a contemporary architectural glass work produced by any technique/type of glass (eg. leadlight, stained glass, kiln formed or laminated) in a flat or predominantly 2–dimensional form such as a panel, screen or window which could be used in a building.

Judges:
Dr Bronwyn Hughes, art glass historian and writer and
Donna Cooper, Executive Director of AGDA.

Judges’ observations:
“The quality of the work was excellent overall, with a diverse range of subjects and interpretations into glass, from personal experience and social comment to the purely decorative or ornamental. Designs were generally wellresolved and the best brought a number of elements and different layers into play to create a wholly satisfying composition. Generally, the techniques that artists selected were appropriate for the subject and design and show a high level of craftsmanship.”

Winning Architectural Glass Prize work:

• ‘Charlie II’ by Mark Howard from East Kew, Victoria (also equal most popular work in the People’s Choice Award above).

Highly Commended works:

• ‘Escape on Little Black’ by Janine Tanzer from Carlton, Victoria
• ‘Carpe Diem’ by Leigh Schellekens from Sunbury, Victoria
• ‘Through the Looking Glass’ by Marina Quinlan from Hughesdale, Victoria (pictured on page 1).

2: The MAGE Studio Glass PRIZE

This prize is awarded for excellence in the design and execution of a contemporary studio glass work produced by any technique/type of glass (eg. fused, slumped, cast or blown), functional or decorative, in a predominantly 3-dimensional form such as a platter, bowl, vase or sculpture.

Judges:
Eileen Gordon, Vice President of Ausglass and
Grant Donaldson, partner in Gordon Studio Glassblowers.

Judges’ observations:
The MAGE 2013 “was a wonderful exhibition of very diverse techniques and styles. We therefore chose the winner by taking into account the overall technique, quality of work, attention to detail, the thought behind the piece as well as delivering what was said about the piece in the artist’s statement.”

Winning work:

• ‘Envelop – Character Series’ by Crystal Stubbs from Munro, Victoria (pictured below).

Highly Commended works:

• ‘The Wedding Day’ by Denise Pepper from Bayswater, WA
• ‘Margot’s Song’ by Laurie Young from Fitzroy North, VIC

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The Arts Council of Mansfield is very grateful to Axes Glass Products Australia not only for provided amazing free return shipping for all unsold finalist works and encouraging new glass artists, but also for initiating the Architectural Glass Project Award. Phenomenal! As far as we can ascertain, this is the only such award offered anywhere in the world.
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3: The Axess Glass Architectural Glass PROJECT AWARD

This inaugural award was presented for excellence in the design and execution of a major architectural glass project installed in a building or outdoor setting in the past 5 years. The work entered must have been designed by an Australianbased glass artist or collaborative team and made predominantly of glass.

In making their selection, judges considered up to 6 electronic images of each work and a statement about how the artist/ collaborative team satisfied the project brief. The statement was required to consider, but was not limited to, the context, aesthetics and function, relevant standards for the site and conditions, energy efficiency and installation.

Judges:
Dr Bronwyn Hughes, art glass historian and writer and Donna Cooper, Executive Director of AGDA.

Judges’ observations:
The Architectural Glass Project Award “attracted a high standard of entries for its inaugural year. Few opportunities arise for architectural glass on a large scale in Australia and it was therefore encouraging to see the range of projects – for churches, chapels, hospitals, residential and outdoor setting among them – as it gives much needed exposure to these artists and their works and encouragement to architects, builders and developers to see the diversity of ideas that can be achieved successfully… The quality of all works made selection of a winner a difficult task for the judging panel. This has been reflected in the decision to recommend five entries as Highly Commended and one Commended and we congratulate all artists on their excellent projects.”

Winning work:

• ‘Tree of Life’ window in St. Lawrence’s Church, Coonabarabran, NSW designed by Christopher John from Red Phoenix Glass, Palmwoods, Queensland (above).

Highly Commended works in the Architectural Glass Project Award were:

• ‘Helping Healing Hoping’ windows in the Mersey Community Hospital in Latrobe, Tasmania by Merinda Young from Tudor Rose Glass Works, Kingston, Tasmania.
• ‘St Vincent de Paul Chapel of Peace and Prayer’ in the headquarters of St. Vincent de Paul Society in Lewisham, NSW designed and fabricated by Peter Campbell and Rick Allen from Glassplay, NSW.
• ‘Southern Cross Care Hostel’ in Canberra, ACT designed by Bridget Thomas from Wattle Flat, NSW
• ‘Terrace Screen’ in a private residence in South Yarra, Victoria by Christopher John from Red Phoenix Glass, Palmwoods, Queensland.
• ’Vietnam Veterans’ Commemorative Walk’ in Seymour, Victoria designed by Phin Murphy from SinatraMurphy and Wayne DeKlijn from AQL Landscape Design, Victoria.

Commended work:

• ‘Eucharist Window’ in St Augustine’s Church, Merewether, NSW by Jeffrey Hamilton from Surry Hills, NSW

We regret that, due to technical difficulties, it was not possible to display finalist works in this competition during the MAGE exhibition.

It is planned to upload images of the development of finalist works on YouTube in the near future.

4: The Axess Glass New Artist AWARD

The MAGE defines ‘New’ glass artists as people who have practiced as professional glass artists for 3 years or less. This award is presented to an eligible artist for a contemporary glass work (architectural or studio) demonstrating advanced design and technical skills.

Judges:
Eileen Gordon, Vice President of Ausglass and Grant Donaldson, partner in Gordon Studio Glassblowers.

Judges’ observations:
The MAGE 2013 “was a wonderful exhibition of very diverse techniques and styles. We therefore chose the winner by taking into account the overall technique, quality of work, attention to detail, the thought behind the piece as well as delivering what was said about the piece in the artist’s statement.”

Winning work:

• ‘Contained’ by Kim Manley from Point Cook, Vic (above).

Highly Commended works:

• ‘Around the Next Corner’ by Jennifer Bush from Elsternwick, Victoria
• ‘Through the Looking Glass’ by Marina Quinlan from Hughesdale, Victoria.

5: The Kirra Galleries Emerging Artist Award

The Kirra Galleries Emerging Artist Award was established to encourage glass artists to continue with their professional art glass careers. The Kirra Award will be offered to an artist who is not well known to collectors or galleries and whose entry is, in the view of the judges, original, well-designed, technically proficient, realistically priced and made in Australia.

Artists wishing to be considered must be pursuing a career as a glass artist, be commercially viable and have a good body of work with artistic merit.

The Arts Council of Mansfield and Kirra Galleries regret that due to a number of circumstances already outlined to finalists, this award could not be presented this year.

6: The MAGE People’s Choice Award

This award is presented to the most popular finalist work exhibited in the MAGE Exhibition as chosen by a free public ballot of visitors to the show. After 10 days of voting and hundreds of votes counted and recorded by an independent arbiter, the Arts Council of Mansfield is delighted to announce that there was a tie for the MAGE People’s Choice Award this year – between Kirsten Laken’s ‘Silas’ and Mark Howard’s ‘Charlie’ – a fantastic result!

Throughout, there were 5 very popular pieces vying for the Award – and their respective fortunes changed daily. In alphabetical order, they were:

• ‘Charlie II’ by Mark Howard.
• ‘Immense’ by Michelle Shearer.
• ‘Silas Conrod Steamson Steam Punk’ by Kirsten Laken.
• ‘The Man from Snowy River’ by Christopher John.
• ‘Through the Looking Glass’ by Marina Quinlan.

We heartily congratulate all the artists exhibiting but especially these 5 artists whose works made such an impact on so many of those who saw the MAGE Exhibition. Between them, they scored almost 45% of all votes.

Glass artists exhibited

In addition to finalists from all over Australia, the MAGE also exhibited works by local and interstate glass artists by special invitation. We are grateful for their participation.

The team

The MAGE was generously supported by glass artists, our wonderful partners, sponsors, supporters and donors and a superb bunch of volunteers: selection panels members and judges, a curator, a handyman, partners and friends, flower arrangers, helpers with the exhibition bump in and out, rostered hosts, management and staff at the venue and local glass artists who demonstrated their skills and talked about art in glass to everyone who was interested to know more.

It was a great exposition. Thank you to all who helped to make it so.

Gilli Bruce

Convenor.

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MAGE 2013 – Other Finalist Works

Arch = MAGE Architectural Glass PRIZE

Proj = Axess Glass Architectural Glass PROJECT AWARD

New = Axess Glass New Artist AWARD

Stud = MAGE Studio Glass PRIZE

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