Baltic Art Studio’s Annual Students Glass Art Show

Participants:
Maria Lujan Welch
“Working Through My Dreams”
Kim Hirschman
“The Street Where They Live”
Austin Donatone
“Engineering experience with stained glass”

Maria Lujan Welch I’m calling this collection: “Working Through My Dreams” Many of my ideas evolve from my REM sleep. Possibilities figured and refigured before entering the studio. Creations also emerge by just seeing the glass itself. Glass color, form and pattern influence where I may go with a project. There’s a fantastic thrill of anticipation on how the finished fused glass will finally look once lifted from the kiln. It’s this excitement and satisfaction that continues to motivate this perpetual student/artist to weekly participate at the Baltic Art Studio for over 7 years. Thank you Evelina Mayner, Mika Bas, Alfredas Sutkus and “Ashir” (Studio Pet Dog) for encouraging my fused art glass
aspirations!

 

Kim Hirschman The Street Where They Live My most recent work is a series of houses, each reflecting a particular theme. Some look more like traditional row houses adapted to express the theme. Others start with the theme, which is adapted after the fact to form some sort of living space for the inhabitants. All the houses are occupied. Multiple windows to allow inhabitants and viewers to take stock of one another. The current collection includes the Cat House, the Dragon House, the Shoebill House, the Octopus House, and the Dinosaur House. more are under construction. These houses are intended to be on the same street. I imagine walking through a big city – some sort of cross between London, Barcelona and Chicago – and coming across this street by chance. Which house would be the right one for me? Or is mine still waiting to be built? Imagine the block parties
they could have! The street isn’t on the maps but you always end up finding it again unexpectedly.

Austin, an accomplished artist from Chicago, brings a unique perspective to the world of stained glass. Merging his background in engineering with his love for art, Austin has developed a signature style that combines technical precision with creative expression. His pieces go beyond traditional stained glass, as he uses his engineering expertise to craft intricate 3D forms that blend structure and beauty in remarkable ways.

Each of Austin’s creations showcases a harmonious fusion of art and engineering, resulting in sculptures that play with light, form, and color. His approach allows him to transform glass into shapes and figures that are not only beautiful but also structurally complex. Whether he’s designing a standalone piece or an installation, Austin considers how each component will interact with light and space, creating works that evolve throughout the day as natural light shifts.

Austin’s work is a testament to the possibilities that arise when artistic vision meets technical skill. His pieces invite viewers to explore stained glass in a new dimension, where form and function coexist, and the interplay of light breathes life into every detail. By uniting engineering and artistry, Austin is not just creating stained glass—he’s redefining it, one piece at a time. His work inspires others to see beyond the limits of tradition, celebrating the potential of stained glass as a medium for innovation and modern expression.


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