“Our Glass Obsession” :
New Works by Isabel
Mathieson and Fred Reinhardt.
Jerome Artists
Cooperative Gallery
PO Box 233/ 503 Main
St
Jerome AZ 86331
928-639-4276
Publicity Chairperson:
Ellen Jo Roberts
ejdroberts@yahoo.com
For
Immediate Release:
“Our
Glass Obsession” : New Works by Isabel Mathieson and Fred Reinhardt. Opens at
the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery on October 5th
“Glass has
always intrigued me. I have always loved glass and collected glass,” said
Isabel “Chacha” Mathieson, in trying to explain her obsession with this amazing
material. Even when cooled to a solid form it manages to retain its liquid
appearance, a swirl of colors and clarity. Chacha and fellow glass artist Fred
Reinhardt will share their mutual fascination by showcasing new works in “Our
Glass Obsession”, a featured show at the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery
opening Saturday, October 5th.
Both
long-time members of the co-op, Mathieson and Reinhardt have very different
styles when it comes to glass, yet both share a brilliant color sense and
passion for pattern and texture.
Isabel
Mathieson, known by many as Chacha, is a third generation Arizonan, born in
Jerome’s United Verde Hospital, now known as the Jerome Grand Hotel. Jerome
plays an important part in Chacha’s family history. Her grandparents were both originally
from Jalisco, Mexico, and met and married in El Paso, Texas. They moved to
Jerome when Arizona was only a territory, settling on Main Street in 1910 where
they lived with their children, one of which was Chacha’s mother. Chacha’s
parents met in Jerome, married in 1940 and their family grew there for a time,
prior to moving to San Manuel in Pinal County northeast of Tucson. After World
War II,
plexi-glass became plentiful and Chacha’s father, Frank Gallego began
experimenting with it. He started out making lamps with shades and matching
picture frames, carving roses and cactus into the plexi-glass. When orders were
plentiful he created his art studio, Gallego Carvings, specializing in jewelry.
“I remember watching him as he carved roses and cactus for pendants and
earrings,” Chacha recalls, inspired by his talents, “As we were able to handle
it, my dad taught us to use the grinder, buffer, and drills, and attach
findings on the earrings and pendants. My dad and mother were always teaching
and encouraging us to develop our own artistic talents.”
By
the time Chacha was in high school, she acquired her father’s skill for
plexi-glass carving. She continued to live in the surrounding area of San
Manuel, carving out a career in city and county government while also managing
to raise a family. During her 41-year career, Chacha took evening classes,
earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Office
Management. Three years prior to retiring, she decided to learn about stained
glass, “a lifelong desire.” One instructor introduced her to fused glass, also
referred to as kiln-formed glass, and she fell in love with it.
Her
fused glass is an assemblage based on a design or pattern,“ I draw out my
patterns and select glass colors. Either way, I hand cut each piece of
glass and sometimes I use machinery for curves and intricate cuts.
Then I grind, clean the pieces and assemble them like a puzzle.” The
assembled piece is put in the kiln to fuse, a process which takes 15 to 18
hours to complete, depending on the size and thickness of the piece.. A
second process called the slump phase shapes the piece, “After the full fuse,
in order to shape the glass into a pre-selected plate or bowl I use a mold
for the slumping phase. ”
Upon retirement, with her children grown, Chacha
returned to her roots in the Verde Valley, and furthered her education in the
art via additional glass classes.
Chacha
states, “I love Jerome and the Verde Valley— it brings back so many happy
memories of my family and childhood days. With the love of glass art, my wish
is that my creations will bring as much joy to all those who use them as they
do for me in creating them.”
Nebraska-native Fred Reinhardt has been involved with photography,
printing and graphic arts since he was honorably discharged from the US Navy in
1969. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Omaha’s
Creighton University in 1972. The Reinhardts moved to Cottonwood, Arizona in
1981 and soon after purchased a small print shop and started the local ads and
TV-listings publication, The Ad King. Fred retired from his newspaper business
in 2007, allowing him more time to devote to his glass art.
“My glass obsession started in the late fall of 1996 when the
owner of the local stained glass shops persuaded me to take a stained glass
class, explained Mr. Reinhardt.The six week course covered the basics: glass
selection, grinding, foiling, soldering and finishing. Fred enjoyed the results
of those early lessons and continued to develop his skills with more complex
designs. “The more complicated the piece the more imagination, and the more
imagination the more time you take to select your glass. At a certain time you
realize that the local stained glass shops have a limited supply, so you
venture out to the big city to see a larger selection of glass colors and
textures. That is the time you develop an obsession with glass…You can never
have enough glass.”
Though
he has no formal training in fine art, his innate knack for graphics, color and
composition are evident in the bold style of his stained glass. His glasswork
often depicts sunny desert landscapes, starry nights and other easily
recognizable nature scenes, though Reinhardt also showcases fine mastery of
abstract designs as well. He exhibits a keen sense of whimsy with many of his
pieces, including his popular snowflake and star pieces. A fan favorite? His
small terra-cotta pot-bound cactus plants.
“Glass isn’t just for windows!” he exclaims cheerfully. Using traditional stained-glass methods, Fred’s work is a blend of both classic and modern. “The stained glass medium not only deals in colors but also in texture, both of which can lend a dimensional effect to a piece, as well as one that will change with the intensity of the light throughout the day.”
“Glass isn’t just for windows!” he exclaims cheerfully. Using traditional stained-glass methods, Fred’s work is a blend of both classic and modern. “The stained glass medium not only deals in colors but also in texture, both of which can lend a dimensional effect to a piece, as well as one that will change with the intensity of the light throughout the day.”
“Our
Glass Obsession” opens Saturday, October 5th, 2013, 5:30pm-8:30pm in
conjunction with Jerome’s popular first Saturday ARTwalk event. The Jerome
Artists Cooperative Gallery is located at 502 Main, in the former Hotel Jerome.
Gallery hours are 10am-6pm daily. The show runs through December 5th.
For
more information visit www.jeromecoop.com or call 928-639-4276
