“One Woman” Features Glass Artist Irene Jalowayski At Artisans On The Ave Gallery
“One Woman” Exhibition features glass artist, Irene Jalowayski at Artisans On The Ave Gallery. Artisans shows over 40 local artists who work in a variety of mediums. Irene is one of this gallery’s multi-talented artists who creates decorative and functional art with fused glass. Her silver jewelry and Judaic items are distinctive, as are her newest creations in cast glass. Irene’s work has been accepted into prestigious juried shows in Florida and you can find her most recent works at this Exhibition. The Rickie Report has had a number of inquiries from readers and art patrons, asking for more details about this art medium. Our interview with Irene gives you that information and some sneak peeks of her attractive creations!
“ONE WOMAN”
Art Exhibit
Featuring:
Irene Jalowayski
Opening Reception:
Saturday, October 24, 2015
6:00 – 9:00 PM
This is a free event
Gallery Hours:
Open 7 days a week
Monday – Saturday 11 am – 9 pm
Sunday 11 am – 6 pm
Artisans On The Ave Gallery
630 Lake Avenue Lake Worth, FL 33460
561-762-8162 561-582-3300
“What Were You Thinking?” by Irene Jalowayski
Toni Willey wrote, “At the Artisans On The Ave Gallery you will find :
Beautiful, original one of a kind pieces of art created by local Palm Beach County Artists with some of the most unique and eclectic imaginations that have ever come together under one roof. AWESOME!”
Irene Jalowayski’s expertise is taking glass and visualizing a finished piece and then making each of her pieces by hand for the completed work of art. Her lovely silver and glass jewelry is considered by many as wearable art. Each creation is unique and one of a kind. A Florida native, Irene was raised in Miami, Florida but spent much of her adult life in California. She now lives in West Palm Beach and has her studio there. All of her pieces can be washed with a gentle soap in water. The silver needs some silver polish and then a wash in warm water to clean it.
“Amber Moon Necklace” “Blue Round Necklace”
Irene tells The Rickie Report, “As much as glass has become a major part of my life I did spend my adult career in a completely unrelated field. I am a licensed speech pathologist and have worked for over 30 years in private practice and hospitals.”
Fused Glass and Wood Wine Holder
by Irene Jalowayski
The selection of home décor pieces including fused glass candlesticks, dishes, vases, Judaica menorahs and unique cast glass sculpture will enhance your home or business. Irene is an experienced artist with a true sense of style and vision. The variety of different shades and colors of glass she selects complements each one of a kind art designs. Her energy, passion, and dedication to her art gives Irene the title of “ONE WOMAN ARTIST” that she is so deserving of in her field among local glass and silver jewelry artists.
“Green Wave Bracelet” by Irene Jalowayski
A MOMENT WITH
IRENE JALOWAYSKI:
“SPEAKING OF GLASS”
“Blue Stem Bowl” by Irene Jalowayski
TRR: How did you begin creating with glass as your medium?
IJ:
I chose to work with glass because I have always loved to look at it and to feel it. Long before I began to work with glass I was collecting it. My personal glass collection includes pieces by American, Italian and Swedish glass artists. Creating my own glass pieces has not stopped me from purchasing a beautiful piece of glass if I fall in love with it!
“Star Crossed Lovers” by Irene Jalowayski
About 10 years ago, an artist friend of mine asked me if I would be interested in taking a glass fusing class in her community. Of course I said,” yes” and took to it like a duck takes to water! I went faithfully for over five years to that weekly class. I learned my basic skills and also found that I have an eye for color and design. Finally, after all that time I decided to purchase my own kiln and began to spread my wings taking classes at other venues. I’ve been working with glass for almost eleven years and it has given me new life.
“Jerusalem Seder Plate” by Irene Jalowayski
Creating glass jewelry allows me to bring something new and exciting into existence that is “wearable art”, utilizing the smaller pieces of glass from my studio. The colors of the glass radiate from necklaces, earrings and bracelets. My experience with fused glass and cast glass is now being translated into new styles of jewelry. Dichroic glass, filled with bits of sparkle, shadings and metallics is a very popular medium.
Blue and Purple Dichroic Glass Candlesticks
by Irene Jalowayski
TRR: Describe the process of creating a piece of your glass work.
IJ:
Creating a piece always begins with the search for an idea and then deciding, based on that, whether my creation would be best at a sculpture…a bowl… or what? If it is going to be a fused glass piece I usually draw the design on paper first. Then I make some decisions about glass color and how I might cut the glass to make my design. Often I will cut my drawing up and use the pieces to trace my design onto the actual glass that I am going to use. Most of my pieces utilize a lot of small pieces of glass cut and put together, making my original design.
“Mosaic Bowl” by Irene Jalowayski
Once all the glass is cut, it is glued onto a base and fired in the kiln for the first time. My first fuses are usually at 1380 degrees which gives the piece some texture. When the piece comes out of the kiln, I look at the piece to see if I am satisfied with it and see where I want to add dimension and color. Generally I add glass and fire my pieces at least two or three times. The firing process takes 10-12 hours for larger pieces, especially when draping the glass, as in the vase below. Jewelry pieces can only be fired once and take over 4 hours in the kiln itself.
“Tall Red Vase” by Irene Jalowayski
Each piece needs a different firing schedule. If the piece is to be slumped into a bowl or a platter or other shape it is only done after the above process is complete. This vase (above) needed another firing for 14 hours, for example.
“Confetti Glass Vase” by Irene Jalowayski
Slumping is the process of taking a flat piece and melting it just enough so that is falls into a mold to create the shape that is desired. If my flat piece that I completed above is to be slumped, I choose the mold I am going to use. The mold must be coated with kiln wash and dried. Then the glass is place on top of it and is put into the kiln. In slumping the glass it is not melted but only softened enough that is falls into or around the mold. To do that the kiln is heated to around 1200 degrees. The kiln temperature is brought up slowly. Once the slumping has taken place the kiln temperature comes down slowly to anneal the glass. That will keep it from breaking after it comes out of the kiln. Between creating, firing, and slumping a fused glass piece can take up to a week to complete.
Menorah by Irene Jalowayski
This year I started doing glass casting. That is a very different procedure than the ones I just mentioned. Once I have decided what I am going to make I create the piece in clay. The clay sculpture is then cast in plaster. During the two weeks it takes for the plaster mold to dry, I work on it to smooth the rough edges and make sure there are no cracks. After the mold dries, I fill it with the glass I have chosen and fire it in the kiln. The pieces I have been making are up to 15 inches tall and take 38 hours to fire in the kiln. The larger the piece, the longer the firing. Each cast piece takes two to three weeks from design to completion. Then the mold is broken away from the glass sculpture so it can never be used again. The resulting piece of solid glass is just beautiful and substantial and always one-of-kind.
“Angel Fish” Cast Glass by Irene Jalowayski
TRR: How do you recharge your creativity?
IJ:
That is a hard question because it is never just one thing. In order to create something new and unique, I need to be relaxed and not terribly stressed. A walk on the beach by the water or at one of the preserves or a trip to an art show or a museum can help a lot. I love to browse through art magazines to spark an idea. Sometimes it comes from something totally unexpected. I can be looking at some beautiful glass and then just think of an idea. For example, I was at McMow Art Glass one day buying some supplies. Phil had a piece of Saturday glass in the window that looked just like the Caribbean Sea to me. I purchased it and made two pieces from it. Both were underwater scenes with fish, shells etc. That was what I thought of when I first saw the glass in the window. I still have one of the pieces at Artisans on the Ave. The other was recently sold.
“Blue Cameo”
“Blue and Silver Bib” with Earrings
“Black and Red Moon”
TRR: Where can art lovers find your work?
IJ:
On October 24 I will be having a one woman show at Artisans on the Ave in Lake Worth. It will be from 6 to 9 pm. There will be wine and snacks. I will be there to meet and greet everyone so I hope lots of people can attend.
My work can be found at Artisans on the Ave at 630 Lake Ave, Lake Worth, McMow Art Glass on Dixie Highway and 7th St. in Lake Worth, and at Florida Craft Art on Central Ave. in downtown St. Petersburg. On the weekend of November 14 and 15, I’ll be participating in Artnado. Check out my Etsy shop. Go to www.etsy.com and then to PalmBeachArtGlass. I also have a web page: www.palmbeachsmashingglass.com or call 561 792 8788 or by email at ijaloway@palmbeachsmashingglass.com
I take special orders. These may take a few weeks to create.
For more information about this Exhibit or other artists and Events at Artisans On The Ave, please contact:
Betty Wilson
Linda Manganaro
561-762-8162
561-582-3300
www.ArtisansOnTheave.com
