Dora Schubert
A native of Singapore, Dora Schubert relocated to Germany with her husband in 1987, putting her life as an artist on hold while her children were young. But in 2003 she was introduced to lampworking and was immediately drawn to “how glass in its molten state can be manipulated and how designs can be made by using thinner glass stringers.” Within two weeks’ time Dora had set up her own studio. Her hobby quickly became a passion, and she found herself spending twelve hours a day at the torch. Today Dora is as passionate as ever about experimenting with glass. “When I discover something new, I work at it until I exhaust all the possibilities,” she says. She also continues to learn and participate regularly in several major lampworking events in the U.S. and the U.K. Her work, which is becoming well known, is inspired by the colors in nature, textiles, Moorish architecture, and the world of microscopic organisms.

www.doraschubert.com
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Steve Immerman
To relax from his demanding career as a general surgeon and surgical oncologist, Steve Immerman creates artwork in kilnformed glass. “I enjoy each step in the process,” he says. “Cutting the glass with a perfect score. Breaking it and hearing that perfect snap. Grinding the edges—that’s pure fun.” When he started kilnforming ten years ago, Steve didn’t think he was particularly artistic or would ever make anything of value. Nevertheless he took his pastime seriously—enrolling in classes around the U.S., studying, and experimenting on his own. Of course some of the skills he employs as a surgeon have surfaced in the studio. “I’m always asking myself if there’s a way I can hone a technique a little further, make an edge a little smoother or a design a little crisper,” he says. Steve has shown work at The Pilchuck Auction, on the cover of Glass Craftsman Magazine, and in national and international glass competitions and exhibitions. He is represented by several galleries across the U.S.

www.ClearwaterGlass.com
Video profile on YouTube
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Rhoda Baer
As an award-winning photographer, Rhoda Baer has shot it all—from cops to cobras, from superstars to death row inmates. She’s climbed mountains, hung out of airplanes and spent nights in inner-city emergency rooms to get shots. So it’s not surprising that shortly after taking an introductory kilnforming class with her favorite teenager, Rhoda wanted to know more. She took classes and private lessons, and within months found herself moving a large kiln into her studio. “I did a lot of tests, stacking and firing things and seeing what would happen to them,” she says. “I ran experiments to tighten my results. I figured out many things that way.” One year later Rhoda won a spot in Bullseye’s exhibition for rising kilnforming artists, e-merge 2006. Getting that recognition was validating, Rhoda says, and it propelled her forward. Today she still takes award-winning photographs, but also sells her line of dishes, plates and platters in major retail outlets. Her “Chocolate Chip Platter” was recently nominated for a Niche award at the Buyers Market of American Crafts.

www.rhodabaerglass.com
www.rhodabaer.com
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Greg Lundgren
Since 1991 Greg Lundgren has worked as a professional artist and designer, creating art glass, furniture design, theatrical set design and conceptual art. When he was Head Designer at Seattle Stained Glass, Greg continually pushed the applications of cast glass and recognized the growing trend of using cast glass as an alternative to granite. He had been thinking about architectural works traditionally constructed of granite when one day the homogenous landscape of a local cemetery revealed a great possibility to him. Why not use the illuminating qualities of cast glass in THIS setting? Lundgren Monuments was born. Today Greg and his business partner, Jim Nelsen, view cemeteries as under-realized sculpture parks and look forward to the day when the parks will be cultural destinations.

www.lundgrenmonuments.com
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Mark Eckstrand
Thanks to Skype technology and his capable business partners, Sara and Gina, American glass artist Mark Eckstrand is able to run his Seattle-based business (Mark’s Fish Inc.) from his new home in Lithuania. Mark teaches glassblowing workshops at the art academy in Kaunas, designs for a local mold-blowing factory, and does his own work in a newly fashioned fusing and coldworking shop. He also volunteers his time, as he has done for years, creating glass murals with underserved kids. Mark completed the first such mural in 1987 in Austin, Texas. Since then he’s worked with over 1000 children in North America, Latvia, Turkey, Russia, and now Lithuania. “These kids are in difficult situations,” Mark says. “They enjoy making something that’s permanent, that they can come back to and visit.” Because the kids work one-on-one with adults to make their kilnformed tiles, each mural project can bring together as many as 150 people.

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Enid Traisman
Enid Traisman uses her skills with glass to help others heal from the stress of trauma and loss. Enid is a grief counselor and certified thanatologist (expert in the field of death and dying). She has published five books in the field—four about surviving the loss of humans and one for those who have lost pet companions. In 1986, Enid introduced the values of animal bereavement counseling to her hometown Portland, Oregon, by founding the Pet Loss Support Program at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital. Now Director of that program, she shares her enthusiasm for glass art by helping clients and staff to create kilnformed panels and pendants that memorialize beloved animals. Enid has also filled the hospital’s lobby and examination rooms with fanciful glass art that celebrates animals and their joy in living.

www.dovelewis.org/programs/Pet_Loss.aspx
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Cedi
Everyone knows Nomoda Ebenizer Djaba as “Cedi.” He lives in Odumasi/Krobo, Ghana, where he runs the family business he has loved since childhood. “By my ninth birthday my beads were becoming popular,” Cedi says. “Three years later I could not keep up with the demand and do my schoolwork. The solution was to teach my family, most of whom were already experienced bead makers, how to create my designs.” The family business is now called Cedi Beads Industry, and Cedi is one of the best known among the famous Krobo bead makers. His highly original creations are worn by tribal chiefs and are sold internationally as well as locally. To make his beads, Cedi funnels crushed glass into clay molds and fires them in a wood-burning kiln—a process he gladly explains to those who visit his workshop to study or buy beads. Cedi has served as Chairman of the Krobo Bead Society and President of the Krobo Bead Producers Association. He hopes to open a school one day to teach young people about the bead trade.

www.culturalcollaborative.org
www.africancraft.com
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