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8 / 21 / 2002
Market Wisdom:
Michehl's Theorem: Less is more. (translation, the lower the market goes the more money to be made) Mark your calendar to join us tonight from 6pm - 9pm, August 21
Grill at Keirland
Golf Club. Located at 15636 N.
Clubgate Dr. in
Scottsdale. (1
mile west of Scottsdale Rd. on E.
Greenway Parkway to N. Clubgate Dr., aka N. 66th
St.. Go
north on Clubgate to end of road-approximately
1,000 feet).
 
Entry is free, no host bar!
My Special Guest this week is Ms. BJ
Katz, Owner/Artist of
MELTDOWN
Art & Design. BJ will be collecting your
business card for a drawing from her handcrafted kiln cast glass
bowl
that she will generously giveaway at evenings end!
To
contact BJ:
Phone: 480-633-3366
Email:
bjkatz@meltdownglass.com
Web
site:
www.meltdownglass.com
BJ and I go back to when glass was
just sand. In
those days BJ
was
a
struggling artist. Today she is one
of the worlds most
prominent
glass artisans!
I recall visiting with BJ at her
foundry in south Scottsdale one
very
hot summer
day. Her foundry (mini-warehouse) was
not air
conditioned
and in addition
to our normal summer heat her kilns
were like mini blast
furnaces. I
remember
thinking she really has
to love what she's doing to
deep fry herself daily doing
it.
The apprenticeship of an artist is a
lifetime journey. BJ Katz began her
studies early. Born to parents who
encouraged her passionate interest
in art; they introduced her to
literature, theater, music, dance, and a
wide array of visual artists.
Glass Sculptural Art Wall-American Express
Corporate Office Lobby
Art classes were the foundation of Katz's
earliest educational years and
included painting and sculpture at the Art
Institute of Chicago. Later, she
majored in Art at Northwestern University in
Illinois. A love of Art
History showed her the path of the Masters, and
set her on course
for a career and life's calling to create
original works in the challenging
medium of glass.
Glass Bamboo Texture with Hummingbirds.
In 1991 while
attending Pilchuk, the preeminent American glass school
founded by Dale
Chihuly, William Morris, Artistic Director of Pilchuk
at that time,
encouraged Katz to pursue a career in glass art. Katz
purchased her
first kiln for her studio in Arizona. Through 18-hour
days spent
laboring over technique and detail, she honed her skills
through practice,
experimentation, and an unwavering love of her craft.
 
Glass
Table-Sheraton Hotel, Tempe, AZ.
After several
years of hard work and self-study, Katz embarked on
an educational
pilgrimage to Australia and New Zealand. While there
she apprenticed
herself to Ann Robinson and David Wright, she
dedicated herself
to learning new techniques and improving glass
skills.
In 1998, at the
Glass Art Society Conference in Japan, Katz met
several Shibori
(traditional Japanese fabric) artists. Their friendship
continues, as does
the resulting cultural exchange of ideas that reflect
in works of her
art. The Meltdown glass studio houses many large
kilns and a metal
shop to construct the bases for sculptures and
designer
furniture. In addition to sculptures, the studio produces
all kinds of
functional art glass - art walls, room dividers, glass
doors, windows,
tabletops, and desks to name a few. Functional
art is made on a
commission basis for architects, interior designers,
and for anyone
with an eye for beauty.
Glass Fireplace Screen
Katz's capability is reflected in the wide range
of installations that
she has created. Most prestigious to date is
Katz's award-winning
large-scale sculpture commissioned by American
Express Corporation.
Twenty-five major galleries in the United States
represent her
artwork.
Clients come from across North America and
around the world.
They include the Phoenix Art Museum, the
Yellow-eyed Penguin
Conservatory in New Zealand, the Princess Cruise
Liners, the
International Cat Museum in Amsterdam, Sheraton
Hotels, Gold
Canyon Golf & Country Club Resort, Earls
Restaurants, Phoenix
Children's Hospital, the Metropolitan Chicago
Healthcare Council,
Robb & Stuckey stores numerous architects and
interior designers,
and private and corporate collectors.
"As Ernest Hemmingway once remarked, 'we are all
apprentices at
a craft no one can master.' I feel the same way
about glass," says Katz.
"I wake up each day eager to meet the next
challenge. My spirit thrives
on learning as I create," reflects Katz. "Glass
is only limited by ideas
and creativity -- the sky's the limit."
It is with
great pleasure that, Ms. BJ Katz Owner/Artist
of
MELTDOWN Art & Design, will
be
my
Special Guest
this week.
Please plan on joining us to socialize and meet new friends!
BBB |
