Presented in connection with the current art exhibition, Garden of Resonance: The Art of Jun Kaneko, this lecture takes a behind-the-scenes look at the glasswork of renowned artist, Jun Kaneko. We’ve invited Ted Sawyer, Director of Research and Education at Bullseye Glass Co. (a Portland-based trailblazing glass art manufacturer at the forefront of glass art innovation), to provide a look into the fascinating medium of kiln-formed glass and the work of Kaneko.
This lecture is held at the Yanai Classroom at Portland Japanese Garden.
About Ted Sawyer, Director of Research and Education at Bullseye Glass Co.:
Ted Sawyer received a bachelor of arts degree in art with a focus in ceramics from Lewis and Clark College. From 1992-1993 he was the Artist-in-Residence at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, Oregon. In 1997, he joined Bullseye, where he has been the Director of Research & Education since 2002. (Photo by Hanmi Meyer, Bullseye Glass Co.)
Sawyer directs Bullseye’s Artist-in-Residence program, where he first met and began working with Jun Kaneko, an artist whom he had admired for many years. Sawyer also oversees fabrication of large-scale glass artwork through Bullseye Studio, teaches and lectures internationally, and directs the production of Bullseye’s online educational videos. His artwork—featured in the Corning Museum of Glass’s New Glass Review 28, 30, 31, and 35—has been exhibited at galleries and museums around the world. See his work at tedsawyer.com.
About Jun Kaneko:
Jun Kaneko is a celebrated artist whose work across the mediums of sculpture, drawing, and painting have made a lasting impression on the international art world. Originally from Nagoya, Japan, Kaneko eventually settled in Omaha, Nebraska, where he established a studio along with his wife and fellow artist, Ree Kaneko. For over 40 years, Jun Kaneko has pushed the limits of his artwork to new horizons and has exhibited globally in galleries, museums, and public spaces. (Photo by Nina Johnson)
About Bullseye Glass Co.:
Established in 1974 in Portland, Oregon by Dan Schwoerer, Boyce Lundstrom, and Ray Ahlgren, Bullseye Glass Co. pioneered the development and manufacture of colored art glass for use in the kiln. Bullseye collaborates with artists, architects and designers worldwide to lead the innovation of new materials and methods that expand the expressive and functional possibilities with glass.
Did you know? Large Panel #22 featured in Garden of Resonance: The Art of Jun Kaneko, was generously donated by Bullseye to Portland Japanese Garden earlier this year. This presentation commemorates the inclusion of this artwork in Portland Japanese Garden’s permanent collection by providing an exclusive walk-though of production processes for a range of Kaneko’s works in glass including development drawings, initial experiments, and technical innovations to develop final kiln-formed glass artworks. (Photo by Jonathan Ley)