“Glass is forever,” asserts artist Greg Rawls, and that fragile timelessness is part of its awesomeness. “Glass is an eternal medium that has been worked, in one form or another, for millennia. Fused glass art has been found in ancient Egyptian excavations, and was a revered art form,” Rawls explains.
For his 21st Century show at ARTworks, Rawls intends to share a new “Sea Glass” installation, a previous version of which placed him in the Top 100 of 1,500 world-class artists in ArtPrize, the biggest art competition in the world. “Sea Glass” will appear in ARTworks’ gallery bit by bit, just like sea glass pushed on shore by the waves: “Since I can only make two pieces every two days and the total installation will probably have over 50 pieces, this installation will ‘emerge’ during the two-month run of the show.” Classes are also being scheduled: 843-379-2787.
Rawls is working towards a new round of competitions, including ArtPrize 2013 in Michigan; the new ArtFields event in Lake City, S.C.; and One Spark in Jacksonville, Fla. — both in April. He is creating a 7×7 foot “Quilt of Humanity” that might also appear at his ARTworks show — a rare preview for collectors and art admirers. The glass quilt will be composed of 36 1×1 inch panels, presenting the awesomeness of the “history of humanity starting with the beginning of time to the future. I am highlighting major events and people that have influenced who and what humanity is today. Some of the things I’ve learned designing this piece is history tends to repeat itself. Most major events tend to have positive and negative outcomes. Some seemingly small events had a profound impact on humanity.”
“Reflected Awesomeness: Kiln-Formed Glass by Greg Rawls” will be on display January through February 2013 at ARTworks. A reception will be held Friday, January 25, from 6 to 8 p.m.
This awesomeness will occur in the spacious gallery at ARTworks, surrounded by a black box theater, workshops, and artists working in their studios, in Beaufort Town Center, on Boundary Street. For more information, contact www.ArtWorksInBeaufort.org, 843-379-2787. The app “Beaufort SC 365” will help you get around, arrive and enjoy, and the gallery is free to browse Tuesdays through Saturdays.
