International glass exhibition in Solstice Arts Centre

Solstice Arts Centre last night (Tuesday) opened a new exhibition, 'Engaging with Glass', a selection of glass artwork from international and national artists. Engaging with Glass forms part of a series of events that mark Ireland hosting the Year of Craft 2011. A number of artists with Meath connections feature in the exhibition and associated activities. Paula Stokes, originally from Navan now based in Seattle, US earned a bachelors degree in design specialising in glass from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin in 1991. Since moving to Seattle, Paula has worked with a number of established artists in the production of glass art. Paula has been a guest teacher at Urban Glass in New York and at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. Paula spends her time teaching, making work and promoting art education. She has participated in a number of group shows in the US, and internationally in Ireland and China. Most recently her glass work has been added to the permanent collection of the National Museum of Ireland. Meath glass sculptor, Deirdre Rogers graduated from the National College of Art and Design in 1994 with a BA degree in craft. Having been inspired by Scandinavian design while in college she then travelled to the renowned Orrefors Glaskolan in Sweden where she completed a post-graduate course. On returning to Ireland she worked with both Cavan Crystal and Waterford Crystal. Her work is in many collections and her award winning limited editions have been presented to dignitaries and exhibited throughout Ireland and abroad. Valerie Mc Hugh is an artist from Laytown who works with glass. Valerie will facilitate a workshop with schools based on the exhibition. There will be a one day symposium as part of the exhibition on 21st June 21st that presents insights and ideas behind the artistic expression of works executed primarily in glass media from both curatorial and artistic perspectives. Speakers include Brian Kennedy, director of Toledo Museum of Art; Audrey Whitty Curator of Ceramics, Glass and Asian collections at the National Museum of Ireland; Susanne Jøker Johnsen, director of European Glass in Context (2008) at the Art Museum of Bornholm, Denmark and is currently a board member of the Ebletof Museum. The exhibition and symposium are presented in partnership with The Glass Society of Ireland, Meath County Council Arts Office and the Crafts Council of Ireland. Engaging with Glass runs at Solstice until 16th July. Gallery opening hours are Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 4pm. Admission Free. For further information, visit www.solsticeartscentre.ie