In the beginning of February 2006 Gus-Khrustalny hosted a scientific and practical conference “Russian Renaissance of Art Glass” initiated by StekloHolding. This event was supported by the Russian Academy of Arts, the Union of Artists of Russia, the Russian Union of Producers and Entrepreneurs “Steklosoyuz” and by the regional committee on culture.

The conference participants included leading artists, technologists and art historians engaged in the art glass industry, members of the Research Studies Institute of the Russian Academy of Arts, as well as instructors and students of the Stroganov Art School. Among the seminar and round table topics there were international market development trends, art glass work equipment support, copyright issues and production organization.

 The purpose of the conference was to attract consumers’ attention to domestically manufactured color glass that has underservingly fallen into oblivion. Heavy import has pushed out the domestic glass work products, although “domestic exhibits presented at international exhibitions are highly competitive with those of the countries having developed art glass work traditions, such as Italy, Czechia, France and Germany (A.N. Petrovskaya , head of the Artistic Handicraft division).

Therefore, the conference mainly focused on the Development glass-works (DGW) located in Gus-Khrustalny (to avoid misunderstanding we should explain that the DGW is one of the 5 enterprises owned by StekloHolding and that it is not related to the crystal plant). The glass-works was established in 1961 as experimental facility of the Glass Institute to develop new technologies in this industry. Today the glass-works has several divisions for manufacturing color glass products, including the Artistic Handicraft (AH) division that was visited by all conference participants.

The visitors had an opportunity to see all stages of art product manufacturing process. The glass blower teams, in cooperation with the Stroganov Art School graduates, demonstrated the highest skills and fine quality of manufactured masterpieces.

The final part of the conference was dedicated to competitive exhibition of items made by the Stroganov Art School representatives. One shop may accommodate 9 crews each having both a foreman and an artist. A system of furnaces where glass is being melted (4 color compounds and 1 colorless compound) is staged on a glass maker’s platform bench. So, the artists could embody their “multicolored” conceptions without disturbing one another.

The AH division is mainly focused on producing handiworks of high class with various hot-manufactured decorations. When introducing inventions designers apply all types of decorations.

The glass makers blew most fanciful shapes based on the sketches and drawings of artists. These items were mainly using the gutta method, i.e. without any prefabricated forms. The resulting products were decorated by the Stroganov Art School representatives.

The spectators witnessed creation of vases with sculpture ornaments and prominent modeling and wavy and fiber-tied items. It was very interesting to see products made of “old” glass under the crackle method (artificial aging of material that results in a crack network emerging on the product surface).

It was also interesting to see products with color spots created by color coat. This method allows of painting one product with several colors on different sides. The balls with inside decorations of air bells and filigree looked as much spectacular. These products are only a small portion of the presented exhibits.

A separate stand was dedicated to the items with surface decorative treatment. The method of painting glass with gold and silicate paint has been used in the glass industry for many years. The patterns and ornaments are hand-painted by brushstrokes. The DGW-manufactured products are distinguished by the combination of floret and complex figured lines. It is a peculiar lineament of the DGW that singles out its products at a glance.

The AH technologists have developed a portrait-painting method. It is very difficult to transfer a portrait to glass with silicate paint. So, the technologies proposed to create paintings by fired paints where brushstrokes are replaced by fine strokes followed by finishing pattern elements. Thus, icon painting and portraits represent line drawings, i.e. glass graphics. These items were also demonstrated at the conference.

The glass-works has elaborated its own style affirmed by the products presented. However, A.N. Petovskaya noted that “We should remember that the consumer demands follow fashion trends. And the fashion calls for strict, laconic and elegant products of ingeniously simple shapes. We try to keep up with the times by offering simple and stylish glass products for interiors”.

Alexandra Inshakova

Division Chief production manager, Vera Efimova:

“Our products are in demand. We receive orders both from domestic and foreign customers. The division has been in operation since 1980ies. Two years ago the Artistic Handicraft obtained new premises with the best labor and living conditions, where workplaces for 9 crews were established. We have received new glass batch-type furnaces and reheaters (“cuckoos”)”.

Head of Artistic Handicraft division. Antonina Petrovskaya

- Our glass-works supports Russian glass-blowing traditions and restores partly forgotten or lost fluid glass treatment methods. The skills should be passed on to young masters. In this relation we are considering establishment of a learning center attached to the Development glass-works, where young artists and students may realize their conceptions right at the furnaces. We regularly accept interns of art schools, but we want to create one of our own.