Sunday May 23,2010

“Centre College & Friends”: Louisville's Flame Run celebrates a mentor and his protégés

LOUISVILLE — Flame Run Glass Studio and Gallery’s upcoming exhibit, “Centre College & Friends,” celebrates Stephen Rolfe Powell, who is a seminal figure in contemporary glass art in Kentucky, and also celebrates a wide-ranging group of artists Powell mentored during the last 25 years while he built the Centre College glass program.

The show runs from June 4 through July 30. An opening night reception begins at 5 p.m.

The artists were selected by Brook Forrest White Jr., owner of Flame Run, and by Powell, who continues his mentoring legacy as a professor at Centre College.

“This is a chance to highlight the impact Steve Powell’s students are having on the glass world,” White said. “I want to pay homage to what he and Centre College have done for glass art.”

White said the exhibit was scheduled to open the week before Ingenious Possibilities, the Glass Art Society’s 40th annual conference from June 10 through 12, which features more than 50 glass art exhibits at venues across the city. White is a conference co-chair.

“Centre College & Friends” will run concurrently with an exhibit of the work of Australian glass masters Ben Edols and Kathy Elliott.

Confirmed artists for “Centre College & Friends” include: Adam Kenney; Anne Rushing; Chris Bohach; Jonathan Capps; Marcus Waldner; Nathan Watson; Patrick Martin; Paul Nelson; Stephen Rolfe Powell; Sungsoo Kim; Ted Jeckering; Thomas Spake; Brook F. White Jr.; Jonathan Swanz; Che Rhodes; Ronnie Phillips; Paul Hugues; John Stokes; Brent Sommerhauser; D.H. McNabb; and Matt Cummings.

About Flame Run

Flame Run, Louisville’s largest contemporary glass art studio and gallery, is owned by Brook Forrest White Jr. The renovated 12,500-square-foot building at 828 E. Market St. in Louisville’s East Market Street Arts District showcases contemporary and original glass creations. It also includes a working glass-blowing hot shop and offers classes for beginning glass artists.

Hours are: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and by appointment. Log on to www.flamerun.com or call (502) 584-5353 for more information.

Copyright: AMNews.com 2010