Item by Jim Bishop
An exhibit of recent blown glass vessels by Harrisonburg native Ryan Mellinger, currently of Seattle, Wash., will be on display in the public art gallery at Eastern Mennonite University through Dec. 7.
Mellinger said the themes explored in his exhibit are “the origins of creativity and stored energy.” The surface decorations on his works range from the very simple to the highly complex.
The artist received a BA degree in art from Goshen (IN) College in 1995. A year later, he became an apprentice glassblower at Simon Pearce Inc., In Quechee, Vt. In just over a year, he was given his own apprentice and assigned a line of stemware to produce, which he did for three-and-a-half years.
Mellinger moved to Seattle in 2001, the home of the largest glassblowing community in the world, where he has taught classes, developed and sold his own work professionally, helped run and maintain glass studios and help produce glass for local artists and companies.
The gallery is open for browsing daily during regular library hours.
Admission is free.
Jim Bishop is a regular contributor to The Augusta Free Press.
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