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NApA vALLEY | WiNE COuNTRY THiS WEEK
William Zweifel “in studio”
as he fires & forms his weaving
RASGALLERIES
6540 Washington Street, Yountville 94599
www.rasgalleries.com, rasart60@aol.com
Meet Woven
Glass Artist,
William Zweifel
at RASgalleries
on October 5 & 6
meet woven-glass sculptor William Zweifel at an artist
reception Friday, October 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday,
October 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. at RASgalleries, Yountville
Fascinated by the fluid movements possible in kilnformed
glass, William Zweifel was drawn to the idea of
finding a way to actually weave glass, giving his sculptures a
new dimension and tactile quality. Years of experimentation
and a lot of broken glass later, he has perfected a true glass
wave that has become the hallmark of his work. “Tranquility
as produced by the gentle movement of a line calls to mind
memories of spring breezes and summer shadows,” he says.
“It is this same feeling, this calmness, that I seek to recreate in
glass.”
A native of Chicago, Zweifel now works from his studio
in rural southern Wisconsin. As a successful entrepreneur he
built and ran a large company. After its sale, he turned fulltime
to his hot glass work and opened near Elkhorn,
Wisconsin to explore his vision in the medium.
“Glass provides permanence, the ability to freeze a
moment or movement in time so that it can be examined
and explored,” Zweifel says of his work. “At the same time,
I find in its very fragility, a metaphor for the fragility of our
existence. Being able to freeze these moments in time, in
such a delicate medium offers me an opportunity to create
the tranquility that I find so comforting.”
Largely self-taught, Zweifel feels fortunate to have
worked with many successful artists in their studios and has
attended the Pilchuck Glass School to further develop his
skills.
He has exhibited in juried shows across the the country
and has won many awards for his work, including the
prestigious NICHE Award in 2005, 2008 and 2011.
Established in 1990, RASgalleries features American art
glass, sculpture and fine art paintings. Zweifel’s sculpture
will be featured at RASgalleries October 5-31, 2012.
RASgalleries is located at 6540 Washington Street,
Yountville (next to Bouchon) and is open daily from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m., open Tuesdays by appointment. For information,
contact (707) 944-9211 or www.rasgalleries.com,
rasart60@aol.com.
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