Jim Scheller - Macoupin Prairie Glassworks Staunton, Illinois USA
Biography
Jim works exclusively in glass; kilnforming and casting at his Macoupin Prairie Glassworks studio in Staunton, Illinois near his childhood home of Mt. Olive.
In September 2018, after 27 years, he moved from his forest home and studio - Chehalem Mountain Glassworks in Schools, Oregon.
After a long career as an engineer and technologist he discovered glass kilnforming in 2012. He has dedicated himself to his craft and art. Extensive study of and experimentation with the medium is a passion and healthy addiction.
Jim finds great pleasure in pushing the limits and developing new techniques. Employing both “fusing and slumping” and “kiln casting” processes, works are composed with glass sheets, crushed glass (frit) and glass slabs (billets). These are then fired to over 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. Fired works are extensively coldworked to achieve the final finish.
Glass vessel designs are informed studying the simplicity and abstraction of neoplasticism beginning with the DeStijl movement of the early 20th century. Inspiration for cast works comes from a fascination of geological forms, textures and colors found in nature. The engineer, immersed in the process of making, joins glass, heat and gravity to create works inviting one to view the once molten glass in a dance of light and color.
CV
Technique and artistic development:
• Pilchuck Glass School Kinforming Artist Residency, Stanwood, WA •September 2014 •September 2015 •September 2021
• Bullseye Glass Company, classes and open studio sessions, Portland, OR 2012-2018.
• Pilchuck Glass School, Nathan Sandberg: "Material Matters", 2014, Stanwood, WA
• eBooks and online classes from artists and mentors I admire.
Juried work shown at:
• “Constructed Visions IV”, St. Louis Artist Guild, St. Louis, MO, 2022.
• "Fused and Focused", Featured Artist Exhibiton, Springfield Art Association, Springfield, IL 2022.
• Quad Cities Art, Gallery at the International Airport, May – July 2022.
• “Fused and Focused” Featured Artist Exhibition, Springfield Art Association, Springfield, IL.
• Pilchuck Auction, Seattle, WA, October 2021.
• “Illinois State Fair Professional Artist Exhibition”, Springfield, IL, August 2021. First place award for São Martinho do Porto.
• Jones Gallery, Kansas City, MO, March –April 2021.
• “Glass Exhibition”, Indiana University Kokomo Downtown Gallery Kokomo, IN, 2021.
• “The Ann Maritz Members Exhibition”, St. Louis Artists' Guild, St. Louis, MO, 2020. Ancient Rings 5, Winner of Ann & Edgar Metzger Memorial Award.
• “Metro Montage XX”. Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA, 2020.
• “Constructed Visions III”, St. Louis Artist Guild, St. Louis, MO, 2020
• “ConTEXT III”, Foundry Art Centre, St. Charles, MO, 2020
• “Glass National 2019”, Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA, 2019
• “Art St. Louis XXXV, The Exhibition,” St. Louis, Missouri, 2019
• “Illinois State Fair Professional Artist Exhibition”, Sculpture Honorable Mention, Craft Third Place, Springfield, IL, 2019
• “Metro Montag XVIII:, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA, 2018
• “For the Love of Glass”, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA, 2017
• “Pilchuck Auction People’s Choice Award”, Pilchuck Gallery, Seattle. WA, 2015
• FormWorx Design Studio (solo exhibition), 2015, Newberg, OR