Annual Summer Conference

 With an ongoing career that primarily focuses on providing stained-glass-infused public art, Karl Unnasch gives the low-down on his experiences through an eclectic, whimsical mix of his stories, images and more. Barnyard tales, roadkill, small-town auctions, the philosophy of pinball, permaculture, Dungeons and Dragons, community spirit, yard sales, horseshoe crabs, foundry bosses, beer-bartering, and bourbon are just some of the subjects he will juggle as he relates a creative journey born from a philosophy of “what-if-ication”.

Karl is scheduled to speak during the morning session on Tuesday, June 16.

About the speaker:

A rugged Minnesotan farm upbringing punctuated with Quixotic escapism nurtured Karl Unnasch’s formative history. Working hard meant food on the table, wood in the stove and the possibility of a book or two to be read by a homemade flashlight under the covers in his bed late at night. His present-day notions morph into public art works that toy with communal nostalgia, knitting together sources of collective memory while ringing with an element of his own whimsy.

Website: karlunnasch.com

Separate from its original context and disassociated from its function my stained glass works becomes open to interpretation.  Justin Tyner will highlight this philosophy, describing his process and his experience creating site-specific street art installations with stained glass.  His recent exhibition along with his recent body of work at the Philadelphia Magic Gardens will also be described. Justin will also discuss his recent artist residency and the works of stained glass he created  while in a chateau in the French countryside.  

From the artist:

Poetic vision is the ability to look past the shell of something in order to discover its meaning. My vision is to use reclaimed pieces of stained glass and discarded shards of bottle glass to reveal the hidden aspects of these materials. They have the potential to transform. I search for new ways to narrate the traditional themes of light and color.  Using references from nature, poetry and psychedelia and examining new ways to delve into self reflection. Creativity is at the forefront to explore and advance the confines of this age old craft. 

Justin Tyner is scheduled to speak in the morning session on Tuesday, June 16

About the speaker:

Philadelphia artist Justin Tyner’s artwork thoughtfully mixes salvaged and repurposed glass to explore and manipulate the effects of light. His stained glass creations are made from recycled bottles and fallen stained glass from abandoned churches. Pieced together poems, kaleidoscopic patterns, and geometric forms filter the natural light to create limitless color combinations. Tyner’s works pay tribute to the history behind his materials and reminds us that inspiration can come from even the most forgotten places. 

His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums in Philadelphia including the National Liberty Museum, The Seaport Museum, University of Pennsylvania, The Rincliffe Gallery at Drexel University, The Philadelphia International Airport and most recently at the Philly Magic Gardens. Tyner was born in Pittsburgh and grew up in the wilds of the Pocono Mountains, where his love of nature took root. He came to Philadelphia in 1997 to study graphic design and illustration at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. He learned the ancient craft of stained glass at Beyer Studio Inc., in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. He’s been employed there for the past nineteen years and has had the chance to work on cathedrals and churches all over the country.  

He enjoys enriching his life through his art, and his urban environment. In his spare time, he fishes for trout , play drums and attends two reading groups, one poetic and one psychedelic. He was recently awarded an artist residency in Orquevaux France, and lived there for a month in a 17th century chateau in the Champagne-Ardenne region. He had the chance to explore new possibilities of stained glass and express his freedom and creativity.

Visit Justin's website and Instagram pages.

Join us Monday, June 15 from 6-9 p.m. at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District Hotel on Arch Street. This reception will feature drinks and light fare, Philadelphia-area artists and glass businesses, and a live auction of stained glass panels. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Philadelphia-based Stained Glass Project, which teaches stained glass and philanthropy to high school students, and the scholarship program of the Stained Glass Association of America.

Tickets are $75 and the event is open to the public. Follow this link to purchase your tickets.

(Note: Tickets for the reception are included in the full conference package. Need to register for the conference? Click here!)