MySpace a place for friends

Lampworking is a type of glassblowing that uses a gas and oxygen fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping while using a variety of tools and hand movements. The glass is then placed into a kiln and heated to 1050 degrees in order to strengthen it and then begin the gradual cooling process, called annealing, that prevents cracking. Annealing is the process of heating the glass to a temperature where it reaches a stress-relief point, that is, a temperature at which the glass is still too hard to deform, but is soft enough for internal stresses to ease. Once the glass has cooled, coldworking techniques can be used to create form and shape without using heat. I use a variety of these techniques including faceting, drilling, cutting, polishing and grinding. These additional steps add tactile and visual textures without masking the vibrant color or clarity. Lampworking can be done with many types of glass, but the most common are soda-lime, sometimes called "soft glass" and borosilicate, often called "hard glass”. These relative terms are based on the materials COE or coefficient of expansion which is the rate at which the glass expands and contracts. Lampworking differs from furnace glassblowing in many ways. Because the artist uses a torch, small sections of the glass can be heated and shaped which allows for greater detail. In the past, lampworkers were limited by the size and weight of their creation. Now modern technologies provide hotter flames and rotate the glass by machine. These technologies are redefining lampworking as an art form.

Jonathan studied jazz at North Carolina Central University and also received a degree in Sustainable Agriculture at Central Carolina Community College. He then moved to Snow Camp, NC where for two years he co-managed a farm for which produced organic vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Now he runs the Locally Grown Art Studio and is teaching privately and through Central Carolina Community College. The mission of Locally Grown Art is to use glass art as a catalyst for environmental and social causes such as organic farming, alternative energy, sustainable practices and social justice. Drawing the connection between local farms and artists has been an ongoing mission for Jonathan. Working with farmers and artists in the region has shaped his desire to educate people on the importance of supporting local farms and art alike and spawned his enthusiasm to teach and create art for the community through the Locally Grown Art Studio. Furthermore, Davis has also worked many years for The Forest Foundation, an organization dedicated to environmental education and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods, helping with fair trade handicraft development. The Forest Foundation has partnered with Carolina Biofuels in Durham and is now producing Biodiesel and offering green forms of transit such as pedicabs and alternative fuel taxis. As a new addition to Jonathans ongoing dedication to social and environmental activism, he has created the Chatham Help List. This web site serves as an online social network which connects community members in voluntary work projects. These projects encourage a pay it forward mentality while building the community as a whole. Davis creates a variety of functional and sculptural art, specializing in goblets, paperweights, and marbles, and experiments with many cold working techniques such as faceting, drilling, cutting, and grinding. He also integrates many natural elements in his works, including quartz, tektite, silicon, mica, coral and opal. Silica based minerals, coldworking techniques and an infinite palette of glass color allow him to incorporate a variety of visual textures with his artwork. Jonathan has developed a style that alternates between complex color transitions with organic shapes and simple contrasts of black and white with symmetrical forms. He is continually discovering new directions for his creativity and is currently pursuing public art and architectural installations as the next step in his career.

Jonathan Davis is an innovative artistic glassblower from Durham, North Carolina, who creates original works of glass art through a form known as lampworking. He began his career at the Carolina Glass Art Studio in Durham as an apprentice in 2001. Since then he has taught classes through the Durham Arts Council, studied with renowned master glassblower Emilio Santini and has recently opened his new studio in Pittsboro North Carolina, Locally Grown Art to teach classes, host art events and create community using “Art as Activism”. Jonathan studied jazz at North Carolina Central University and also received a degree in Sustainable Agriculture at Central Carolina Community College. He then moved to Snow Camp, NC where for two years he co-managed a farm for which produced organic vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Now he runs the Locally Grown Art Studio and is teaching privately and through Central Carolina Community College. The mission of Locally Grown Art is to use glass art as a catalyst for environmental and social causes such as organic farming, alternative energy, sustainable practices and social justice. Drawing the connection between local farms and artists has been an ongoing mission for Jonathan. Working with farmers and artists in the region has shaped his desire to educate people on the importance of supporting local farms and art alike and spawned his enthusiasm to teach and create art for the community through the Locally Grown Art Studio. Furthermore, Davis has also worked many years for The Forest Foundation, an organization dedicated to environmental education and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods, helping with fair trade handicraft development. The Forest Foundation has partnered with Carolina Biofuels in Durham and is now producing Biodiesel and offering green forms of transit such as pedicabs and alternative fuel taxis. As a new addition to Jonathans ongoing dedication to social and environmental activism, he has created the Chatham Help List. This web site serves as an online social network which connects community members in voluntary work projects. These projects encourage a pay it forward mentality while building the community as a whole. Davis creates a variety of functional and sculptural art, specializing in goblets, paperweights, and marbles, and experiments with many cold working techniques such as faceting, drilling, cutting, and grinding. He also integrates many natural elements in his works, including quartz, tektite, silicon, mica, coral and opal. Silica based minerals, coldworking techniques and an infinite palette of glass color allow him to incorporate a variety of visual textures with his artwork. Jonathan has developed a style that alternates between complex color transitions with organic shapes and simple contrasts of black and white with symmetrical forms. He is continually discovering new directions for his creativity and is currently pursuing public art and architectural installations as the next step in his career.

Please visit our website for additional information www.locallygrownart.com Class Schedule April 12th and 13th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250 April 26th and 27th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250 May 3rd and 4th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250 May10th and 11th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250 May 17th and 18th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250

Please visit our website for additional information www.locallygrownart.com Class Schedule April 12th and 13th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250 April 26th and 27th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250 May 3rd and 4th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250 May10th and 11th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250 May 17th and 18th Introduction to Glassblowing 10am-6pm $250