Shane Fero’s lampworked art has always involved totemic spirits and bird imagery, but his blown bird series of recent years took a new direction. The whimsical surface design on the birds evokes their special metaphysical and spiritual quality…and the fun that Shane has with his work. In addition, he teaches workshops, and was recently President of the Glass Art Society.
The birds and totemic spirits in Shane Fero’s work dance to a rhythm created in his imagination. It is this piquancy in both his blown vessels and sculptural work that so delights the viewer. Often using colored glasses in various forms of shards, powders, cane or even stained glass, Shane accomplishes the swirling patterns and mysterious movement of color in his work. His blown pieces are achieved by the controlled forcing of air into clear glass tubes while molten, with the colors added in an overlay technique.
Shane’s figurative forms consist of the manipulation of glass rods in a flame torch, alternately adding to and cooling the molten glass in sequential steps until the desired form takes shape. It is in the inventiveness of these works that reveals Shane’s interest in anthropology, philosophy, mythology and psychology. “I choose to integrate humor and other thought-provoking devices in these images,” notes Shane. “My work could be described as colorful, serious FUN!”
Shane has won many awards and taught or lectured on lampworking at many locations including Pilchuck Glass School, the University of Michigan, and Penland School of Crafts. His work has been exhibited at The Studio, Corning Museum of Glass (NY), Southern Ohio Museum, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (AL), Hunter Museum of American Art (TN), Ohio Craft Museum, Kentucky Museum of Arts and Design, St. Johns Museum of Art (NC), Georgia Museum of Art, Museum of York County, Mint Museum of Art (NC).
