1878 Gallery
November 20, 2021 – February 13, 2022
ArtWalk Reception
Saturday, November 27, 2021
6 – 9 PM
This exhibition is supported in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and Texas Commission on the Arts and sponsorship from the Galveston Island Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
Featured artists:
Sean Johnston
Keri Mullin
Justin Parr
Adam Smolensky
John Joseph “JJ” Vanlandingham
Featured collections:
Jeanne Addkison
Marie Adkins
Patricia Carvajal
Jonathan Crock
Phillip “Pappy” Johnson
Miranda Garza
Joe King
Lydia Marie
JessieMarie Olivarri
Tiffany Pippin, Andrew Diehl, and Hannah Diehl
Jon Ramon
Sabrina Stachowski
Amanda Vazquez
Esferas Perdidas
Sean Johnston, Justin Parr, and friends
Esferas Perdidas (or "Lost Spheres") is a project conceived by San Antonio glass artists Sean Johnston and Justin Parr. The group was formed for local glass workers to introduce people to their works by hiding select pieces, specifically handmade glass marbles, in and around San Antonio, TX. Photos of their creations and clues to the location are posted to a public Facebook Group, encouraging followers to seek them out. The group currently has over 8,000 members involved in an ongoing interactive scavenger hunt for marbles and decorative glass objects. The project encourages an appreciation of the work of local glass artists, as well as encourages hunters to explore the city on their search for these glass treasures. For this exhibition, GAC presents a selection of collections of handmade glass marbles from the group’s participants along with highlights of the work from a selection of participating artists.
Esferas Perdidas Facebook Group
Galveston Marble Hunts
In conjunction with the exhibition and with the support of the Galveston Visitor and Convention Bureau, Esferas Perdidas will expand the marble hunt to Galveston during the course of the exhibition. Artists will be actively hiding their marbles around Galveston Island on November 27th and January 29th. The public is encouraged to participate by following the ongoing hunt via the Esferas Perdidas group online.
Saturday, November 27, 2021 - In conjunction with Galveston ArtWalk
Saturday, January 29, 2022 - In conjunction with Galveston Museum Day
What began as a way to share art and adventure became a diverse community of kindred spirits who enjoyed the hunt, the friendship, and a love for beautiful glass and the artists who created it. Now seven years later, as we gather our art pieces for this exhibit, we realize that we are forever Esferas Perdidas family. – Mia May, Esferas Perdidas Member
Sean Johnston is a glassblower and visual artist based in San Antonio, TX. He has been blowing glass for over twelve years and places emphasis on painstaking details within his work. Esferas Perdidas was conceived by Sean and cofounded with Justin Parr on January 3, 2014 when they hid the first marbles. The group now numbers over 8000 members who hide and hunt marbles daily, throughout San Antonio, South Texas and the world. Johnston has exhibited and had his work collected through FL!GHT Gallery in San Antonio, and has been highlighted multiple times by The San Antonio Current, The San Antonio Express News, and several glass industry publications for his blown and sculpted glass work.
@sean_thomas_johnston
Keri Mullen has been a glass artist for over 10 years focusing on marbles, pendants, and cabochons. Her art work has been featured in The Flow magazine and a tutorial on implosions was published in Glassline magazine. She has been a member of Esferas Perdidas since November 2014.
@glassbykeri
Justin Parr is a contemporary artist and glass blower from San Antonio, TX. He is the caretaker and artist-in-residence in the historic Hot Wells Hotel Ruins on the San Antonio River, where he has built his glass studio and home out of a converted shipping container. His distinctive glasses always include some imperfections to them that only make them more desirable, and his blown glass marbles are literally hunted for throughout the country, in a group that numbers online in the thousands. Parr has exhibited his glass, photographic, and sculptural work throughout the United States for over 20 years, his work runs the gamut from public art experiences to hand blown drinking glasses. In addition to his own work, Parr has owned and run a contemporary artist-run gallery space of his own, FL!GHT Gallery, that has continued to show new work from regional artists for 20 years this year.
@in hot water
Adam Smolensky’s vortex marbles can be seen throughout Esferas Peridas member collections. He is a glassblower renowned for his detailed work in borosilicate glass, including marbles, pendants, drinking glasses, pipes, and sculptures of assorted shapes and sizes.
@smoglasstx
smoglass.com
JJ Vanlandingham (born 1974 - Cairo, GA) began working in glass under the mentorship of Nicholas O’Dell, a prominent lampworker in Durango, CO. Since opening his own studio, he has become known for his large-scale hollow work and line work. He met the creators of Esferas Perdidas in 2006 at Zollie Glass in San Antonio, TX and the group has since provided him an opportunity to focus on an area he had always had a great interest – marbles! JJ currently lives in Asheville, NC.
@johnjosephvanlandingham
