Volume 30, Number 2

Eau Claire Kilnformed Glass Artist

Is a Surgeon by Day

In February of this year, Wisconsin Arts Board executive director and WFA Advisory Committee member George Tzougros and Arts Wisconsin’s Anne Katz visited the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center Gallery Show and both described a “That’s it!” moment when they spotted a stunning multicolored glass exhibit.

             George described to us the intricate detail of vibrant patterned glass sculptures at the show, and suggested the Foundation commission Steve Immerman M.D. to create the 2005 Governor’s Award art. 

             The Wisconsin Foundation for the Arts is delighted Steve Immerman accepted our invitation and created stunning, detailed pieces which are the product of his imagination and artistic expression. 

 Surgeon by day, artist at night

            The artist commissioned to create the 2005 award art often wears a stethoscope around his neck while visiting patients at the OakLeaf Surgical Hospital, Sacred Heart Hospital, and Evergreen Surgical Clinic in Eau Claire.  A general, thoracic and oncologic surgeon, Dr. Steve Immerman has been in practice in Eau Claire for 23 years, after completing medical School, residency and a fellowship in surgical oncology at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Creative work a respite from stressful career and an expression of soul

When asked what stimulated his artwork, Steve remembered “I had a period of time in my life when I was working very hard, but I wasn’t doing anything creative. Glass has always fascinated me. I considered returning to stained glass, which was an earlier interest, but that didn’t present any new challenges.  I considered learning glass blowing, but that is not conducive to a home studio, an unpredictable schedule, and it often requires two people.  Then I heard about kilnformed glass and wanted to learn more.”

            Steve’s journey in glass has included classes throughout the United States—from Maryland to Arizona and Oregon-- with internationally known kilnformed glass artists, including Steve Klein, Avery Anderson, Brock Craig, Mel George and Jeremy Lepisto; as well as extensive personal study and experimentation. 

Parallels between kilnformed glass and surgery

            The artist recognizes many parallels between kilnformed glass and surgery.  “They each involve technical skill and precise planning in preparation for the portion of the process where the patient is allowed to heal (in the case of surgery) or the glass is allowed to fuse (with kilnformed glass).  Both processes require intense knowledge of what is expected to happen, and neither allows much margin for error.  Both combine science and art,” Steve reflects.

Fused glass sculpture uses a process called kilnforming

            Kilnforming is a term used to describe the process of melting and shaping glass using the heat in a kiln, as opposed to using a furnace or torch. Although kilnformed glass is historically one of the oldest methods of working with glass, kilnforming began to blossom as an art form in the early 1980’s when Bullseye Glass Company, in Portland, Oregon, developed a pallet of glass that allowed artists to melt multiple pieces of different colored glass together in a kiln without fear that they would crack and separate.  Depending on the effect he is trying to achieve, the glass Steve uses may be transparent or opalescent; textured or smooth; glossy or satiny, or may even have a metallic coating.

             The common theme in his work is juxtaposition of chaotic design elements with serene backgrounds and the use of geometric shapes.  “I make pieces with colors and designs that appeal to me. Fortunately it overlaps with what others like as well. I enjoy working with all colors of glass, but, it is a learning process to understand each color’s character and how it behaves in a kiln. I try to use restraint, not to use all my colors or all my techniques on every piece,” Steve states with a grin.

 “Usually I design my pieces before I start, but the amount of planning depends on the particular pieces. Sometimes I just want to work with a particular color; sometimes I want to relate to a photograph.  It often takes quite a while to decide what I want to make.  I don’t enjoy creating the same piece over and over.  The best part is pulling something out of the kiln and being happy with it.  Sometimes the harder it is to achieve something the more pleasure I get from the finished piece,” Steve reflects. 

How the art work is created

            The 2005 Governor’s award recipients will each receive an intricate original glass sculpture from his “Axxcept” series. These are created using several techniques within the kiln, and several finishing techniques after the firing.  The work includes a design element called an “aperture pour”.

            An “aperture pour” is a thick, circular, multicolored sheet of glass, created in a kiln by melting glass in a crucible with a hole or “aperture” in the bottom which allows a stream of glass to flow out of the container onto the kiln shelf.  Steve often uses a clay flowerpot, modified by enlarging the hole.

            “I’ve learned to create many colorful patterns by varying how I place the colored glass in the pot, in order to achieve the color pattern I want,” the meticulous artist states.  “I’ve experimented with many, many different colors in creating these swirly, chaotic, and colorful glass designs.”

            Once cooled, the aperture pour designs are cut, shaped, polished and used to enhance his compositions. The pieces in the “Axxcept” series contain a central design element consisting of a latticework of many small, square, aperture pour pieces, but also include something unpredictable within the pattern. These design elements are assembled, fired and ground smooth as a separate process.

 The panels themselves are then created by building a three-dimensional assembly around the Axxcept design element, consisting of strips and sheets of various colors of glass. Each piece is subsequently fused together in another kiln firing at temperatures around 1500F. The edges of the finished panel are then ground smooth, and the surface of the panel is sandblasted and textured. It then returns to the kiln for a final firing to seal the finish.

 The artist’s statement

            “I use glass to invoke memories of beautiful things, places and emotions.  I often use photos as an inspiration, and try to transfer the colors, textures and mood of the photos into a glass creation. When people look at my work I want them to be at the edge of recognizing something beyond the glass itself; I want the glass to draw from them a memory of an emotion or feeling at a subliminal level.”

Recognition for outstanding work

            Steve’s work was featured this year in an article, and on the cover of,   Glass Craftsman magazine.  In addition to selection for a two-person show at the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center Gallery, Steve has entered pieces in juried art competitions over the years and many have been exhibited in prestigious shows:

·        “Rainforest” was accepted by the jury into the October 2004 Pilchuck Glass Auction, and “Autumn” was accepted for the 2005 Auction.

·        “Polaris” was selected as a finalist at the 2004 Bullseye Glass Company competition.  The same year “Bamboo Forest” was a finalist in the Wisconsin ArtsWest 25 competition.

·        In 2003 he was invited to display “The Twinkie Plate” in the “Legacy” exhibit at the Bullseye Connection Gallery in Portland, Oregon.  “Legacy” was an international exhibition of fifty works by artists and their students.  Steve is a student of Avery Anderson, of Veneta, Oregon.

·        The spring 2003 ArtsWest 24 exhibition included two of Steve’s pieces “Garden” and “Cobalt Triangle Bowl.”

·        “China Black” was a finalist in the ‘Functional’ category of the Bullseye competition in 2002.

Beautiful photographs (by the artist) highlight unique features of each piece in his on-line gallery.  Go to:  www.clearwaterglass.com

Following his passions

            Asked how he sees himself--as a physician or artist--he replies, “I’m a surgeon, and I particularly like the technical aspects of being a surgeon.  Taking care of patients is rewarding, but also stressful. Being able to come home at night and create art from glass helps me relax.  When I retire as a surgeon, I hope to continue as an artist.”