Tour of Joan Danziger’s Art Studio

National Sporting Library and Museum
Middleburg, Virginia
Private Tour of Joan Danziger’s Art Studio “Canter and Crawl”
Wednesday, October 2, 2019

 

On Wednesday, October 2, 2019, many AAFSW members enjoyed the fascinating exhibit of the three-dimensional “glass sculptures” of Joan Danziger, who is a contemporary artist that works on mythological wire and glass-shard sculptures of horses and insects. The private tour took place in the charming, colonial town of Middleburg in Virginia at the National Sporting Library and Museum.

Joan Danziger’s Beetles come out of the earth and rise to the sun with resurrection and immortality: beautiful with their iridescent bodies and wings. Horses run through the earth with a driving force of power, strength and freedom. They are in motion — capturing a world of energy: they have a powerful spirit. As the artist explained to the AAFSW group, sculpting these two different ideas was an exciting challenge. Glass and a metal armature created form, abstract patterns and color. Shifting light through the open wire of the sculptures is a play of light and dark. Crawling and climbing colorful beetles with their sparkling glass glistening. Her imagery world is full of her personal vision — Joan Danziger’s magical world of mythological horses and beetles.

Joan is a master of three-dimensional mythical sculptures, and for four decades she has been enlightening people with her artistic creations with wire, wood, metal, metal armature, frit, dichroic glass, fused glass, and acrylic paint. Besides her current exhibition in Middleburg, her art creations have been exhibited in museums, galleries, and universities around the United States, The Arts Kennedy Recreation Center, The Convention Center, American University Katzen Arts Center, The Osuna Gallery, Textile Museum, Fendrick Gallery, Corcoran Museum, The Renwick Gallery, The American Art Museum, The American University, The Capital Children’s Museum, The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC; and in Maryland; Virginia; New York; Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; New Jersey; and many other places.

Middleburg was founded in 1787 by Leven Powell, a Revolutionary War Lieutenant. It has lovely views of the Blue Ridge and Bull Run mountains, romantic scenery, beautiful farms and vineyards, more than 160 historic buildings, and an amazing park. Glenwood Park, founded in 1911, is considered the nation’s “Horse and Hunt Capital” and one can enjoy year-round equestrian activities. Middleburg has an array of attractive inns, fine restaurants, boutiques and Art Galleries. After the tour, many of the AAFSW members enjoyed lunch together at a wonderful Thai restaurant in sunny Middleburg and later went sightseeing in the town.

Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, PhD
AAFSW President