April Surgent
April Surgent
Artist processes
April Surgent started working with glass in 1997, in Seattle, WA. She studied at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, earning her B.F.A. with honors, in 2004. She moved back to Seattle in 2005 and set up a cold-working glass studio with artist, Ethan Stern. Since 2003, Surgent has taught, lectured, and exhibited her works internationally. In 2009, she was awarded one of the two prestigious Neddy Fellowships, through the generosity of the Behnke foundation, along with the UrbanGlass, New Talent award. In 2010, she had her first solo museum show, at the Bellevue Arts Museum, WA. She was recognized by her peers at the Tacoma Museum of Glass auction, receiving the ‘Artist’s Choice’ award, in 2011.
On her journey with glass Surgent had the opportunity to study with Czech master engraver Jiri Harcuba at Pilchuck glass school, in 2003. Harcuba introduced her to the technique of engraving, which has become the predominant method she uses to make her work. Harcuba became Surgent‘s mentor and in 2008, they started instructing a series of short courses together. Their classes have centered on the idea that glass engraving can be contemporary art. Interested in the juxtaposition of using an “endangered” traditional craft to make contemporary art, she focuses on making permanent, archival records of contemporary life.
Selected Collections
2013 Museum of Glass, ‘The Valley’, Tacoma, WA.
2011 Ulster Museum acquisition, ‘Days Gone By’, Belfast, Ireland.
2010 Corning Museum of Glass acquisition, “Jiri”, Corning, NY, USA.
2008 Chrysler Museum acquisition, “Don’t Wait for Me”, Norfolk, VA, USA.
2008 Museum of Glass, “But You Wont Look Back”, Tacoma, WA
2007 Hotel Murano lobby commission, Tacoma, USA.
2004 Australian National University Public Artwork Program, Canberra, Australia
2004 Bradley Allen Acquisition Award, Canberra, Australia
2004 Embassy of Spain Art Collection, Canberra, Australia
2003 Kamberra Wine Center, Canberra, Australia
Selected Exhibitions
2013 Glass Weekend at Wheaton Arts, Heller Gallery, Millville, NJ
2013 ‘LINKS: Australian Glass and the Pacific Northwest’, Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA
2013 ‘Outgrowth: Highlights from the Museum’s Collections’, Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA
2013 ‘41st Annual International Glass Invitational Awards Exhibition’, Habatat Gallery, Royal Oak, MI
2012 ‘April Surgent’ Solo exhibition, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA
2012 ‘Chromatic Fusion’, New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, NM
2012 ’Fifty by Fifty: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Studio Glass, Muskegon Musem of Art, Muskegon MI.
2012 ‘Import’ Bullseye Pop-up Gallery in conjunction with 50th anniversary, Glass Art Society Conference, Toledo, OH, USA.
2012 ‘Images’, Walter E. Terhune Gallery, Toledo, OH, USA.2012 ‘40th Annual Invitational’ Habatat Gallery, Royal Oak, MI, USA.
2011 SOFA Chicago, Bullseye Gallery, USA.
2011 “Into the Surface”, solo exhibition, Bullseye Gallery, Portland USA.
2011 Art MRKT San Francisco, Bullseye Gallery, Portland, OR.
2010 “Into the Surface”, solo exhibition, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue WA.
2010 ‘Women in Glass: Innovators and Visionaries’ Group exhibition, Traver Gallery, Seattle, WA.
2010 Art Miami, Bullseye Gallery, Portland, OR.
2100 COLLECT, Bullseye Gallery, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK.
2010 “Reflect”, Solo exhibition, Bullseye Gallery, Portland, OR. USA.
2010 “15 Years of Neddy Artist Fellows”, Tacoma Art Muesum, WA.
2009 Art Miami, Bullseye Gallery, Miami, Fl, USA.
2009 “2009 Neddy Artist Fellowship”, Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, USA.
2009 “COLLECT”, Bullseye Gallery, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK.
2008 “Traces of Ourselves”, an exhibition and accompanying catalogue, featuring the work of Jiri Harcuba and April Surgent, Bullseye gallery, Portland, Or. USA.
2008 SOFA Chicago, Bullseye Gallery, Chicago, USA.
2007 “COLLECT”, Bullseye Gallery, Victoria Albert museum, London, UK.
2007 “Pilchuck Glass School: Emerging Artists in Residence”, Friesen Gallery, Seattle, USA.
2006 “A Meandering Tale”, solo exhibition, The Bullseye Gallery, Portland, OR, USA
2006 “Painting with Light: Artists that paint on and with glass”, Palos Verdes Art Center, CA, USA
2006 SOFA Chicago, Bullseye Gallery, Chicago, USA.
2005 SOFA/Chicago, Bullseye Gallery, Chicago, USA.
2005 “Seeds of Light: 20 Years of Graduates from the Glass Workshop”, ANU School of Art Gallery, Canberra, Australia
2004 “Green: 2004 Graduating Students Exhibition”, ANU School of Art Gallery, Canberra, Australia
2004 “WG@BE4 E-Merge”, Bullseye Resource Center, Portland, OR
2004 “Emerging Artists 2004”, Tobin – Hewett Gallery, Louisville, KY
2004 “Intersection: The Canberra Connection”, Bullseye Gallery, Portland, OR
2003 “Legacy”, Bullseye Gallery, Portland, OR
2003 International Student Exhibition, Glass Art Society, Seattle, WA
2002 Kamberra Glass Prize, Kamberra Wine Center, Canberra, Australia
2002 “Reflect”, Spiral Gallery, Bega, Australia
2001 Kamberra Glass Prize, Kamberra Wine Center, Canberra, Austrailia
2000 Scholarship Recipients, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, USA
