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Owners Of Originals In Glass Plan Open House - Literally

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 3, 2007

TAMPA - Lisa and Joe Vogt have left their mark on South Tampa.

The working artists - Lisa does the designs and Joe the bulk of the fabrication - owned Originals in Glass, 4430 W. Kennedy Blvd., for 18 years.

There they made and taught glass arts to young and old alike. They had children in after school to help with projects such as putting glass tiles onto fiberglass turtles and manatees. Originals in Glass had numerous Tampa Bay-area exhibits: Lisa Vogt made a stained glass doghouse that fetched $9,200 at the Bow Wow Haus fundraiser auction; and her 22-foot-long stained glass kites fly at the Tampa International Airport.

Almost two years ago, they faced what many artists face regularly. Their rent went up, and they had to find new digs.

So they moved Originals in Glass to their home in Wesley Chapel. On Saturday, they will open their home and studio to friends old and new for an all-day look at their work and how it's done.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the couple will provide demonstrations that include how to make fused glass basins for sinks and how to assemble stained glass panels. There will be glass mosaic activities as well as face painting and cookies for the younger set. Adults can enjoy a wine tasting provided by Cork & Olive. And it's all free.

'We want it to be a cultural thing as well as a fun event,' Lisa Vogt said. 'We're showing a lot of new work and we want to see how people react to it.'

The studio is at 27503 Hialeah Way in Wesley Chapel.

Call (813) 286-2851 for details.

Get Hooked On Aquarium Art
Starting Oct. 8 and running through Jan. 8, The Florida Aquarium will showcase the talents of 20 Tampa Bay area artists in a new exhibit that emphasizes Florida waterways and wildlife.

After Jan. 8, there will be another three-month show.

The art and artists for the rotating shows are selected by Baystudios, owned by artists Dan and Denise Rojas.

'We'll have two to six pieces per artist,' Dan Rojas said. 'The art will be in the tunnels, which the aquarium calls the Pathways. They will be anyplace where the fish are.'

One of the challenges for Baystudios is in the lighting for the exhibit.

'The aquarium is working on some advanced lighting that will illuminate without causing reflections that glare off the tanks,' Dan Rojas said. 'We have to put the artwork where it can be seen well but won't interfere with viewing the fish or with the sensitivity of the fish.'

The works will be strategically placed in areas that normally have blank walls.

'It's perfect for artwork,' he added.

The 20 artists who are expected to participate are L.D. Adonis, Vesna Anderson, Joel Cocker, Jason Fondren, Maggie Green, Eileen Goldenberg, John Gurbac,John Henson, Angela Kendall, Candace Knapp, Don Kobasky, Lisa Ward Landsman, Diana Leavengood, Kristina Mirisha, Duncan McClellan, Jane Palmer, Dan and Denise Rojas, Frank Saso, Renee Taylor and Carlton Ward.

An opening reception is planned this month, but details are not yet available.

For information, call Dan Rojas at (812) 626-8738 or go to www.baystudios.com.

Correspondent Esther Hammer can be reached at (813) 835-2108 or ehammer@tampatrib.com.

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