Press Release - Upcycled Glass from Panache!

CENTURY PARK LOBBY

PANACHE UPCYCLED GLASS

Eva and Rose Marie with Eva's creation

Salamander crawling along the ground.

Detail: Deep Jungle

Installation 2

Eva celebrates success!

Upcycling saves environment and creates art with Panache

Panache Glass & Ceramics wanted to make a meaningful commitment to the environment by rethinking the steps they took in the manufacture of their art glass projects and installations.They quickly moved beyond the idea of using of recycled glass and landed upon the idea of Upcycling in order to reduce their carbon footprint. Panache sourced cast off glass from manufacturers and architectural salvage companies and put it into the hands of artist in order to create installations and functional art at the Panache studios. The response to the work has been tremendous and the company has committed to a target of having 80% of their projects done in this way by 2012.

In their environmental quest, Panache ruled out the use of recycled glass. They felt although worthy of consideration, the end product still left a significant carbon footprint ---- transportation to a recycling plant, crushing, re-manufacturing, shipping, etc. They began to realize that Upcycling, had a far smaller environmental impact and were determined to begin to use these glass cast offs as their canvas. Upcycling is a refining process, the act of making something into a more elegant form with greater artistic value and Panache has succeeded in doing just that.

Whether making functional art that can be used as door inserts, back splashes, table tops, shower walls or interior glass panels, the work defines interior space and changes the way people think about glass. The interplay with light, color and texture pulls in the viewer and succeeds in bridging architecture and fine art. Commissioned artists such as Ian Sheldon and Manola Borrajo-Giner along with Panache’s in-house artists are changing the way people think about glass.

Panache Glass & Ceramics is a manufacturer of custom art glass as well as handmade ceramic, metal and glass tile and since 1994 and has been on the leading edge of design of glass and ceramic tile for residential, commercial and hospitality industries.