The birds and totemic spirits in Shane Fero's work dance to a rythm created in his imagination. It is this piquancy in both his blown vessels and sculptural work, including boxes, that so delights the viewer.
Often using colored glasses in various forms of shards, powders, cane or even stained glass, Shane accomplishes the swirling patterns and mysterious movement of color in his work. His blow pieces are achieved by the controlled forcing of air into clear glass tubes while molten, with the colors added in an overlay technique.
Shane's figurative forms consist of the manipulation of glass rods in a flame torch, alternately adding to and colling the molten glass in sequential steps until the deisred form takes shape. It is in the inventiveness of these works reveals Shane's interest in anthropology, philosophy, mythology and psychology. "I choose to integrate humor and other throught provoking devices in these images," notes Shane. "My work could be described as colorful, serious, FUN!"
Shane has won many awards and taught or lectured on lampworking at many locations including Pilchuck Glass School, the University of Michigan and Peland School of Crafts. His work has been exhibited at The Studio, Corning Museum of Glass (NY), Southern Ohio Museum, Montgomerty Museum of Fine Arts (AL), Hunter Museum of American Art (TN), Ohio Craft Museum, Kentucky Museum of Arts and Design, St. Johns Museum of Art (NC), Georgia Museum of Art, Museum of York County, Mint Museum of Art (NC).
He has taught extensively at the major glass schools including the Pilchuck Glass School , Penland School of Crafts, The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass, and The Eugene Glass School. He has filmed and produced two videos on his flameworking process, and he has designed and maintains an elaborate web page dedicated to his own work and the galleries that represent him (www.mickelsenstudios.com). He has published numerous technical and historical articles on flameworked glass. He served for six years on the board of directors of the Glass Art Society and was their treasurer and vice-president.