While visiting Philadelphia for my solo show "Fragile Force" at the Wexler Gallery in March, I had the unique opportunity to meet and speak with author and art critic Robin Rice. That and subsequent conversations led to a feature article in Urban Glass Quarterly, issue #135 and surprisingly, the cover image! Ms. Rice's inspired reflection on my work was surprising and flattering, and gave me insights into associated ideas I had never before considered.
"In Paiko's work, the strength and the clarity of glass is enhanced by voluptuous yet delicate ornamentation that overlies and underlines larger compelling structures. Each variation whets the appetite for what may come next." -Robin Rice
Interestingly, in the same issue, there was a piece written by Rick Schneider titled: "In dispute with Glass Secessionism". Having appeared on lists of purported "glass secessionists" by even the term and movement's originator, Tim Tate, I found the article a very thoughtful critique of an often contentious premise that there is a new wave of studio artists working with glass in a fundamentally different way than the "established" studio glass artists have been since Toledo in 1962. Personally, I have no firm opinions on either side of the debate, nor do I try to do model my work as being anything other than what it is at face value, but the ideas surrounding Glass Secessionism are quite interesting. You can read more here in an article by Monica Moses for the American Craft Council, interviewing Tim Tate, entitled "The World Beyond Studio Glass". Judging by the response Rick Schneider got to his article on the Glass Secessionism facebook page, there are some folks for whom this is a very serious matter indeed.