Fountain Project Events + Artist Spotlights + Mother's Day Gift Ideas 💐

- Tweet0
- 0
- Pin It 0
- 0
- Subscribe to RSS
Subscribe

Subject: Fountain Project Events + Artist Spotlights + Mother's Day Gift Ideas 💐

EXHIBITIONS | EVENTS | CERAMICS | GLASS

Fountain Project 2026

Fountain Project Artists (left to right): Top row -Tyler Suter, Justin Jenicke, Keegan O'Brien; Row 2 - Abigail Amundson, Ori Shir, Lauryl Sidwell; Row 3 - Michael Carson, Jacqueline Polofka, Brandon Smith.

The Fountain Project, a Belger Arts - Powell Gardens collaboration, brings together nine glass artists from across the country to create a unique glass installation. The artists will soon arrive in Kansas City to begin work on the glass fountain, and you’re invited to experience a series of events:

Saturday, April 25 & Monday, April 27 - Free “behind the scenes” viewing of the fountain production process from 1:30PM - 5:00PM at the Belger Glass Annex (1219 E. 19th St., KCMO).
Wednesday, April 29 - Artists Talk with members of the project team from 6:00PM - 8:00PM at the Belger Crane Yard Gallery (2011 Tracy Ave., KCMO).
First Friday, May 1 - First Friday glass blowing demonstration featuring the project team from 6:00PM - 8:00PM at the Belger Glass Annex (1219 E. 19th St., KCMO).
Saturday, May 2 - Brunch with Artists from the Belger Arts Fountain Project and Fountain unveiling from 10:00AM - 12:00PM at Powell Gardens (1609 NW US Hwy 50, Kingsville, MO 64061). Visit powellgardens.org for tickets and more information.

Visit BelgerArts.org for additional details about the project and artists.

LEARN MORE

Artist Spotlight

Left: Kit Paulson; Right: Ivory, Coral, Blood and Bone by Kit Paulson

Kit Paulson, a North Carolina-based artist featured in Second Skin: Exploring Adornment as an Extension of Self, sculpts hot glass into intricate artworks inspired by Victorian aesthetics and quasi-scientific themes. Paulson strives to encourage viewers to examine her pieces closely, hoping they find fascination in both the natural world’s complexity and the detailed craftsmanship of human hands. With a BFA from Alfred University and an MFA from Southern Illinois University, she has taught at renowned institutions like Penland School of Craft, Pilchuck Glass School, and Corning Museum of Glass, among others. Paulson’s residencies include S12 Gallery in Norway and the Tacoma Museum of Glass, and she is currently an Artist-in-Residence at the Corning Museum of Glass. Her work can be seen in Second Skin, open through May 2 at the Belger Crane Yard Gallery.

LEARN MORE

Belger Collection Spotlight

Left: Duck by Shae Bishop pictured with over of April 2026 Ceramics Monthly; Center: Shae Bishop in studio. Right: ♢♢♢♢♢ by Shae Bishop.

Shae Bishop, whose 2011 piece ♢♢♢♢♢ (right) from the Belger Collection and new ceramic hats (left) are featured in Second Skin: Exploring Adornment as an Extension of Self, earned his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2012 and was a Resident Artist at Belger Arts from 2012 to 2014. His work has been exhibited worldwide, and he’s participated in residencies at Kohler Arts, the Archie Bray Foundation, San Diego State University, University of Wisconsin, and others. In December 2025, he was recognized by My Modern Met as one of the Ceramic Artists Who Are Shaping the Future of Clay, and his work is featured in Ceramics Monthly's April 2026 issue. Bishop’s art explores the relationship between ceramic materials and the adaptability required for wearable garments. He explains that his pieces draw “connections between diverse craft traditions, cultures, and my personal history. I create wearable portraits, building stories around the body.”