He called his beloved Water Street Glassworks in the Benton Harbor Arts District, “a big city idea in your home town…here to satisfy your glass curiosity.” Never has there been a more big city talent with a hometown heart than the man we came to know and love as Jerry Catania. Sadly we’ve learned today that Jerry has passed at the age of 74.
The news issued forth from his beautiful wife, Kathy, who shared it on his Facebook page late this afternoon, Thursday, May 14, 2020:
It is with a heavy but, grateful heart that I share the passing of a wonderful man, my husband Jerry. He lived his creative life to the fullest and I am so lucky to have been his partner in the adventure.
His calling was two-fold, as an art educator and glass artist/educator and he dedicated his life to both professions. He lived many lives in one. He was a pioneer in glass and he loved sharing his passion for the medium in all his home studios, at Ox-Bow in Saugatuck and in the Benton Harbor Arts District at Water Street Glassworks.
His wanderlust and teaching adventures took him all over the world. His friendships reflect his path. He touched so many lives. He loved you all.
His brother Bob and I thank you all for your condolences and kindness. A celebration of his life/open house will take place in their father’s former garage building in Stevensville, MI, come fall.
Many of you are asking, what you can do for us at this time. My answer is that you’ve already done it by sharing your life with Jerry. Donations may be made to Water Street Glassworks at http://bit.ly/WSGDonate to continue his passion and legacy.
In his own words, “My achievements were made possible by a lot of help from my friends and I’m one lucky guy.”
The news was immediately met with sadness and disbelief intermixed with glowing words of tribute. A man who covered his work on many occasions and wrote of his talents, Jeremy Bonfiglio says, “He was a brilliant man with such a creative and gentle soul. Blessed to have been one of so, so many that he inspired by his passion for both art and teaching. His mark will never leave this world.”
Tracy Kirchmann a fellow glass instructor from Chicago writes, “Jerry touched so many lives through glass including mine. I will forever strive to be the type of mentor Jerry was effortlessly. So grateful for the time we had together with our kids at Corning and at GAS. Jerry is a legend. Eternally grateful for him always.”
Whirlpool Vice President Jeff Noel who also helped recruit Jerry to the Arts District when he headed up Cornerstone Alliance says, “My condolences to you. Jerry was the most wonderful man, his art will always inspire people. His heart and kindness changed so many lives and his legacy will be remembered by future generations whose mom or dad were touched by the both of you.”
Livery Microbrewery Founder and fellow Arts District business operator Leslie Pickell says, “So grateful for Jerry. And you, Kathy. Much love to you from me and Mikey G.”
Portage High School Teacher Karen Milito writes, “There is not another college professor, that I had who was on Jerry’s level in my heart. He truly cared for his students and appreciated us each uniquely as we were. The years I studied with him, we were part of a tight group, brought closer by the events of 9/11. We called ourselves ‘Jerry’s kids’ because through all of our growth as artists and teachers, he was our sensitive leader and guide. This world and my life have been changed forever because of Jerry.”
Derek Russell, a metal sculpting artist from Montgomery, Alabama says, “Jerry was one of the most heartwarming, genuine, salt of the earth people I have ever met. I took several classes with him while at SAIC, and he is someone who I will remember for the rest of my life. I am grateful to have met and studied with him. He will be missed. Sending good juju to you all.”
Arts District Developer and neighbor Ken Ankli says, “I’m so sorry. Some people touch many lives in many ways…Jerry was one of them. I count myself very blessed to have know him.”
Veteran Herald-Palladium writer Rick Ast was moved, writing, “He was a great and wonderful friend for 60 years. This is crushing news. Kathy, I am so glad you brought Jerry over earlier this month. He looked so good. And a last elbow bump that should have been a hug.”
Andrea Aranki from Buffalo, New York was stunned, saying, “Oh my gosh, I was just telling someone about Waterstreet Glassworks this morning even though it’s been 10 years since I was last in MI to take a class. Jerry was such an incredible teacher and such a kind soul. I’m so sorry for your loss. He will be truly missed.”
Former Lakeshore School Board Member, Marc Del Mariani, writes, “Condolences from the Del Mariani family present and departed. My parents, sister Shari, Mary and our kids thought the world of Jerry and admired his talents and community accomplishments. Growing up with Jerry was a joy. From the lighting of his furnace at his dad’s garage to following his being honored as an educator, an artist and a community inspiration we admired how he led his life following his passions. It was so like Jerry that in his final days he spent time thinking of others assembling his memorabilia to share again with those who shared his life.”
Jerry’s entire Lakeshore family will no doubt share Marc’s feelings. He was a member of the Class of 1964 and was honored by the Lakeshore Excellence Foundation a decade ago as their Distinguished Alumni Award winner for 2010.
After Lakeshore, Jerry earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Michigan State University in 1969, and began working in glass as a part of the experimental beginnings of the now famous Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. In the summer of 1972 he was accepted to be one of 30 students to work and study glass under the direction of the world renowned Dale Chihuly and Fritz Dreisbach.
It was a year later that he returned home to Michigan’s Great Southwest and launched his own private glass studio, Fiasco Glass in Stevensville. He chose “fiasco” because that refers to the Italian, straw-wrapped wine bottles as well as the glass “seconds” sold in the streets.
In 1985, he was invited to add a glassblowing studio to the summer art program at Ox-Bow School of Painting in Saugatuck, which now houses off-campus programs of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He earned his Master of Arts degree from Western Michigan University in 1989, and continued post-graduate studies at Michigan State.
In 1990, Jerry moved his studio some 35 miles north of its original location to Glenn, Michigan, still along the shores of Lake Michigan, where he worked in a 19th century barn studio and, with his wife Kathy, turned the 1860’s farmhouse into Vesuvius Art Gallery. Jerry worked and taught there until 2004, when the studio relocated to Benton Harbor and became Water Street Glassworks, an anchor to the burgeoning Arts District and home to his not-for-profit school of glass and metal art.
Throughout all of that, Jerry served from 1969 to 1971 in the Peace Corps, teaching art in the West Indies when he ended up in a workshop on glass and developed a fascination with the medium that led to his never-ending love for the art of glass. He served as a public school art teacher in the Benton Harbor Area Schools for 20 years from 1969 to 1989, was an adjunct faculty member at Lake Michigan College from 1974 to 1988, and began a 30-year stretch teaching glassblowing and casting at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency in Saugatuck, where he founded the glassblowing program.
Jerry met Kathy who started her glass career with him at Fiasco Glass and became his glassblowing assistant, colorist and teaching assistant. They married in 1991, and their creative partnership has become legendary across multiple studios including Water Street.
In 1997 as demand for glass classes grew, the Catanias were among the first investors in the Benton Harbor Arts District when they purchased the condemned 1898 Hinkley Building for $4,000. After seven years of extensive renovations, Water Street Glassworks opened its doors in January of 2004 for classes, hosting students from Southwestern Michigan College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and through a partnership with the Krasl Art Center.
The Catanias also shared their passion for glass with area youth through FIRED UP!, an after-school program designed to impact the lives of Benton Harbor teens through the medium of glass. Since its inception in 2004, FIRED UP! has garnered recognition and funding, including being ranked among the nation’s top 50 after-school programs in 2009. In a “full-circle” turn of events, Eli Zilke, a FIRED UP! graduate, returned to Water Street Glassworks late in 2018 as core glass instructor and studio manager, allowing Jerry to fully retire from teaching glass.
Jerry’s handiwork is resplendent at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club at Harbor Shores where he collaborated with metal artist Josh Andres to hand craft eighteen uniquely individual tee markers dedicated to the 18 major victories in Nicklaus’ legendary career.
In his biography, Jerry described his work as, “One-of-a-kind vessel forms that are narrative or decorative in nature, limited edition functional stemware and sand-cast glass/mixed-media sculptures.” He added, “I like to let glass do what it does best — display its wonderful optical and fluid properties, using the medium to communicate ideas and intrigue my audience.”
For a recent show at Anna Russo Sieber’s ARS Gallery nearby in the Benton Harbor Arts District, Jerry was even more descriptive, saying, “The paradox of glass as a material — its fragility and transparency juxtaposed with its hardness and density, finds its way into may work as metaphors: ambiguity, irony, symbolism and insight. The metaphors are points of departure from which I compose visual narratives that express these themes — in both realistic and abstract forms. I follow a tradition of reducing the figure to an artistic symbol as a way to understand the unknown and to influence future events.”
If there is one thing that Mr. Jerry Catania did with his life, in many incredible ways, it was to influence future events, for which we are all eternally grateful. Unfortunately, in this time of limited social contact due to the pandemic, we won’t be able to turn out in what would have been a truly spectacular fashion to honor Jerry’s life until some time down the road.
Kathy Catania says, “In a 1975 interview, Jerry offered up a quote that still reflects his personal philosophy today: ‘Life is a piece of art; live creatively.’” She adds, “As his partner in life, as well as art, I can wholeheartedly say that he has done exactly that.” Indeed he did, and he will be sorely missed.
