Southwestern Oregon Community College – in collaboration with the Port Orford Arts Council and the Port Orford and Langlois libraries – will feature local cast glass artist Hugh McKay at the second artist lecture of the series.

The event – scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at the Port Orford library – is free and open to the public.

After a 25-year career as a premier wood turner, McKay has been perfecting and refining the technique of cast glass. McKay always pushed the limits of wood turning in size and precision, often modifying and building specialized equipment to expand possibilities. His piece Asteroid recently was gifted to the Addison Museum by Bob Bohlen, a major collector of contemporary wood art. His work also is included in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Art and Design in New York and other institutional and private collections. McKay also operates Cast Glass Forms, a glass casting foundry specializing in the lost wax casting of glass sculpture for artists and designers. McKay’s innovations with the cast glass process are attracting attention and glass casting clients worldwide.

The Artist Lecture Series is designed to provide opportunities for Port Orford residents to meet and learn from national and international sculptors working in cast glass. For more information about upcoming lectures, to suggest potential presenters or to be placed on a contact list, those interested can contact the Southwestern Gold Beach Center at (541) 247-2741 or e-mailkshumaker@socc.edu

.