Hot Glass Workshop

 tools

lauren at 'the crucible' picking up new glass,
the 'glory hole' to the left where working glass is re-heated

rolling hot glass in frit to add color

using a mold to create the ridges on an ornament

flashing the piece to bring out a metallic sheen

placing the hook on a finished ornament

Today was the day!

I traveled down to the Googleworks to take my hot glass workshop.

I was the only one who signed up for the tumbler class 

so they asked me to join the Holiday Ornament class, 

assuring that I would be able to make my tumbler.

I arrived very early and was able to watch a local artist as she worked.

The process is amazing, the fluid glass is both tough and gooey...very alive.

The working process is mesmerizing...how I love a hot kiln!

I watched as the six other students made their pieces and then 

the teacher, Scott Krenitsky, helped me to make a small tumbler.

His relaxed manner and easy command of the material 

made it seem much less intimidating.

I won't pick up my piece until next week, it's annealing (cooling down) as we speak.

It was a wonderful experience, too bad I'm struggling with another nasty cold.

So it's off to bed for me.

Hot Glass

gift shop window

Yesterday I visited an art center called the Goggleworks in Reading, PA.

The center provides artists with studio spaces, including hot/fused glass and Ceramics.

For many years I was a clay sculptor working almost exclusively in the Raku method.

Glass was always something I wanted to try.

So when I walked into the studio and smelled the firing kilns...

glowing at 2000F...I knew the time had come!

I will be taking a hot glass workshop at the end of October!

We will be making a pint sized glass or a tumbler.

I'm so excited!