Pilchuck Glass School Now offers Fall Courses in Basic Glass Making Techniques

For the first time, Pilchuck Glass School is presenting fall courses in basic glassmaking techniques at the Stanwood, WA campus.  Classes run from September 10 - 15, 2015 and offer an opportunity to learn about glass and art while living and working in a supportive community of artists. Fall courses consist of four immersive studio work days with instruction, housing, meals, and basic supplies provided. Small classes ensure an intimate learning experience.
In Wear Your Work, students will create design concepts for jewelry and learn a series of basic glass jewelry making techniques: flameworking with borosilicate glass, carving glass billets, and coldworking to add pattern and finish pieces. Demonstrations and hands-on practice time will be divided between the Flame and Cold Shops. Daily presentations will address principles of design, aesthetics of surface and form, and traditions of glass piercing jewelry. Projects will cover pendants, rings, and bracelets.

Wear Your Work is taught by Jason Pfohl, the founder-designer of Gorilla Glass which specializes in glass piercing jewelry. Starting out creating jewelry for New York City fashion designers, he has now been creating glass piercing jewelry of his own design for over fifteen years. Pfohl is responsible for the technical innovation that makes Gorilla Glass famous. In the last decade, he has taught workshops in the United States, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Mexico. www.getgorilla.com

Beginning Glassblowing led by Ed Schmid will teach the fundamentals—with an emphasis on “fun”—of working with molten glass. Beginning students or those in need of a refresher on basic technique will build new skills and learn to hone them. With daily demonstrations and plenty of hands-on practice, students will develop mind and body as they draw, design, and execute works of art while learning to think and work like enlightened glassblowers.

Ed Schmid has been working with hot glass since 1984 and is the author of the best-selling instructional books Beginning Glassblowing and Advanced Glassworking Techniques. He earned an MFA from The Ohio State University in 1990 and has since taught classes and conducted workshops all over the world. When Schmid is not writing or teaching, he develops his work at Glass Mountain Studios, which he operates with his wife in Bellingham, Washington. www.glassmtn.com
   
Wear Your Work: $940
Beginning Glassblowing: $1300
Fees include instruction, housing, meals, and basic supplies.

Courses are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be at least eighteen years of age by the first day of the course. For further information on fall courses click here.  Contact:  Liesl Schubel at lschubel@pilchuck.com.