COA glass exhibit, College of the Atlantic Student Glass Exhibit

ON CENTER  

an Exhibition of FINAL SCULPTURE projects 

from the spring 2012 students from COA

will take place on campus at COA at the 

Blum Gallery Courtyard 

Saturday, June 2nd 10-5.

Finishing Strong! COA Class week 9

Time Flies! We had our last studio class on Saturday and it was a productive, exciting day. Also, just a little sad because it was our last 

studio time all together.

Everyone made the most of it and the final projects are looking great.

With so much happening it was all hands on deck, and we had valuable help from glass blower Derrick Seckulich who worked with the students on the hot shop floor as well as offering advice on fabrication issues. 

Thanks Derrick!

This course has concentrated on two approaches. The first is a technique oriented instruction, where one learns to wrangle molten glass on the end of a blow pipe. The second is one that encourages the students to "think outside the bubble", to manipulate the glass in any manner imaginable to express a sculptural form. We have had lessons and demonstrations on cold working techniques; cutting, sand blasting and grinding, as well as warm glass manipulations; blowing, slumping, casting.

ON CENTER  an Exhibition of FINAL SCULPTURE projects 

will take place on campus at COA at the 

Blum Gallery courtyard 

Saturday, June 2nd 10-5.

Hope the following images whet your appetite to attend the show. 

Check out the following images.

The photos show all the skills that glass blowing and artistry requires, and how far the students have come in their explorations!

Focus

Keeping it on center.

Teamwork

Playing with metaphor, the glass, the muse and an excellent use of the sketchbook

invites transformation!

A balanced approach between the artisan and the artist!

Preparation!

a sense of adventure...and a willingness to surprise oneself!

...a well thought out plan anda jump suit....

 Big Kilns, little kilns, heat of all types, combined with great ideas= cool hot glass!

Many Hands Make Light...

So many amazing things are happening in the class that it's hard to keep track. Everyone has really been working hard and all their hard work is paying off.
Every corner of the building is filled with a bright student cutting, sawing, drilling blasting, slumping, torching or blowing glass, musing, and their many ideas are coming to fruition! The sun is out and we are feeling some pretty springy energy here.

A picture is worth a thousand words and so we'll let the photos carry the story.
So without further ado, here are weeks 7 and 8. 

!

Bit by Bit....COA Class Weeks 5 and 6

Erica helps Nora with some heavy nearly solid glass "blocks". 

In all these photos we get to see how everyone is working with such grace and confidence helping each other to further the cause

 Bit by Bit students are gaining skills in the studio. Important team working efforts are producing sparkly fruitful interesting glass. 

 

Marco works the glass into a very refined shape.                                         

The peanut gallery watches and cheers the gaffer on, always ready to help in a moments notice. Especially with advice on what to do next....urging   "keep it on center"!!

Group work in the form of hot glass bit applications are quick, fun and a lively way to do multiple bit applications on a single piece.

Joslyn brings a bit at one point, then takes the not so itty bitty piece and becomes the gaffer, next she sits at the bench and gets a bit from the next student, Nora.  

This kind of rotation reminds me of basketball drills in gym class! 

Everyone gets a chance to practice the new move.

Finally after everyone has brought and put a bit on the ungainly piece, it is opened up into the final shape.

The next set of images show Austin working on a large bubble. He is working on components for his final project, a glass sculpture due at the end of the course.

Nora assists Austin while he uses the jacks to open the piece. 

After Nora helps Austin she requires a little assistance herself and 

Erica helps her shape some heavy nearly solid glass "blocks". 

In all these photos we get to see how everyone is working with such grace and confidence helping each other to further the cause. Harmony of purpose, the excitement of working with this "dangerous" material, and the joy of increased skill- "more more more" we clamor for more of this wonderful experience!
Luckily we have 3 more weeks together...