Glass Blowing Class Info from Toni P

I recommend Don Gonzalez's glass classes in Stockton NJ. I am especially impressed by Don's glass casting (solid not blown glass). As Don states in his announcement below, glass casting does not require any skill with a blowpipe. Don was for many years the Hot Glass teacher at Bucks County Community College, so he is an excellent teacher. He is also an expert in Venetian (Murano) art, and has a very nice collection at his home. His website www.dongonzalezglass.com has examples of his work, as does http://www.glassblower.info/Don-Gonzalez/January-2010/Don-Gonzalez.html Tony P Hi Everyone! Week-end glassblowing and glass-casting workshops will be offered at the hot glass studio of Don Gonzalez this spring. Glassblowing workshops will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm. Students will acquire a hands-on working knowledge of glassblowing. Basic control of the glass and several shapes and color application techniques will be covered. Each section will have four students and the cost is $250 per person. You will leave with a minimum of 5 pieces of your own hand-blown glass. People who prefer glassblowing instruction with fewer students can make such arrangements with adjustments to the fees. Contact me if you are interested in talking about this option. The schedule for this seasons glassblowing workshops: April 16-17, April 23-24, April 30-May 1 Private glassblowing classes can be arranged to accommodate a busy schedule. The privates are generally one day and cost $400. This is an ideal situation for someone with limited experience who wants to improve basic glassblowing skills or for those who prefer a private lesson. I have 17 years of teaching glassblowing on the college level and am well-versed in glassblowing instruction. Many of my former students are working in the glass arts field. One day in my studio will save you hundreds of hours of trial and error and $! Privates can be scheduled any week-day from April 19 -June 1. Casting glass in sand: The weekend glass-casting workshops will focus on creating and building sculptures, tiles and vessels employing the sand-casting technique. Whether your approach is functional or sculptural, the sand-casting process has unlimited surface design possibilities. You can carve freehand in the sand, or transfer the image of just about any shape or object into the sand to achieve surface decoration or a theme. Inclusions of shapes made from copper sheet, screen, or wire, and colored glass threads are possible to augment your designs. The process involves designing in the negative in sand, and then pouring hot glass into the negative space. See the SCULPTURE and PORTFOLIO sections of the website to see some examples of my studies in the sand casting technique. Sand casting is an exciting process that doesn't require the glassblower's skills and is an excellent opportunity for established artists to explore a new medium. The casting workshops will be held on Saturday and Sunday and can accommodate 6 people. Cost is $225 per person. I will provide extensive advance information to help you plan a productive casting session. The schedule is: May 7-8, May 14-15, May 21-22 (some weekday casting is available during my own casting sessions fee 125./day) Call 908-996-6664 or email Gonzalez_6007@msn.com to reserve space or to talk about a customized session. www.dongonzalezglass.com :go to the website for details and examples of blown and cast glass