Beginner Glassblowing, a fundamentals class

- The properties and behavior of molten glass;
- How to properly gather molten glass on a blowpipe;
- The use of hand tools to shape the glass;
- How to add color to the glass to jazz up your piece;
- To consistently "pop" a bubble to start the blown piece;
- How to use gravity to shape the glass;
- How to shape a cylinder with a flat bottom;
- How to transfer your piece from the blowpipe to a punty;
- How to trim and shape the open the end of the vessel; and
- How to finish the piece and prepare it for the annealer.
Students will make several pieces to take home.
Students will work in a 2-person team, alternating between the glass blower (gaffer) and the important role of assisting the gaffer.
This class will be conducted on two different days in two consecutive weeks (4 classes) for a total of 14 hours in the studio. This class posting is for the weekday sessions Nov 4 (Monday) and Nov 6 (Wednesday) and Nov 11 (Monday) and Nov 13 (Wednesday) from 5:30pm to 9pm each day.
Prior experience is not necessary, but is encouraged. See our "Introduction to Glassblowing" class. Students with prior experience can begin work on other vessel forms ((eg bottles or bowls) or explore color and surface decoration as time permits.
Each student MUST be able to show proof of full Covid vaccination. Blow pipes will be sterilized between each use.
Eye protection will be provided as needed . Also, students should not wear loose-fitting clothes nor clothes made of synthetic fabric (these melt easily).
Age Limit- 14 years old, minimum.
Required Minimum Class Size - 2 students
To practice what you learn, you can rent the glass studio on an hourly basis. And you can schedule private instruction with one of Liberty Arts’ instructors. See website for details
Relevant Feedback
Brandon and Rebekah’s adaptability to each our our skill levels is to be commended. It was also notable that they each had very distinct teaching styles that absolutely complemented each other. They allowed us to explore our own ideas without judgement and that was deeply appreciated. I learned an immense amount in a short period. I would absolutely recommend the class to anyone who wanted try out glassblowing.
Instructors
Brandon Mayes
Rebekah Fleming
Contact us
- Class Coordinator
- in••••o@lib••••c.org
Location
Classifications
Categories
- Glass classes
Age Groups
- All