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I just took a great class at Vitrum studios. We were a guinea pig class, the first to take this class from Judith and Kevin.

Components, Canes and Castings. This was not a "take and make", no finished plates or bowls came out of this class. But then we didn't do test tiles either. Judith and Kevin taught us some of their component techniques and the components we made we took home with us.

An added bonus was a surprise guest instructor for the murrini making portion of the class -- Dan Fenton!

We pulled murrine in the glory hole. We cast component canes using a new method just developed in the Vitrum laboratories. We pulled vitrigraph stringers. We made custom frit.

What was really great was how well organized the class was. No one got bored, we were always doing something, and in small enough groups that no one spent tons of time waiting to do something.

Dan was a great glory hole coach. I learned some techniques I can easily use in my at home no fancy equipment studio, and made a trip to the hardware store last night so that I can get started on those techniques! Judith and Kevin were generous with glass and ideas, and the exchange among students was stimulating. This was probably the first class I have ever taken where there was a huge range of fusing experience in the class and yet there was no lagging. Judith and Kevin made picking up the new information effortless for all.

Great class to take if you want to explore some of these techniques and take home a bunch of components for your work. I can't wait to see what this means for the work I have been doing lately!

(and I heard a little rumour that the class might be offered pre or post conference....)

Barbara

In terms of facilities, organizational talent, and teaching program, I can't think of a better kiln glass studio on the East Coast than Vitrum. Barbara, thanks for the info on this new class. It sounds fantastic - and you sound like some lucky guinea pigs!

I want to know more about the "new method for making component canes" ...

Lani McGregor wrote:In terms of facilities, organizational talent, and teaching program, I can't think of a better kiln glass studio on the East Coast than Vitrum. Barbara, thanks for the info on this new class. It sounds fantastic - and you sound like some lucky guinea pigs!

I want to know more about the "new method for making component canes" ...

Thanks for the nice comments, Barbara and Lani. It also greatly helps that we're blessed with some of the most wonderful and talented students one could hope for!

Our new method for making component canes was just developed......we'll premiere it again during our pre-conference workshop in September (Components, Canes and Castings - Tues and Wed, Sept 9th and 10th - more information to come shortly). Dan also taught us some new tricks with the glory hole that we'll share.

judith

Sounds like a great class, you guys. I want to take one for a change. It'll be yours or one of Bob's. and I'd like to join Lani in her appraisal of your studio. From what we've seen, it is by far the best equipped, best staffed, and best run private teaching studio in North America. Way to go.

Brock

Brock wrote:Sounds like a great class, you guys. I want to take one for a change. It'll be yours or one of Bob's. and I'd like to join Lani in her appraisal of your studio. From what we've seen, it is by far the best equipped, best staffed, and best run private teaching studio in North America. Way to go.

Brock

Thanks, Brock,
And you've certainly spent enough time at Vitrum to know! We had so much fun with the "Components, Canes and Castings" workshop that we decided to offer it as a pre-conference course for WGW - maybe you should come and play!

judith