Amazing class with Laura Donefer
Feb 15-17, 2008
To reward myself for all of the hard work put in during January, I decided to take a furnace glassblowing workshop with Laura Donefer . I was first exposed to her work when I saw her speak at a GAS conference back in 2004, and I've wanted to learn from her since. Laura is an incredible teacher- generous, patient, playful, open, and very aware of her own creative process. She talks as much about creativity/ process as she does about technique, and I learned so much about both from her.
Each day started with Laura leading work on an involved piece. We first worked on adding clear bits and using a myriad of tools to impart texture on pieces, then moved into adding colored bits, and then learned about coiled, solid construction... Here's Debra helping Laura get the first few coils started on a basket piece... after a flurry of activity with all of us running around with dripping punties, here's what it looked like:
Laura helping me with my first piece of the weekendLaura helping me with my first piece of the weekend
Debra and Lauracoiled basket
Dan working on his paperweight
Dan working on a paperweight
Laura and Mary
Mary's first go with a hand torch and cane
Laura and Erika trailing on a vessel
Laura and Erika trailing glass on Erika's fabulous vessel. This piece was really fun to watch come together- it has lots of texture, fabulous color, just lovely...
One nice thing about team furnace work is the moment of celebration when a piece goes into the annealer!
Celebrating
Ted picking up latticino from hot plate
Here's Dan picking up latticino pieces from a hot plate. This piece is huge, solid, and very colorful. Dan did a great job!
Another bonus to the weekend was Debra May . She's a Tucson glassblower and a friend of Laura, and generously helped out all weekend. She, like Laura, is a fantastic teacher and amazing artist, and I'm very thankful for her guidance. Here Debra is blowing into a little bowl I made.
Debra helping me
me likey hand torch
It should come as no surprise that I absolutely love love love using a hand torch to add detail with glass cane to furnace worked pieces... I just have to remember not to get carried away and forget to keep the piece nicely heated!
working on a jack line at the bench
blue bowl headed into the annealer
Finishing up my blue bowl...
Fred and Olivia working on a paperweight
This is Olivia, who is the 7 year old daughter of Debra and Fred (pictured). She knows glass well already, and is just a super-cool kid. I had so much fun watching her create this paperweight...
yes, we do
Yes, yes we do. (you can get these shirts at Winship )
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