Glassblowing and glass casting workshops

Week-end glassblowing and glass-casting workshops will be offered  at the hot glass studio of Don Gonzalez this spring.  The studio is located in the backwoods of Lambertville.  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 further about this option.  The schedule for this seasons glassblowing workshops:

April 10-11, 17-18, 24-25; May 1-2

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 mid-April through May.

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.  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 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30

Call 908-996-6664 or email Gonzalez_6007@msn.com to reserve space or to talk about a customized session.