Glass
Ref: S3D10690
Suitable for all
£502You will explore using resists and sandblasting. On the first evening you will prepare the glass for the drop out vessel, creating layers of glass with a striped pattern, made out of fine rods of coloured glass. You will also make a square striped coaster and these will be fired overnight. The glass will be dammed by kilnprops and fibre paper to retain it’s thickness.
While the thick slabs of glass are cooling down we explore cutting pre fired thick coloured glass with an electric tile cutter making pattern bars to form several thick squares that will be dammed and fired overnight. You will also experiment with cutting and making patterns of the striped coaster that will be dammed and fired. You will then start exploring the sandblasting.
On the second day we take the samples out of the kiln, to be ground and sandblasted. You will explore more sandblasting techniques by using a vinyl resist and using painted on woodglue as a resist. You sandblast on samples of mirror to create interesting reflections. In the afternoon, we prepare the kiln for the drop out firing for the bell shaped vases.
On the last day we witness the drop out firing timed for 9-10am to reach the desired temperature to allow the glass to drop through the ring mould. The kiln will be crash cooled when the right shape of the drop out has been achieved.
Before you go home, you can admire your striped drop out vessel and we can discuss the glass made. The vase has to cool a bit further before the tutor removes them from the kiln to take to her studio to finish off before posting back to you direct.
Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above
Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.
6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).
8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.
Daily timetable
Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.
From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).
Evening working - students may have access to workshops, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.
Last day
Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.
Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.
(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)
Please note: If more than one piece is made you will pay the tutor directly for the extra coldworking and postage. (£15 each vase and £10 postage pp).
Aline Johnson works from her London studio at Cockpit Arts. After a career in fashion she trained as a postgraduate student at Central St Martin's in glass. She works mostly on glass lighting commissions in collaboration with architects and interior designer. She sells her work though craft shows and started teaching at West Dean in summer 2015.
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.