We were delighted to welcome Carrie Fertig to North Lands to lead a Glass Skills Class in Sculptural Flameworking.
Also known as lampworking , flameworking is the manipulation of glass rods and tubes. The heat from the flame of a gas torch enables one to add and subtract solid glass, and blow hollow glass, all with minute detail. Hand torch use was also taught to enable the building of large-scale sculpture.
The class ran over five days with intensive tuition focusing on techniques but in the context of more conceptual approaches.
” whilst this was…a techniques class, the skills learned have broadened the aesthetic vocabulary of the students.” Carrie Fertig
Participants had this to say about the class:
“worth every penny. Great to learn so much in such a short space of time. Great teacher…”
“Carrie has a really positive attitude…it’s really encouraging”
“I have gained confidence in my ability to work independently”
You can see more images from the class in our Flickr set
We asked Carrie what appeals to her about North Lands…
“From my experience as artist in residence in 2007, to teaching, to making my largest pieces up here, each trip to North Lands has a profoundly positive effect on my work. I know that I am hardly alone in this observation, so why is this? The people at North Lands, from the amazingly helpful staff, to the artists who come here to teach, be students, or assist, to the local inhabitants, form a community that seems to urge one on in new paths of creativity. The history and stunning but bleak beauty of the area inspire aesthetically and in some deeper internal place to foment work that bursts forth in the now, but also develops over years. Mix this with an innervating studio and you get a heady environment of possibility and creative juicyness, unlike any other. I come for the current project to hand. But I always leave with something far greater than its completion.”
More about Carrie:
Carrie’s work explores connection and disconnection within sculpture, installation and performance. In 2010 she founded a flameworking performance group called Torcher Chamber Arkestra. Comprised of an international team of flameworkers from neon, bead, and sculptural backgrounds, they use glass, fire, dance, music, and pyrotechnics to bring flameworking to a wider audience in innovative, exciting performances involving the audience in new methods of engagement. The next performance is August 25th at the International Festival of Glass at the Ruskin Glass Centre in Stourbridge, England. Carrie is Chair of the Scottish Glass Society. www.carriefertig.com
Look out for other Glass Skills Classes on our website
www.northlandsglass.com
North Lands Creative Glass 