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Summer Camp, Anyone? Glass Camp, That Is !!!

Pilchuck, Corning, Istanbul! Summer is the time when kids head to summer camp and glass-aholics dream of studying with “rock star” glass artists in exotic places. The catalogs are out and the websites are ready to tempt you. For your consideration....

Pilchuck Glass School - Washington
It has become the largest, most comprehensive educational center in the world for artists working in glass. Its artistic and educational programs take place on a serene fifty four acre wooded campus fifty miles north of Seattle, WA. NCAGG member Nina Falk took one of their summer sessions in 2006. She says: “Attending the Pilchuck Glass School was definitely the highlight of my summer. Unlike Penland and Haystack, everyone is doing glass, intensely. Apparently each session has its own character; mine was very mellow, and I understand the one that followed was more dynamic. We were welcome to move freely between different classes, and incorporate different techniques into our projects. Pilchuck is situated on a tree farm with an amazing view of the water....it's a little paradise, and I recommend it to all glass artists.”

Penland School of Craft - North Carolina
It is a national center for craft education located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Penland has grown to encompass about 400 acres and 41 structures. Over 1,200 people come each year seeking instruction in ten craft media. The school offers one and two-week classes in the summer. Students are chosen for classes by lottery. Our own Liz Mears studied at Penland when she began flameworking and returned to teach there as well as at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, Arrowmont, The Art League in Alexandria and at New Dynasty in Virginia.

Pittsburgh Glass Center - Pennsylvania
The first open and comprehensive glass art studio and gallery in Southwestern Pennsylvania, is a non-profit organization, dedicated to teaching, creating and promoting glass art. PGC invites you to explore their 16,000+ square foot facility housing state of the art studios in hot glass, flameworking, coldworking, casting and kilnworking! The Pittsburgh Glass Center was the leading host organization for the 2007 Glass Art Society Conference.

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts - Maine
The school in Deer Isle, ME offers intensive studio based workshops in a variety of craft media including clay, glass, metals, paper, blacksmithing, weaving, woodworking and more. Programs range from short workshops to three-week sessions and anyone may participate, from beginners to advanced professionals.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts - Tenessee
It is a nationally renowned center of contemporary arts and crafts education. Workshops are offered for one and two weeks in the spring and summer, and one-week and weekends in the fall. Areas of study include: ceramics, fibers, metals/jewelry, painting, drawing, photography, warm glass, woodturning, woodworking, sculpture, and book and paper arts. The public is welcome year-round to visit the school’s five galleries, resource center, and bookstore and supply store. Artist residencies, assistantships, work-study, scholarships, community outreach, conferences, and music programs contribute to Arrowmont’s mission of “enriching lives through art.”

Our guild’s experience with Arrowmont has blossomed in the last few years. Several of our members have taught at Arrowmont including Tony Glander, Kari Minnick, Liz Mears and Liz Braun. A number of our members enjoyed Brad Walker’s Warm Glass Weekend conference that was held at Arrowmont in fall of 2006. NCAGG member Jerre Davidson writes: “I was very fortunate to get to go to both Corning and Arrowmont in 2007. My experience at Arrowmont was also very enjoyable. I was there for the Warm Glass Weekend. I did not manage to attend any of the pre- or post-conference workshops, but enjoyed the company of so many glass fanatics and the conference presentations very much. The food was excellent and there was lots of it. The accommodation was a little Spartan and if you ever go I would recommend taking your own towels! The surrounding countryside in both Gatlinburg and Corning is beautiful and breathtaking.”

The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass - New York
This is an internationally renowned teaching facility that also offers various residency and scholarship programs. Instructors from the US and abroad teach at The Studio, sharing their insight and wisdom. Students at The Studio range in experience from beginning to advanced, fueled by their passion and desire to create. Classes at The Studio are held throughout the year. Spring and fall classes typically include ten-week sessions that meet once per week, weekend sessions, and one-day sessions. Summer and winter classes are generally one week or two weeks in length.

North Lands Creative Glass - Scotland
It is situated in Lybster, a small fishing village on the North East Coast of Scotland. North Lands is open both to glass artists and to painters, sculptors, architects and designers wishing to explore the technical and artistic potential of glass either on its own or in combination with other materials. Through its program of summer master classes, its annual conference and its residencies, North Lands aims to stimulate a lively exchange of ideas whilst also allowing time for reflection and action in a professional environment. North Lands was born in the nineties out of a need to create a center of excellence to stimulate the growing interest in the possibilities of glass as an art form. Our own Judy Conway has taught there and Dave Studley enjoyed taking classes there.

The Glass Furnace - Turkey
It offers classes in Instabul taught by international masters including many glass artists from the US. The director of the school visited our guild while he was representing Turkey in the Smithsonian’s Silk Road Folklife Festival in 2002. NCAGG Member Nina Falk has a first hand report from her visit to the school although she has not yet studied there. She writes: “Last February, my husband Steve and I went to Istanbul. It was amazing to see the Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi, and walk around this great city in the snow, but I was also determined to see the Istanbul glass school, called The Glass Furnace. All the literature says that it is in Istanbul, so I expected that it would be easy to reach through public transportation or a quick taxi ride. But in fact, you need to ride the boat bus to the end of the line (a good way to see the city) and THEN take a taxi for almost an hour! We didn't have a lot of time when we finally reached the school, because we needed to get the last boat back to town, but it was worth every minute. The school is located outside a small village, in a beautiful peaceful country setting, with completely modern facilities --- studios, gallery, dorms, swimming pool. Classes are held during the whole summer for multiple sessions, and teachers and students come from all over the world. Everyone was very friendly and the fees are much lower than elsewhere, so even with the transportation costs it is no more than you would pay elsewhere. I hope to return someday.”

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