Event: SGM Glass Academy featuring Richard Jolley

This past school vacation week the Sandwich Glass Museum hosted three exciting days of youth and adult glass experience classes led by world renowned artist Richard Jolley, who visited us from Tennessee in the inaugural run of a newly launched annual program we're calling the School Vacation Glass Academy.

Over thirty children from third grade through high school were able to work directly with Jolley as he guided the classes through the creation of glass art pieces inspired by their individual drawings.

During the classes, the students learned how to use traditional glass blowing tools, and got a glimpse into the science behind this time honored medium.

Day 1 was for kids aged 6-10. Each of the two 2-hour events started in the newly opened Discover GlassRoom, where Richard led a discussion of how to take a design and turn it into glass art.

Then it was off to the Hot Shop to get making some glass art! From picking up frit...

...to blowing into the blowpipe, the kids did it all!

Seeing an amorphous blob transformed into art certainly was an eye-opening experience!

Day 2 was for kids aged 11-14. This event was every popular, with twice as many signups - we had 20 kids that day, which presented some unforeseen logistical challenges, as our hot shop area is quite small. But Richard adapted and everyone had a wonderful time. 

As with the day before, the event started in the Discover GlassRoom with a design discussion. The group then moved to the hot shop and started to create their art!

And on Day 3 Richard offered the same experience to two Museum affiliates, much to their delight. Adult students  were treated to a deep dive into the science of glass color formula and were able to create blown vessels with complex patterns. The wonder and excitement in our hot glass studio was palpable, and we are sure more than one budding artist was inspired to work with hot glass!

We are so honored to have hosted classes offered by such an illustrious artist. 

This was the first session in our annual visiting artist workshop series - stay tuned for more!