01/5-7 Blown Away with Craig Mitchell Smith

January 5-7, 2024. 10am-5pm on January 5 and January 6.  10am-1pm on January 7. 

During this two and a half-day class, renowned glass artist Craig Mitchell Smith will share the exciting new techniques he has recently developed.  Students will learn how to make a watertight vessel without all of the cold working of a drop out.  His new way of forming glass allows for the making of shapes (the blank), many thought never before possible in kiln formed glass.  These techniques are a real game changer!

Craig will explain the endless possibilities of creating a flat shape with an eye toward three-dimensional shaping. Then, get ready to learn a new way to form glass. Students will make the custom mold for the blank and set it up for forming. Discover an innovative firing program. Finally, Craig will talk about finishing the blanks and students will pick up their pieces before leaving for home.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

As a self-taught artist, my curiosity and creativity have taken me in many directions over the years. I am a painter; I have done interior and garden design throughout the U.S., set design for local theaters and floral design. I have also designed weddings throughout the U.S. and in England. In late 2005, I found glass. I started with making glass jewelry, but soon felt limited by the size and dimension. I moved quickly to glass sculpture because I liked the freedom of expression and scale. For me, the transparency of glass is a metaphor for memory. Even though the glass sculpture or design stays the same, if you move around the piece, or change the direction of the light or its intensity, you can change the memory. My designs often include the interplay of glass, light and water and range from garden sculptures to sculptural drawings, to portraits in glass, to wall hangings. 

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