01/9-11 Mother Nature's Masterpiece: The Cattleya Orchid, with Craig Mitchell Smith

January 9-11, 2024. 10am-5pm daily.

During this 3-day class, Craig Mitchell Smith will teach the tips and techniques to master two of his newest Cattleya orchids. 

Craig will share his process to cut and create these beautiful blossoms. Students will learn his texturing techniques through the making of Craig’s texture boards and unique texturing skills. They will also create custom silk screens and learn how to powder print from them. Students will learn a unique process for creation of the orchid center known as the lip, using diamond saw carving. There will be creative slumping of the flower and sandblasting for a special finish. Finally, students will be shown how to drill and assemble their orchid on a custom stainless stand provided by Craig Mitchell Smith. Many presentation options will be discussed.

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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