Fall Glassblowing Workshops

You’ve heard about it, watched it being done, now you can try it!  Glassblowing can be done by people of all ages and skill levels.  Firebrand Glass is offering glassblowing weekend workshops this fall. Only two weekends are being offered, September 25/26^th and October 23/24^th, at an affordable $250, which includes two days of instruction, all materials, tools, and glass art you create and keep.  Book early and guarantee a place in one of Canada’s premier glassblowing studios.

Each intensive class will utilize one-on-one instruction to guide participants of all skill levels, beginner to experienced, in a fun, step-by-step approach to the fascinating process of blowing glass.  You’ll not only create beautiful, blown glass artwork to keep but will take away the memory of a unique and meaningful experience.  Register as an individual or book a one-of-a-kind weekend vacation as a family or corporate teambuilding workshop – we’ll customize a weekend just for you!

In order to keep the participant/instructor ratio quality highest, class size is limited to eight per class.  Classes are booked on a first come first serve basis.  To register or for more information, please contact us atJulia@firebrandglass.ca or phone 403-933-2264.

A Successful Show

Our recent exhibitions in Montreal were a huge success. The work featured in our exhibitions Frontier and Patient/Attente really shone in the spaces of Art Mur, a gallery that is considered Montreal’s premier contemporary art gallery. The exhibitions drew in many visitors including several museum curators, José Niaison from the Canada Council for the Arts and several art collectors purchased our pieces. The opening was a fun event packed with international glass conference participants, family and friends. After all the work that went in preparing for the exhibits we felt proud of the work we created, thrilled at how amazing it looked in the gallery spaces and happy to share that moment with our friends and family.

Good times at Montreal Glass Conference

I think it is safe to say that all who attended the Glass Art Association of Canada’s glass conference in Montreal had a good time. Prior to the conference Tyler taught a glass blowing workshop at Espace Verre, an institution dedicated to glass art education in Montreal. The workshop was full with participants who traveled from far and wide to attend Tyler’s course that focused on design development and vessel form. At the end of the course, the participants were challenging themselves, pushing their skill level and working collaboratively to create their own designs.

During the conference Tyler did a demonstration of an elaborate piece that was a group effort that included Tyler and I as well as our studio assistants (both past and present). It was a challenging endevour to assemble such a complex piece but the collective talents of the group made it an exhilarating experience.

Solo shows in the City of Glass

This spring Tyler and Julia are each presenting solo exhibitions featured at Art Mur, Montreal’s largest contemporary art gallery, from May 1 - June 19th as part of the city of Montreal’s designated,”Year of Glass”and the Glass Art Association of Canada’s conference.

Tyler’s solo exhibition titled, “Frontier” combines sculpture and new media with glasswork, to create pieces that describe a location and that engage the fertile ground between the divergent perceptions of history. In this particular exhibition, Tyler alludes to a small bluff of trees below Minichinis Hill in Saskatchewan. It was here that Almighty Voice took his last stand on June 19th, 1897, a final act of what some call the last insurgent uprising of the Riel Rebellion.

In this most recent body of work featured in her exhibition titled, “Patient/Attente”, Julia endeavors to show the contrast of human desires to control nature through machines and the indomitable and patient force of nature to reclaim and heal itself. She uses glass and mixed media to examine the transformation of our landscape, the tension inherent in this relationship and the beauty that exists despite it.

These photos are of the exhibits installed at Art Mur, please view the catalogue of the shows in the events section of our website.

Tyler Rock at Harbourfront

Tyler has been invited as part of the prestigous “Innovators & Ideas” series at Harbourfront Centre to instruct a two day master class on  March 27 & 28th. His  work will be featured  in the exhibition, ” Slanguage” that runs from March 27 - June 20th . Tyler will also present a lecture on his work and the exhibition titled, “Iterations” on Saturday March 27th. For more information go to:

http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/learn/craftdepartment/innovators.cfm

Spring Glassblowing Workshop

This intensive class  will teach beginner students and those with some prior experience a step-by-step approach to the fascinating process of blowing glass. The focus of the course will be one on one instruction to help students create their own glass pieces. Cost  for the weekend course is $250.00 including all supplies.

Class size is limited to eight places per class and will be booked on a first come first serve basis. This class will be the final course we are offering until the fall of 2010. To register or if you would like more information. Please contact us at julia@firebrandglass.ca or 933-2264.

Firebrand Glass at the Olympics!

Julia’s piece “Watergauge” has received the honour of being included in a prestigious exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver for the Cultural Olympiad, Vancouver 2010.The exhibit titled, “Art of Craft” feature pieces that were selected by curator Sandra Alfody from the 2009 Cheongju International Craft Biennale.  The exhibit runs January 14 - April 11, 2010 and for those of you who are unable to attend this landmark exhibit of Canadian craft a catalog has been produced and is available from the Alberta Craft Council http://www.albertacraft.ab.ca/

Firebrand Glass Christmas Open House

Firebrand Glass would like to welcome families and glass enthusiasts to our annual Christmas open house. This event is open to those who would like to learn more about the process of glass blowing and view our new glass creations. There will be demonstrations and hand blown glass for sale from 11am to 5pm on December 5th, 2009. More information can be found on our website www.firebrandglass.ca or contact us at julia@firebrandglass.ca

Tyler wins award for Excellence in Craft!

We have some great news we would like to share with you.

Last Saturday, October 17, 2009 at a ceremony for the 5^th annual Alberta Craft Awards, Tyler received the AWARD OF EXCELLENCE. This award honours an established craftsperson who excels in his/her area of craft. This award recognizes Tyler as an artist of international repute who has underpinned the development of contemporary glass in Canada through his role as an artist and teacher.

The Alberta Craft Council created these awards to recognize the value and contribution of individuals to Alberta’s fine craft culture.

Rozsa Arts Management Award

Tyler and I have been involved in creating the awards for the Rozsa Arts Management Awards since the award’s inception. We love making the awards because they celebrate the arts, the ceremony is so well organized and collaborative, as well, the Rozsa family are great people to work for. When we asked them what they would like us to make this year , they replied, “just do what you do”. This is is what every artist hopes for when it comes to commissions. This year the award held special meaning for us as the recipient was Tom McFall, the executive director for the Alberta Crafts Council. As members of the ACC we were thrilled to celebrate with Tom the honour and recognition of the award. We were just so proud to take part in making an award that will impact all of Alberta’s craft community. Way to go Tom and the board and staff of the Alberta Crafts Council!

I have attached some images of the award ceremony as well as the making of the award with our studio assistant Alana Biffert. At one point while we were making the award we joked, “How many glass artists does it take to assemble an award?” Since there were three of us holding onto wings, sphere, rose and base while we putting it together.