Bigger Expo attracts bigger crowds

Around 4,500 people attended the 2019 Festival of Glass Expo at Christian College in Collins Street, Drysdale on Sunday 17 February.

Fifty artists and businesses showcased a wide range of glass art and Expo visitors could try their hand at creating jewellery, mosaics and leadlighting, in between watching the presentation of the Glass Art Awards and the draw for the Festival’s Treasure Hunt prizes of specially commissioned glass art.

Continuous demonstrations by the Festival’s three Artists in Residence - Karina Guevin and Cedric Ginart from Montreal and Davide Penso from Murano - drew big audiences. Some young spectators were invited onstage to receive their first lesson in glass blowing, to everyone's delight!

In the week before the Expo, Karina Guevin and Cedric Ginart ran their three-day workshop on using borosilicate glass "More is Better" (a Festival first) and over the ten days following the Expo, Davide Penso will run classes for beginning and experienced glass artists.

Rounding off the 2019 Festival in march will be a series of workshops by Bellarine glass artists. Topics will  include fused window hangings (David Hobday), bead weaving (Janet Jenkin) and glass mosaics (Diane Schofield), as well as glass enamelling and even glass garden art! Full details are on the Festival web site.

International artists blow glass, draw crowds

Internationally renowned glass artists Davide Penso, Karina Guevin and Cèdric Ginart captivated a 90-strong audience at “Twilight Flames”, an evening of spectacular glass blowing and sculpting on Saturday 16 February at The Range, Curlewis.

Davide Penso holds his glass seaweed

As the audience watched the artists melt, pull, shape and cut molten glass into fantastic creations, they enjoyed finger food and drinks from The Range, while door prizes of wine donated by Leura Park Estate added to the evening’s excitement.

Davide Penso is from Murano, Italy and was Artist in residence at the 2017 Festival; Karina Guevin and Cedric Ginart, from Montreal, Canada are visiting Australia for the first time.

Karina Guevin & Cedric Ginart

“Twilight Flames” is a highlight of the Drysdale-based Festival of Glass, which is held each year at venues across the North Bellarine. “At ‘Twilight Flames’, people can meet world class glass artists and watch them create unique glass art”, said Festival convenor Doug Carson. “We hope that it inspires our local artists to stretch their imaginations, just as they stretch their glass.”

Montreal comes to Drysdale

Glass artists Karina Guevin and Cèdric Ginart from Montreal are Artists in Residence at the 2019 Festival of Glass and their presence has added a distinct flavour to the events.

Karina and Cèdric are world renowned for their remarkable creativity, skill and - yes - humour in blowing and sculpting glass, especially their extraordinary hand-made glass goblets. This is their first visit to Australia and before they started work, they explored some of Victoria's surf beaches.

Karina creates a rabbit

Between Wednesday 13 and Friday 15 February, their “More is better” workshop at Drysdale’s Café Zoo introduced people to the techniques and skills required to work with borosilicate glass and their demonstrations showed just what is possible with imagination and ambition!

Cèdric creates a goblet

On Saturday 16 February, Karina and Cèdric joined Murano glass master Davide Penso - the Festival's other Artists in Residence - in “Twilight Flames”, a spectacular evening of glass blowing and sculpting that attracted ninety people to The Range, Curlewis.

The two artists finished their stay on Monday 18 January at 5.30 with “Torch and Talk” – an evening of demonstrations and conversations at Drysdale’s Café Zoo.

A Guevin-Ginart goblet

Black horse leads the field

On Sunday 10 February, the sounds of clinking bottles and gasps of surprise came from the fourth annual Historic Bottle Evaluation at Drysdale’s old courthouse.

David Bruce

The Bellarine Historical Society and ABCR Auctions had invited people to bring in any old bottles for experienced glass valuers David Bruce and Travis Dunne to appraise and value. This free event was part of the 2019 Festival of Glass and attracted around fifty hopeful locals.

David Bruce said, “We always look forward to this event, because in the past, people have brought in some real treasures. This year's standout item was a Black Horse Ale bottle, produced around 1860 by the Kent Brewery in Sydney and today worth between $600 - $700."

Black Horse Ale bottle

Bone china meets blown glass at a High Tea

Forty five discerning guests enjoyed the delights of a High Tea at Café Zoo in Drysdale on Monday 7 January, while watching local glass artist Glenda MacNaughton blowing and sculpting glass.

Happy faces at one of the High Tea tables

The occasion was the launch of the 2019 Festival of Glass Treasure Hunt, which has over a hundred pieces of locally-made glass art as prizes and involves thirty three businesses in Curlewis, Drysdale, Clifton Springs and Portarlington.

Treasure Hunt organiser Diane Schofield said, “Everywhere I looked, people were tucking-in to the yummy food, watching Glenda blowing glass or talking about what she was doing. The ten door prizes of glass bookmarks and decorations were especially popular!”

This is the Festival’s third annual Treasure Hunt and the launch was booked out two weeks in advance. Café Zoo owner Marc Rodway said, “We were very pleased that the High Tea was so popular. It was a great way to start this year’s Festival of Glass Treasure Hunt.”

The Treasure Hunt is the first event on the 2019 Festival of Glass calendar, which also includes an Expo with 45 exhibitors, the annual Glass Art Awards and demonstrations and classes by renowned glass artists Davide Penso (from Murano, Italy) and Karina Guevin and Cédric Ginart (both from Montreal, Canada).

Treasure Hunt on High Tea menu

A High Tea at Café Zoo in Drysdale on Monday 7 January will launch the 2019 Festival of Glass Treasure Hunt.

"Owl" Marina Villani (Birds of the Bellarine)

 

High Tea guests can watch local glass artist Glenda MacNaughton blowing and sculpting glass and browse the “Birds of the Bellarine” glass art exhibition that runs until March.

The High Tea was booked out two weeks in advance and, not surprisingly, owner Marc Rodway is delighted. “It will be a great start to this year’s Festival of Glass and to its Treasure Hunt”, he said.

Thirty three businesses in Curlewis, Drysdale, Clifton Springs and Portarlington are involved in the Treasure Hunt, which has over a hundred prizes of locally-made glass art.

Treasure Hunt organiser Diane Schofield said, “New businesses join the Treasure Hunt each year, generally because they’ve heard good reports from other businesses who’ve been involved”.

2019 Festival biggest yet

The Treasure Hunt is the first event on the 2019 Festival of Glass calendar, which also includes an Expo with 45 exhibitors, the annual Glass Art Awards and demonstrations and classes by renowned glass artists Davide Penso (from Murano, Italy) and Karina Guevin and Cédric Ginart (both from Montreal, Canada).

“The Festival’s visiting artists have international reputations for excellence”, said Festival coordinator Doug Carson. “Their classes enable glass artists in Australia to develop their abilities without travelling overseas and their spectacular public demonstrations introduce audiences to the beauty and skill of glass art.”

"Glass Inspirations" in Drysdale

Monday 3^rd December 2018 saw the opening of Glass Inspirations – an exhibition of glass art at Drysdale’s Café Zoo.

Glenda MacNaughton "Cockatoo Woman"

Local glass artists have created large and small pieces of glass art jewellery and sculptures for Glass Inspirations, around the theme “Birds of the Bellarine Peninsula”. Each piece will be unique and hand-crafted on the Peninsula, making them ideal gifts.

Visitors to Glass Inspirations can admire the glass art, identify the birds and, perhaps, buy one of these delightful pieces. If the pressure of having to choose gets too much, Café Zoo can always supply a restorative snack!

 “Glass Inspirations gives people just a hint of what they’ll see

Marina Villani "Pelican in flight"

during the three months of the 2019 Festival”, said Festival convenor Doug Carson. “Then in January, the start of our annual Treasure Hunt will see treasure hunters young and old searching businesses across the North Bellarine for glass ‘tiny treasures’.”

Glass Inspirations will run from Monday Dec 3rd to Monday February 11th 2019, between 9.00am and 5.00pm at Café Zoo, 23 High St, Drysdale.

‘Tiny Treasures' for Treasure Hunt businesses

Each business in the Festival’s 2019 Treasure Hunt is preparing to place its glass ‘Tiny Treasure’ – a small glass figurine for Treasure Hunters to find.

More than 30 businesses across the North Bellarine – from Curlewis to Portarlington – are taking part in the Treasure Hunt and each one has commissioned a ‘Tiny Treasure’ from a local glass artist.

The Tiny treasures will be delivered well in time for the official launch of the 2019 Treasure Hunt on 7^th January 2019, with a “High Tea” at Café Zoo (23 High Street, Drysdale).

Where's this 'Tiny Treasure"?

Even before the launch, eager Treasure Hunters can see what they’ll be looking for, because the ‘Tiny Treasures’ are on the Festival web site: www.festivalofglass.net.au

The web site also includes an interactive map giving information about each participating business.

... and this poor bandaged soul?

When a Treasure Hunter finds a ‘Tiny Treasure’, the business stamps their entry form. (Each business will have blank forms.); and every ten stamps earns the Treasure Hunter a place in the Treasure Hunt draw at the Festival Expo (Sunday 17^th February), with specially commissioned pieces of glass art as prizes.

Many businesses have found it so enjoyable to be part of previous Treasure Hunts that they were happy to sign up for the 2019 event.

In 2019, you won’t miss the Treasure Hunt – it will be advertised in all the local papers and on roadside signs; and each participating business will have a poster in its window.

Meet our Canadian visitors

Cédric Ginart and Karina Guevin will join Davide Penso, a glass master and jewellery designer from Murano, Italy as Artists in Residence at the 2019 Festival of Glass.

Cédric Ginart

Karina and Cédric are renowned glass artists from Montreal, Canada. Cédric is a scientific glass blower and a glass artist. In both capacities, he has worked with scientists, artists, industrialists, designers and architects. At present, he works as a scientific glassblower at Montreal University, while also pursuing his career as an internationally renowned glass artist and teacher. 

Karina Guevin is a sculptor and a glass artist, renowned for her technical and aesthetic innovation in glass. She teaches flame working at many international schools and her glass sculptures and jewellery has been exhibited throughout Canada, as well as in the United States, France, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Karina Guevin

What a team!

Karina and Cédric often teach flamework together at international schools. Cédric has the quiet concentration you might expect of a scientific glassblower, while Karina has a riotous sense of humour and delights in small animals! Put the two together and the results are spectacular! Their modern-day versions of traditional Venetian-style goblets must be seen to be believed and, of course, you can do just that at the 2019 Festival of Glass.

A Guevin/Ginart goblet

You can see Karina and Cédric at work by joining their workshop, More is Better: sculpting, fusing and assembling borosilicate glass, from 13^th – 15^th February at Drysdale’s Cafe Zoo.

You can also sign up for their evening demonstration, Torch and Talk; blowing and sculpting a glass goblet on Monday 18^th February from 5.30pm – 7.39pm.

More information about each event is on the Festival web site (www.festivalofglass.net.au).

For more information about Karina and Cédric, visit their web sites:

* Cédric Ginart: https://www.cedricginart.com

* Karina Guevin: https://www.karinaguevin.com

This will be their first time teaching in Australia and the Festival is delighted to welcome them and host their visit.

Artists in Residence

The Festival started to feature an Artist in Residence four years ago in 2015, when Mark Eliott filled the bill. Since then, we’ve hosted Mark Eliott and Peter Minson in 2016, Davide Penso (Murano) in 2017 and Mauro Vianello (Venice) in 2018.

2019 Festival - not one but three Artists in Residence!

In a Festival first, the 2019 Festival of Glass will feature not one but three international Artists in Residence.

Davide at work in Murano

Firstly, Murano glass master Davide Penso makes a welcome return to the Festival of Glass. Davide was our international Artist in Residence in 2016 and was a great hit with the general public who attended his demonstrations and with the people attending his three workshops.

Davide is internationally renowned as a master of flamework, but also as a jewellery designer and creator. He will demonstrate his skills as a flameworker at "Twilight Flames" and at the Festival Expo; and he will give personalised guidance to students at "The Jewellery Lab" - four days of intense experimentation and creativity.

The sub-title of this unique event is "From wondering to wearing", because at "The Jewellery Lab", students can turn their jewellery ideas into finished pieces and then show them off at a gala "Glitz and Glam" evening.

Karina and Cédric at work in Montreal

Our second and third Artists in Residence will be Cédric Ginart and Karina Guevin, from Montreal, Canada. Cedric is a scientific glass blower and glass artist, who has worked with scientists, artists, industrialists, designers and architects; Karina Guevin is a sculptor and a glass artist, renowned for her technical and aesthetic innovation.

Karina and Cédric will join Davide Penso at "Twilight Flames"; at "Torch and Talk" they will create their own flamboyant versions of extraordinary  Venetian glass goblets; and at their "More is Better" workshop, they'll show you how to do it!

Twilight Flames: The Range at Curlewis. 16 February at 6.30pm. Tickets: http://www.festivalofglass.net.au

The Jewellery Lab:  Zoo cafe, Drysdale High Street. 21 – 24 February.

Registration and information: http://www.festivalofglass.net.au

Torch and Talk:  Zoo cafe, Drysdale High Street

 More is Better:  Zoo cafe, Drysdale High Street. 13 – 15 February. 9.00am – 5.00pm.

A glass mural to brighten Drysdale's arcade

The Festival of Glass committee is creating a glass mural to brighten the shopping arcade in Drysdale High Street.

"Before"

The arcade was painted a deep brown, making it a dark and uninviting place to visit or even to walk through. The Festival committee felt that the arcade could be improved by repainting it in a lighter colour, then installing a glass mural to make it a unique site of interest.

Business owners in the arcade were enthusiastic about the proposal, as were the arcade’s owners, so painting started in July. Festival committee members were joined by DCSCA committee members and by some Festival Friends (were you there?!) and after two coats of paint, the arcade looks better and brighter already – even before the mural!

"After"

Passers-by made lots of very positive comments to the painting team, who explained that the project is a Festival of Glass initiative and promoted the Festival shamelessly!

The Festival committee is now considering possible designs for a series of murals to decorate the arcade walls. Each mosaic will be created on a board, which will then be fixed to the wall.

The arcade project is the second mosaic in Drysdale initiated by the Festival of Glass. In October 2016, we unveiled the ceramic and glass “Welcome to Drysdale” mural overlooking the town’s ‘village green’. The mural was created in collaboration with Wathaurong Glass, Bellarine Secondary College and the Rotary Club of Drysdale.

2019 Artist in Residence programme announced

Davide Penso, an internationally renowned glass master and jewellery designer from Murano, Venice will return as an Artist in Residence to the 2019 Festival of Glass.

Davide will teach and demonstrate glass sculpting and blowing, using traditional and modern Venetian techniques at Festival workshops and at a number of public events. He was the Festival’s Artist in Residence in 2017, when he received very good reviews from his workshops and a lot of applause from his demonstrations.

Experiments at the Jewellery Lab

A highlight of Davide’s time at the 2019 Festival of Glass will be a 4-day masterclass – Glass Jewellery Lab: from wondering to wearing. This will be a unique event and Davide and the Festival of Glass committee are looking forward to it with great excitement and high hopes.

As its name implies, the emphasis at the Jewellery Lab will be on experiments! (BYO white lab coat!) Participants can test, try and perfect fresh, new jewellery ideas under Davide’s individualised expert assistance and guidance.

Even seasoned workshop goers are unlikely to have attended an event like the Jewellery Lab. The learning will be intense as each day, people swap and share ideas with each other and with Davide. The excitement will mount as participants’ creativity starts to bear fruit.

What can you do at the Jewellery Lab?

As a participant in the Jewellery Lab, you can let your imagination run wild and turn the results into wearable pieces:

·      Experiment with an exciting menu of glass jewellery components and materials – from the familiar to the extraordinary!

·      Test a range of glass jewellery techniques, including bead making on mandrels, blown beads, cold working, embroidery, engraving, flame work, fusing, grinding, head pins, sculpting off-mandrel, slumping and stringing.

·      Create jewellery that’s perfect for you or for gifts – because you designed it and created it!

·      Learn how to enter public exhibitions, increase your success in competitions and turn your jewellery hobby into a business.

 

The climax of the four days will be the “Glitz and Glam” gala evening on Sunday 24 February 2019, where the products of four days of creativity will be arrayed, displayed and applauded. “Glitz and Glam” will be a unique evening of fashion, flamboyance and flounces, where Jewellery Lab participants will display their finished pieces, delighting the assembled friends, family and admiring onlookers!

Glass Jewellery Lab: from wondering to wearing. Thursday 21 February to Sunday 24 February at Cafe Zoo, Drysdale High Street.

More information about Davide Penso’s workshops at the 2019 Festival of Glass: www.festivalofglass.net.au

You can book workshop places directly from the web site using Eventbrite. Places at each workshop are limited and if you think that now is too early to book .... some places are booked already!

The Festival started its Artist in Residence programme four years ago in 2015, when Mark Eliott filled the bill. In 2016, Mark Eliott returned with Peter Minson, Davide Penso (Murano) came in 2017 and Mauro Vianello (Venice) was Artist in Residence in 2018.