2013 Glass Expo beats the heat!

Crowds at the 2013 Festival of Glass

Thousands of people braved 38 degree conditions to visit the Glass Expo in Drysdale, Victoria on Sunday 17 February.

The Expo was the focus of the 2013 Festival of Glass, now in its third year. Visitors strolled around the 70-plus sites, looking at glass of all shapes, sizes, colours and forms. With so much diversity, there was something for everyone to see - from leadlight to lampwork, from splashbacks to platters and from beads to bottles.

A warm welcome
The Expo's official opening started with a 'Welcome to Country' from Uncle David Tournier, of the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-op in Geelong. This was followed by greetings from Doug Carson, Chair of the 2013 Festival of Glass committee, local councillor Rod Macdonald and state MP Lisa Neville. Finally, Geelong Mayor Cr. Keith Fagg declared the Expo officially open!

On Twitter, Cr. Fagg wrote: '@ Festival of Glass Opening. Stunning array of glass in all forms. All day Sunday at Bellarine College, Drysdale.' Thanks, Mr. Mayor!

After the opening ceremony, our guests talked with exhibitors as they walked around the Expo. They remarked on the diversity of the exhibits, the high quality of the entries in the glass-art competition and the attractiveness of the prizes in the raffle, each one donated by one of the exhibitors at this year's Festival.

Winners in the competition and raffle have been notified. Watch this blog for pictures of the winning entries and see a selection of the raffle prizes on the Festival web site (www.festivalofglass.net.au)

Kind words
Since the Expo, many exhibitors have posted messages of thanks and appreciation on the Festival's Facebook page. Several exhibitors were kind enough to remark on the Festival's high degree of organisation. E.g. 'We exhibitors don’t have to worry about anything other than our own tables during setup, take down, and the day itself.'

The Festival Committee is basking in those kind words .... before addressing the list of suggested improvements for 2014!

Blue Dog Glass invests in 2013 Festival of Glass

Glass supplier and educator Blue Dog Glass, in Oakley South, Melbourne, has generously donated two gift vouchers as prizes in the 2013 Festival of Glass competition for glass-related art and craft. One voucher is for $100 and the other is for $50 and each can be used to buy glass supplies from Blue Dog Glass.

Blue Dog Glass sells kiln formed glass, glass-working materials and tools, and runs classes in glass-working techniques. The company also undertakes commissions for specialist glass products, including cast hand prints, business or sporting awards and architectural lighting design. Blue Dog Glass classes are conducted by professional artists and offer students - from absolute beginners to professional artists - opportunities to learn in a friendly and creative environment.

A selection of Blue Dog Glass products is included in this article; lots more can be seen at their website:

www.bluedogglass.com.au/

The Festival Committee is delighted to see a major glass company such as Blue Dog Glass casting this significant vote of confidence in the Festival of Glass and we're very grateful to them for their support. Blue Dog Glass has been a major attraction at previous Festivals of Glass and - through its Facebook page - a consistent supporter of the Festival.  Thanks, Blue Dog!

Axess Glass invests in 2013 Festival of Glass

Glass supplier Axess Glass, in Thomastown, Melbourne, has generously donated two gift vouchers as prizes in the Festival of Glass competition for glass-related art and craft.

One voucher is for $100 and the other is for $50 and each can be used to buy glass supplies from Axess. A selection of Axess products is included in this article; lots more can be seen at the Axess website:
www.axessglass.com

The Festival Committee is delighted to see a major glass company such as Axess casting a vote of  confidence in the Festival of Glass and we're very grateful to Axess for its support.

Axess: 'Uroboros' art glass'

Axess (full title Axess Glass Products Australia) is a major importer and wholesale distributor of specialised glass and glass-working  tools and supplies to architectural and art glass studios. Its Thomastown facility holds over 3,000 products and over 30,000 sq metres of art glass, such as those illustrated here. As well as supporting architectural products, Axess markets its own laminated glass designs under the brand name 'DesignLam' (TM).

Axess glass nuggets

Axess: 'Wissmach' art glass

We're getting talked about!

2013 Festival of Glass exhibitor Katrina Newman has just published an article about the Festival on her blog. (http://katrinanewman.com/2013/02/07/festival-of-glass/)

The article has a great photo (reproduced here) of some of Katrina's hand-made flamework beads annealing (cooling and hardening) in her kiln. As Katrina says, 'It's going to be a colourful day, do drop by and say hello'.


And also ....
The current edition of 'My Coastal Home' (distributed free with the Bellarine/Surf Coast Times) has a three-page feature about the 2013 Festival of Glass. It includes interviews with committee chair Doug Carson and with exhibitors Mark Edwards (Wathaurong Glass and Art) and David Hobday. The feature gives a real taste of the Festival, with background information and some striking photos of various exhibitors' work.

And finally ...
The 2013 Festival of Glass is in the 'Art/Craft' calendar (p.81) in the current edition of the RACV magazine (royalauto.com.au)

A preview of exhibits

Earrings: BeadyWendy

Several exhibitors have donated pieces of their work as prizes to the Festival of Glass raffle (tickets selling quickly!).

Here's just a selection of the prizes. They give a preview of the sorts of glass art and craft that will be on display on Sunday 17 February at the Bellarine Secondary College Sports Centre in Peninsula Road, Drysdale (10.00 am to 4.00 pm).

Glass platter: Jan Verouden

            

Glass platter: David Hobday

Bracelet: Monilform

Latern: Irena Lustin

Festival of Glass is good news for local businesses

Businesses on the north Bellarine can expect to benefit from being part of the 2013 Festival of Glass. 

Last year's Festival of Glass attracted 6,500 people - both locals and visitors - to the Bellarine Secondary College Sports Centre in Peninsula Drive. However, many Festival visitors didn't just attend the Festival and leave. We heard from local business afterwards that many visitors also:

·       browsed the nearby monthly Drysdale Market

·       rode the Bellarine Peninsula Railway between Drysdale and Queenscliff

·       visited nearby cafes, shops and nurseries.

The result? Local businesses that were open on the day of the Festival saw significant increases in sales. We would like all local businesses to share their success.

What can local businesses do?

This year's Festival of Glass will feature significantly more exhibitors than last year's, so the Festival committee is hoping for an even greater attendance. Here are just a few suggestions for how a local business might benefit from the Festival:

·       Consider opening on February 17 between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm. An open, bustling Drysdale is more likely to attract Festival visitors. If you will be open on the day and have leaflets, brochures, etc. promoting your business, we will happily display them at the Festival.

·       Be a Festival sponsor. This will promote your business to the thousands of visitors who attend on the day and to still more people via the Festival's online promotions. The Festival is on major local tourism web sites (e.g. Visit Victoria, Destination Bellarine and Flight Centre), so people who visit those sites to plan their stay in the Geelong area see the names and logos of the Festival's major sponsors - your business could join them. Similarly, visitors to the Festival web site see the names and logos of our major sponsors - your business could be there, too. 

·       Offer a 'special deal' on the day to Festival programme-holders, encouraging them to come to your business, rather than  to any others. Consider giving a bonus to customers who also present one of your leaflets/brochures from the Festival.

Good luck - and good business!