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.”