May 12, 2011
Glass-blowing class open to the community
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The School of Art and Design at Southern Illinois University Carbondale thinks your summer could be hotter.
Hot enough, in fact, to melt glass.
The glass program, through the Division of Continuing Education, offers its first-ever glass blowing class to the community.
The class, Beginning Studio Glassblowing, meets 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays June 20 through July 1. The class meets in Pulliam Hall, Industrial Wing, Room 112. Students must be at least 17 years old to take the class.
During the two weeks of class, students will learn the basics of hot glasswork, including glass blowing, shaping, coloring and patterning. Participants will learn a variety of techniques as they create their own glass art.
The instructor is Jennifer Halvorson, visiting scholar to the glass program. Halvorson recently earned her master of fine arts degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Earlier this academic year, she was a Resident Artist at Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center. She studied in Copenhagen, Denmark, at Danmarks Designskole as a Fulbright Scholar. She also studied at the Australian National University in Canberra, where she specialized in glass and enameling.
“It’s our first non-degree glass class, and I think there will be a lot of interest in the area,” Jiyong Lee, assistant professor of glass at SIUC, said. He added that the class is another way for the School of Art and Design to connect with the community, in addition to exhibitions and events such as the annual Glass Pumpkin Patch.
The registration fee is $475, and does not include lunch. Registration deadline is June 3. For more information or to register, contact the Division of Continuing Education at 618/536-7751 or visit the website at www.dce.siu.edu.