Capturing Realism
In this workshop, students will begin by exploring freeze and fuse techniques, from basic to advanced levels. Students will learn kiln-forming processes, color control, texture creation and firing adjustments for realistic effects. They will also learn the properties of different types of silicone and create custom silicone molds by hunting for objects and textures around campus or using objects they bring themselves. Then, using the Guest Artist's special formula, students will discover how to create “glass dough,” which retains its colors even at low firing temperatures. This substance opens the door to three-dimensional forms and techniques that go beyond what freeze and fuse alone can achieve.
Eriko Kobayashi, born in Tokyo fell in love with the color and texture of glass in 2014. This fascination led her to study at Toyama City Institute of Glass Art in Japan in 2016 and later pursue her MFA in Glass at Southern Illinois University in 2022. Kobayashi recently relocated to Seattle to continue her career in glass. Kobayashi brings a sense of playfulness to technically demanding glasswork, making it engaging and approachable. She utilizes forms we encounter in our everyday lives to engage her viewer with the familiar, but also to challenge them to question and rethink these objects.
