First, We Gather: Introduction to Hot Shop
In this introduction to the hot shop workshop, students will learn the basics of working with soft glass, with a focus on navigating the studio, shaping glass, and incorporating color into pieces. Using tools, breath and heat, each student will have a chance to learn how the glass reacts to what is happening around it. Students will acquire a better understanding of how the glass turns from a liquid into a finished work of art. We will explore glassblowing, solid sculpting and the fundamentals of creating with hot glass while making functional items such as cups, vases, and bowls.
As a Washington local, Mariah Cavanagh got into glass at the age of 19 and has continued to work with this medium for the last 13 years. Starting her career as a production flameworker, she started teaching at the Schack Art Center in Everett, Washington, which led to her to working in the hot shop. Teaching classes in the hot shop as well as the flame studio helps her to share her passion for glass with those who are interested while also creating community. Mariah's work is heavily inspired by language and nature, using common phrases and sayings to create pieces that embody these words.
