D C G L A S S W O R K S A N D S C U L PT U R E S T U D I O S

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DC Glassworks and Sculpture studios is a public access

educational and studio facility that offers classes in

glassblowing, glass casting, metal casting, and sculpture as

well as access to the equipment necessary for artists to

make work in blown or cast glass, aluminum, bronze, and

steel. Our community consists of people from the

Washington/Baltimore metropolitan area and beyond.

They are a diverse population whose common goal is to

explore glass and the creative process. From professional

artists to beginning student, traditional glassblower to mixed

media artist, DC Glassworks offers a professional, safe, and

well-equipped environment to explore, learn, and create.

About Us

At DC GlassWorks and Sculpture Studios, we want to

inspire imagination and creativity through the practice of

glassblowing. Our vision is to build a world-class

glassblowing facility that will help provide opportunities

for creative exploration for all persons from our diverse

community. Our students are encouraged to be skilled,

knowledgeable, innovative and resourceful in their work.

Our belief is that art is a necessary expression that creates

dialogue, empowers individuals, and promotes a greater

understanding of our common experiences. DC Glass-

Works and Sculpture Studios is committed to providing area

artists and the public a place to enjoy, discover, and

realize their dreams.

mission

DC Glassworks started from a simple idea that artists in DC

needed a place to realize their work in hot glass. From the

start, DC Glassworks was built to be a well maintained

studio with professional equipment that was open to all

persons in the dc metro area. Our original studio was

located in a small garage on Capitol Hill in Northeast

Washington DC. This space was just large enough to work in,

but too small to realize our goal of a public access studio. In

2001, the studio was moved to Hyattsville, Maryland where

a group of artists built a large glassblowing and sculpture

facility. In 2002, DC Glassworks LLC was founded as an

educational and public access facility. Since that time, DC

Glassworks and Sculpture studios has grown to be one of

the dc areas leading glassblowing and sculpture studios.

history

We believe that students should have

the basic technical skills to be able to

explore the materials they are working

with. The basic skills are gained through

practice and observing the processes

involved in making work from glass.

Repetition, with a focus on consistency,

is the best way to learn these processes.

Through individualized instruction,

We view ourselves and our students as

engaged in a collaborative exploration

of the medium of glass. In order to

produce artworks, there is a certain body

of knowledge that the teacher must help

the student master. But, once the student

has achieved a basic level of mastery of

the mechanics of glass, the processes of

mold making and metal casting, or the

skill of welding and fabrication, students

should be free to explore, experiment,

and work independently on their own

Technical skills

Artistic exploration

artistic vision. We believe that the most

engaging and rewarding approach to the

study of these materials involves viewing

the material and process with a

questioning mind, and to use those

questions to take it somewhere else, into a

place previously unknown. Whether stu-

dents are interested in traditional

glassblowing or contemporary sculpture,

our goal is to provide them with the knowl-

edge, skills, and tools to be successful.

teaching philosophy

students learn in accordance with their

own readiness and skill set. With each

piece that a student creates, a greater

knowledge of the material is gained. Our

approach has been to provide students

with a strong foundation of technical skills

and information that will allow them to

explore glass as a material.

It is our goal to unleash your inner artist and help you design and make your own glass art works today. Working collaboratively with an instructor, you can design and create a unique glass art piece of your own in glass. Whether you make a paperweight, drinking glass, or bowl, you will be guided through the tools, material, and process and learn firsthand what it is like to take molten glass and create your own art piece.

Whether it is a project kickoff, an execu-tive retreat, birthday, or bachelorette party, a DC GlassWorks event offers a unique and exciting experience. The cre-ative and friendly environment of DC Glassworks succeeds in providing both an enjoyable event and a hands-on learning experience. Working with the DC GlassWorks staff, your group is guid-ed through a hands-on glass workshops aimed at sparking their creative energy. For corporate events, glassblowing offers a new perspective on teamwork and encourages group members to collaborate in new and different ways.

Teambuilding and Group Events

Glass Interactives

hot shop equipment

Type: HUB MU500 free standing crucible.Capacity: 600 lb Burner: 750,000 BTU Eclipse Thermjet Controls: Watlow 981 and Protectall Safety System Door: 12”w x 10”h Batch: Spruce Pine 86

size number deep/opening door(s)small 1 18” / 8” 1 @ 5” dia.medium 3 33” / 13.25” 1 @ 6.5” dia.large 1 33” / 19.75” 1 @ 7.25” dia. / 1 @ 14.25” dia.

size number (w x h x d) door(s)small 1 24” x 14” x 24” topmedium 1 36” x 19.5” x 22” frontlarge 1 33.5” x 53” x 26” frontcolor box 1 17.5” x 17.5” x 9” top

Furnace

Glory Holes

Annealers

type number (w x h x d) other infogarage 1 18” x 30” 12” doorpipe warmer 1 31” long n/amarvers 3 various n/a

Other Equipment

sculpture studio

Metal Studio

Glory Holes

Mold Studio

Foundry

DC Glassworks and Sculpture Studios maintains a well equipped mold studio available for students and

renters. Mold making and casting in many mediums is possible in the studio. Found objects, or objects

prepared by artists, can be moulded and cast in a material of the artists choosing. We primarily cast in

glass, aluminum, bronze, and cast iron. Our mold making studio is set up to do resin bonded sand and

plaster investment molds for glass and metal. The mold studio has a wax working station with wax tools,

heat sources and a various wax melters. Our largest wax melter is capable of holding approximately 60

lbs of wax. This station supports our sculpture studios and classes, but may also be rented by artists want-

ing to prepare waxes for casting at another facility. See our rental rates page for prices and restrictions.

DC GlassWorks and Sculpture Studios maintains a basic foundry for classes in casting bronze, aluminum,

and iron. Our foundry classes cover furnace operation, burnout procedures, investment procedures,

fluxing and pouring of molten metal, finish and treatment of metal casting. Most work done in the cast-

ing classes are made fom patterns in foundry wax or styrofoam and our classes teach the processes of,

burnout, casting in metal, and finishing. Our foundry is also used by our sculptural studio artists, select

outside sculptural projects, and qualified outside artists. Please contact us for more information or to join

in on one of our pours.

Our metal fabrication studio is available to our sculptural studio artists, students, and qualified

outside artists. The facility has MIG and ARC welding equipment for steel and aluminum as well as

plasma cutting and a variety of drilling, cutting, and finishing tools. The metal working studio is

available for rent by the hour, day, or week depending on availability.

Our glory holes are built with 2800 degree firebrick backed with fiberfrax blanket. The doors are cast

refractory and are manually operated. We use ribbon burners to provide even heating as well as quiet

and safe operation. Each glory hole is equipped with an adjustable heat shield. These glory holes are

not equipped to perform reduction on glass. Out burner setup does not allow for these adjustments in

any way.

large: $49.50/hr (3 hour min) medium: $38.50/hr(3 hour min)small: $27.50/hr (3 hour min)

Please Note: we do offer discounts for renters who sign up and pay for multiple blow slots in advance. These discounts vary depending on the number of slots rented. Please call us for more information.

large: $49.50/hr (3 hour min)

Tool

Ren

tal

Basic ToolsHand Tools: $8.00/session

Blocks: $8.00/session Hand Tools and Blocks: $15.00/session

Pipes & Punties: $8.00/session All Tools listed above: $23.00/session Flex Shaft grinders w/ Diamond bits.

Metal Studio Rental Rates

Cold Working Equipment FeesOwn belts/discs: DCGW belts/discs: Sandblaster - Own Gun:Sandblaster (hourly): Sandblaster (increment):

$5.00 per hour $20.00 per hour$5.00 per hour

$30.00 per hour$10.00 per ¼ hour

Your own tools:Our tools:

Studio Fee$10.00 per hour (8 hours for $40.00)$20.00 per hour (8 hours for $80.00)

Equipment FeeArc Welder:Mig/plasma setup:Oxy-Acetylene:Forge:

$5.00/hr$25.00/hr

$25.00/per ½ hour$25.00/hr

Specialty ToolsGarage: Propane torches: Oxy/Propane torches: Extra bench:

$15.00/session $10.00/session* $15.00/session* $10.00/session

We supply Jim Moore hand tools and Blockhead/Walter Evans blocks for rental. The blow pipes available for rental were manufactured by either

Spiral Arts or Steinart.

Basic Glassblowing Curriculum

Students will learn the basic techniques of gathering, marvering, blocking, and blowing molten glass. This class will emphasize individual instruction and cover the use of traditional hand tools. The use of color will be introduced, but students will primarily work with clear glass. Beginning glassblowing I is designed for the glass student with little or no experience.

Students will build on the basic skills gained in the previous class and continue working on the technical aspects of creating basic forms. The focus of this class is to reinforce basic glassblowing technique. Students will work in teams where they will learn to both blow their own forms and how to assist another glassblower. New tools and techniques such as handles and wraps are introduced. This class will give the student a higher level of comfort with the glass blowing process and allow them to realize better forms. (6 Sessions)

The emphasis of the color applications class is to familiarize students with different ways to apply color to blown vessels. We will be working with powders, frits & color bar for the six-week session. The instructors will demonstrate the different application procedures at the start of each class. Students will then practice these techniques on simple blown vessels, such as a cylinder or cone shape.

During this six week class students will learn the basic techniques for making and pulling colored cane and murrine. We will start by pulling individual colored canes on the proper steps and techniques for picking up the cane. We will be using cand and solid color to assemble and pull murrine cane. Both cane and murrine will then be picked up and used in finished blown pieces.

This class is designed to teach fundamental basics in the applying handles, bits, and prunts to vessels. Students will work on vessels of their own design from drawings or sketches. Solid and blown handles, bits and prunts will be presented and students will be encouraged to incorporate these into their original designs. When needed, the use of color will be presented and demonstrated. Students with coursework in cane/murinne can continue practicing cane roll-ups, but pulling cane/murinne will not be done during class time. Students will be encouraged to keep a sketchpad or drawing journal to document their ideas, the techniques presented and any color applications they used.

Every session, Tuesday nights 6:30-9:30

Every session, Wednesday nights 6:30-9:30

Most sessions, Monday or Thursday nights 6:30-9:30

Periodically, Monday or Thursday nights 6:30-9:30

Periodically, Monday or Thursday nights 6:30-9:30

Beginning Glassblowing I: Intro to Hot Glass

Basic Shapes

Color Applications

Cane and Murinne

Vases with handles, bits, and prunts

This class will be a basic overview of mold blowing processes. Students will blow into wood and metal molds and will also explore more blowing into non-traditional molds, molds that they build, or found objects that they would like to try blowing glass into. Basic mold theory and materials will be covered. The emphasis of this class is on teamwork and experimentation. Students are encouraged to explore new techniques and materials.

Low Bowls, Swedish Style Bowls, Fluted Bowls and much more!! Students will concentrate on the bowl form while pushing their skill level. With demonstrations, discussions, and hands on work time, students will learn to refine this form while exploring issues of design and color application.

Periodically, Monday or Thursday nights 6:30-9:30

Periodically, Monday or Thursday nights 6:30-9:30

Introduction to Mold Blowing

Bowls

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