Introducing a New Way to Learn | Kiln Formed Glass Club

....and to develop your glass making skills

The Kiln Formed Glass Club Studios was the brainchild of Liz Sparkes, Glassification and it is now in it’s 6th year!

Running a successful glass workshop specialising in splashbacks meant Liz hardly ever got round to trying out new techniques. Books languished on the shelves, whilst ebooks and tutorials cluttered up the hard drive, waiting for that moment to “get around to it”! She knew she probably wasn’t alone!

Liz also missed her time on CGG 32 week course, where every week she should meet up with other glass enthusiasts and develop her skills, learning as much from the other students as she did from her (albeit excellent!) tutor! It was the one day of the week where she had the time and space to try new things.

So, once the move to large enough premises was completed in 2015, she developed the idea further, and the first Club kicked off in 2016

A low cost way to learn..

The unique thing about KFGC Studios is that is just that, a group of people learning together. There is no (one!) tutor. This way of learning, called peer to peer learning, can be incredibly rewarding. Within any one group of glass artists there will be someone who knows something about something.. by pooling our knowledge, and by researching articles, tutorials and ebooks freely available on the web, we create a rich learning environment for all.

And the best thing is, it doesn’t matter what your current skill level, our experience has been even newbies have something to share, and seasoned professionals learn a lot too!

And of course with no tutor fees to pay, it became a very cost effective way to improve.

So, how does it work....

Each Kiln Formed Glass Club Studio meets 4 times a year at weekends (currently Somerset and Glasgow, but others are planned for the future ) .. and each weekend has a ”topic” to be explored. This could be a product (such as “powders) or a technqique (such as casting or vitrograph)

We know one of the biggest benefits of membership has been the strong bonds which build up in a group, which month on month help to enrich the learning experience, so once we have chosen our group, we stay with it. . Members can keep in touch with each other via our own community forum, and plan what they what to do when they next meet up, so knowing who you will be meeting next time really helps with this process.

Each Group has 6 dates to choose 4 weekends from, and if you want (and can) attend 5 you can just pay for an additional weekend.

Demand for the club is high, (and for 2021 we shall be restricting each group to just 8 places, so we know we will be able to offer social distancing throughout the year, just in case we still need to ) so we accept applications to join on a first come first served basis.

There are 2 separate groups, each with a slightly different emphasis. If you you feel you still have much to learn and would like to come and play to learn, then the Explorers Group is for you… Or maybe you are a veteran of many many Masterclasses, but still don’t feel you have found your own voice? Or perhaps you want to explore what it might mean to your practice to become more artistic, rather than “crafts” driven? Then consider the Adventurers…

And if you need to know more about the different groups, just get in touch!

What techniques do we cover?

The club is very democratic, the members decide what we are doing! However over the last years we found that the favourite topics were popular with new members

“Working with Powders and Enamels” covering techniques such as wafers, crackle, landscapes, and 3D imagery.
“Drop Vessels”
“Working with Flow” pattern bars, pot melts, raking and other ways to use the way glass moves in the kiln to create interesting effects.
“Cold Working “ (stop sighing! lol) covering sandblasting, engraving etching and cold fusion (aka glueing!) (the surprising winner for new members every year!!)
Casting and mould making

The important point is members take responsibility for their own learning, so if the topic for the weekend isn’t up your street, just use the community group to see if anyone else wants to do something else.. the Somerset workshop is big enough, and we have enough kilns to accommodate all sorts of things going on at once!

FAQ'S

What does membership cost? A year’s membership is just £500, giving you 4 weekends, Online KFGC Membership, and use of the facilities at a reduced rate (subject to availability)

Can I pay in instalments for KFGC Studios? Yes. You can pay in 2 instalments if you wish, a deposit of £250 to secure your membership, with the balance due by your first weekend meet up.

Do I have to sign up for 4 weekends? Rather than thinking in terms of the weekends, it’s better to think in terms of an annual membership, which offers you 4 weekend meet ups with other members AND full access to Kiln Formed Glass Club Online! As well as the weekends, membership also offers use of the workshop’s tooling FOC and kiln hire at a reduced rate, as well as discounts on products that can be bought in bulk for the members. As a member you will also be offered the chance to enrol in any other Glassification courses before they are offered elsewhere.

Is there somewhere to stay locally? Absolutely. This part of Somerset is full of hostelries of all kinds, from swanky hotels to reasonably priced B&B’s, and a Travel Lodge just a few hundred meters away. There are plenty of camp sites if you have van, and there is also the option of AirBnB. so plenty to choose from. Details about where to stay in Glasgow will be offered directly by Jon Piccolo, your host.

I don’t drive. Can I get to the workshop easily? Ilminster is a bit out on a limb, however if you can get yourself to Taunton, (railway or bus station) Liz is happy to pick you up from there. Alternatively there may be someone else coming from your area who is willing to car share, so let Liz know if you need help getting to and from, and she will try and find a way for you. The Glasgow Studio is easily accessible by public transport.

What happens if I can’t make a weekend for some reason? By offering 6 potential dates, we hope most people will be able to fit in 4…

Are materials included in the club fees? Some are, but not glass. In principle the rule is, if you can take it home with you, it’s extra. So the Studio provides all the consumables for each topic required, fibre paper, thin fire, glues, glass cleaning materials etc, and most of the equipment required (i.e. sandblaster, various kilns, cold working equipment, tile saws, grinders etc) Sometimes it helps if members bring some of their own equipment too, (i.e. kiln posts, or favourite cutting tools). We use the community group page to discuss what is needed for the next weekend , if anything.

I’m not sure how it can work without a tutor… does anyone learn anything properly? The answer is yes, absolutely, but it is harder to explain HOW! It can be chaos on occasions with up to 10 – 12 people with different ideas on how to attempt something, but on the whole it’s truly inspiring to see what you can achieve without someone showing you step by step how to do it “their way”.. in fact we could argue that we learn more in many ways. Take the drop vessel weekend as an example. We met having researched many different ways of creating drop vessels, freely available on the internet. Then 20 people (in 2 groups) set about trying out the various ways. By the end of the 2 weekends we had learned SO much from these 40 odd examples.. if we’d had a tutor, we would only have learned one way… Think of the club as a structured way to experiment, and you get the picture…

Where do I find the dates? All dates (and venues) for Somerset 2021 are listed below, Glasgow will follow very shortly.

Got a burning question? Then just email on hello@kilnformedglassclub.co.uk or give us a ring on 020 8720 6824, leave a message and we’ll get back to you.

I'm in! What happens next?

To register your interest in becoming a FULL Kiln formed Glass Club member, which includes 4 Studio Weekends AND KFGC Online, just click on the enrol here button below, and let us know you which Studio you would like to join (you won’t be asked to pay anything at this point) . By the end of January 2021 we will have reviewed all applications and will get back to with payment details then.

About the Somerset Venue

Housed in a late 18th century lace mill, the Glassification studio offers a range of glassmaking classes to suit every skill level, from absolute beginner through to experienced glass artists, and is also host to The Kiln Formed Glass Club.

Lying just on the outskirts of Ilminster, Somerset, the studio is well placed for students travelling by car, being directly off the A303, and only 15 mins form Junction 25 of the M5. For members who need to use public transport, the closest major town is Taunton, and we can arrange pick ups and collections from there for you. For anyone coming from further afield, the closest airport is Bristol, and there is a very good bus connection between the airport and Taunton, or alternatively car hire is very reasonable, especially over the weekends.

Dates for Somerset Studios 2021

Explorers 2021

Glasgow 2021

April 17th – 18th
May 22nd – 23rd
June 26th – 27th
July 17th – 18th
Sept 25th – 26th
Oct 16th – 17th

To follow