Having fun in 2023 … come and join us!

We’re having such fun in 2023 … come and join us!

Just 9 weeks into 2023 and we are rolling in success stories!

Its only the first week of March but our post-Covid boom is well underway! We have been having so much fun in our studios that I just had to share some of the successes with you, and I can’t wait for you to join us.  Usually I don’t run many workshops between Christmas and March because my studio has always been too hot.  But the weather has been pretty gentle and my new studio in Swan Street has air-conditioning (yay!) which means I don’t need to stop offering classes when its baking outside.  Its a cool and creative environment in many ways.  Win Win!

Also I’ve realised that more and more people are giving experiences, like my workshops, to their friends, family and lovers because after the pressures of the last couple of years we simply all have enough commercially-produced “stuff” in our homes

and what really is precious is quality time spent with the ones we love doing interesting things and learning new, fun skills.  My classes are actually a great way to do this in a very relaxed way.

I try hard to be flexible, because everyone has different desires – and time pressures! So I offer a range of classes from 90 minutes to 3 hours and you can create something fabulous whilst listening to your choice of music and chatting and catching up!  (An added bonus for me is that now I’m listening to even more styles of music that I’ve never heard before. One person asked if I ever listened to Arabic drumming music? Er …nope,  but here’s a link if you want to try some!)

There are new workshops coming up soon and they’ll be especially designed for grandmothers to come with their grandchildren, which seem to be very popular.  More news soon.

Make your own Cheeseboard Charcuterie Board or Cheese Board or Cutting Board – oh, hang it, call it whatever you want!

Here are some of the successes from this fun workshop where you can make your very own original ‘board’ in premium art glass.  Fancy one for your home to impress your guests, or maybe as a gift for someone you cherish? Well, I just can’t wait see what you make.  And thank you to everyone who has made one recently.  You’ll notice that some people have made their charcuterie board in a different size.  The rectangle cutting board with her own Dandelion design, made by Imogen made is simply amazing isn’t it? Meg and I really liked the dandelions Imogen made, and decided to make another one.  This one is on a random glass size and I frankly can’t remember exactly what size but Imogen’s is 20cms x 35cms.

Her design inspired another one of our Glassy Girls (our nickname for a group of girls who regularly come and play in the glass studio)  and you can see her cuttng board in the album here.  This is something fabulous and functional that anyone can definitely achieve with my help.  Here’s the link to find out more about this workshop.

 

 

Baguette-shaped platters

My ‘FRENCH MEADOW’ workshop (named after the first design ever done in this shape) has been super popular again!  In January my lovely Scottish friend Anne who comes to Australia from the UK twice a year booked in for a private workshop to make a flat French Meadow that matched the piece she made last August when she was here last time.  She measured her suitcase and made a piece that perfectly fitted the length of her case (after allowing for all the bubble wrap I would use to secure it.)  Here’s her piece from August and you’ll see she uses the same colours that go perfectly with her kitchen decor.  This time she made a dimensional French Meadow platter that’s going to go in a frame and hang in her kitchen.  It’s safely back in the UK now waiting to be framed at the local village. (Here’s a fascinating piece of trivia – Anne comes from the very town where my hubby once stood for Parliament way back in 1983! What are the odds?)

 

 

Anyhow here are some of the fabulous baguette-shaped pieces created in our workshops for you to enjoy.  Flowers are eternally popular – and as you can see you can make multi-coloured meadows or a one-colour meadow.  I actually love them all and they bring such joy to their creators!

 

Click here to find out about the French Meadow Baguette Platter Workshop.

Framed art glass

This one has also been hugely popular.  People are time-poor and this 90 minute workshop is perfect way to catch up and create something unique to hang on a wall, especially if you fear that your aren’t “creative enough”.  Well, here you go!  I guarantee that with my help you can create something to treasure, for yourself or for a unique gift.

Amazing aren’t they?  One was given as a “farewell” present, one as an “anniversary” gift – this really is the perfect fun catch-up present to give yourself, or your loved ones, or to do with a bunch of friends.

 

 

The gorgeous poppy and blue heart haven’t been fired or framed yet.  That’s my first firing to do in March! I wonder which you like best, and what you would make if you came along?   The link to our Modern Art in a Frame Workshop is right here for you!

Are you an Absolute Beginner? Well, come on down!

As you would expect, I have seen some glorious platters made by Absolute Beginners in my Private Workshops too.

Here are some of the images of people with their platters, all made throughout January and February 2023.  Believe it or not, yes, these are beginners with their very first pieces! They all enjoyed learning all about glass and its properties, going home enthused and inspired! In fact, some booked into a second course straight away.

I see, again and again, how people who don’t think they have a creative bone in their body are actually wonderfully artistic.  All they need is the encouragement to have a go! Why not give a session to the “I’m not creative” person in your world?

This is the link to the Absolute Beginners Plate Making Workshop.

 

 

As well as these great platters, there were all sorts of other happy things happening in our studios.  Have a glimpse at the jewellery items made in preparation for Mothers’ Day in May.  The link to book yourself and your niece or family and friends into this class is right here.

 

 

P.S. Don’t forget Alcohol Inks!

Our amazing Alcohol Ink Art  Classes are filling fast and I must admit I did forget to take pictures during our February workshop.  Sorry, but here are just some recent examples of this ridiculously easy but inspiring artform.

Click here to find out everything you could want to know about getting yourself into our Alcohol Ink 101 workshop.

 

Private Workshops for Glassy Girls!

As I’ve said before there’s a small group of Glassy Girls who come regularly to the studio and create whatever they want (well, things that are possible at least)! More and more people want to come back again and again.  We love it!  We love what they make, we love the chattering, the music, sometimes the silence as we work together in our shared space and create wonderful things.  Here are a few images of what has been made recently in our Private Workshop time. It’s not just inspiring and good for the soul to make nice things, it’s all about caring and sharing.

Short of friends to drag along? Don’t be shy! You can come and join us if you’d like to: just email or call me and we can chat about the details. [email protected].

 

And finally, one very special Duke Of Edinburgh award contender.

Have you heard of the Duke of Edinburgh Award?  It’s a wonderful way for young people to develop skills, enhance their leadership potential and find personal values and motivation.

Anyhow, a very special private workshop that I ran in January was with this 11 year old girl who is the granddaughter of a friend of mine.

Zara is doing her Duke of Edinburgh award and wanted to add glass making to her skillset.  She needed to practiced this new hobby for a certain number of hours in order to qualify for her award.  She’s done all sorts of other experiences like helping disabled kids horse with riding and also helped out in a soup kitchen. Fantastic!

So here are the three pieces of glass art that she designed by herself and made.  When she arrived at each workshop, she had the sketches in coloured pencils all ready to adapt to whatever glass pieces that I had available in the studio.

I had to fill out some of the paperwork as one of her “mentors”.  I really hope I can help other young enthusiastic students like Zara.

It is my plan that I’ll have the grandmother and grandchildren workshops up and running well before the next school holidays in Melbourne.  That’s round about April 8th.  Let me know if you are interested in being first on the list to find out about this option.

 

 

I haven’t run any coaster workshops yet this year, but they are scheduled and you are welcome.  For information about this coaster workshop click just here.

Yes its been busy and fun here!  Thanks, as always, for reading about our glass endeavours and and also for being interested in Art!

You make it all worthwhile!

Love,

Jenie x

 

Tags: adult learning alcohol ink art glass cheeseboard coasters courses craft creativity decor Duke of Edinburgh fused glass glass art grandmother handcrafted glass happy days Jenie Yolland jensstudio kilnformed glass kitchen Melbourne Richmond workshop Swan street workshop