Interactive Tours & Demonstrations
Wine & Cheese Tours
Wine and Cheese tastings are a favorite. Each member of your group can design his or her own wine glass as master artisans demonstrate their techniques and you and your group enjoy fine wines and cheeses.
Glassblowing Demonstrations
In a scheduled, one-hour long demonstration, our distinguished master craftsmen and experienced GlassWorks faculty introduce your group to the techniques and skills required to shape and form the honey-like, challenging medium of molten glass. A verbal narration accompanies the demonstration, which explains the origins of the process, dating back to Egyptian times. Scientific and technical experiments performed by GlassWorks' faculty show visitors how the chemical structure of glass and the different ingredients that make up the soft, glowing material are important elements when creating the glass designs seen in the front room, New Orleans ArtWorks Gallery. Each guest is also treated to a Prince Rupert's Drop. Here the hot, molten glass can be turned back into its original form of sand - right in front of their eyes! GlassWorks' glass crafting team also prepares a mid-afternoon snack, preparing popcorn in a blown glass vessel. The entire audience then participates in a fiber optic pull, bringing this ancient process into the high-tech, computer age of the 21st century. Did you know that glass, in its liquid state, is a conductor of electricity, creating light and moving objects? The answers to these questions and many, many more will be demonstrated as your group observes a scheduled Glass Blowing Demonstration at the New Orleans School of GlassWorks & Printmaking Studio. Questions are encouraged; audience participation is welcomed.
One-Hour Glassblowing Demonstration:
Price includes: cost of set-up, narration (explanation of each step, as the master glass blowers create vessel and sculpted forms from the hot, glowing molten material), conducting HANDS-ON, scientific experiments and interaction with electricity, sand, and fiber optic pulls, the teams of glassblowers and sculptors demonstrating for guests (depending on the size of your group), printed materials & hand-outs (available upon advance request).
Glass Torch Working Demonstrations
The scientific glass flame working, or torch working, and glass beadmaking allows group members to observe or experience the techniques of forming glass objects, such as glass sea creatures, or glass beads, from rods and tubes of colored glass (called cane) that become soft and malleable when heated by the flame of a table top torch. TORCHWORKING is a process that is being rediscovered today by many contemporary artists. Groups are invited to observe this process in a scheduled, hour-long demonstration OR opt to schedule HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES in glass torch working. A small glass sculpture is formed by careful and delicate maneuvering of the glass around a steel rod, called a mandrel. Many techniques employed by flame working artists often resemble those used in glassblowing, but are just much smaller in scale. Gravity, heat, and the use of simple, steel hand tools are the basic equipment needed to shape glass into an array of sculptural designs.
Group members may participate in an exciting hands-on activity in this area by learning how to make their own, unique glass sculptures. Our experienced GlassWorks' faculty members gently guide visitors through each intricate step. Group members are amazed at the challenging skills and hand-eye coordination utilized through the flame working processes.
The torchworking studio has 8 table-top torches that may be in use at one time. Group members can rotate in between observing and participating in this activity, in conjunction with glassblowing and/or printmaking demonstrations. (Please keep in mind that the beads MUST cool overnight; beads will not be available to take home at the end of your event. Glass sculptures your group members have created and labeled may be picked up within two weeks of your demonstration, or GlassWorks will mail (UPS) all labeled glass beads and glass sculptures made during your hands-on activities demonstration to you).
One-Hour Beadmaking Demonstration:
Price includes: narration by faculty master craftsman, materials, set-up and clean-up. A group of approximately 25 people can watch this demonstration at a time, so larger groups can rotate within the time they are here. Torch working demonstrations can be combined in other activities in glassblowing and/or printmaking & paper marbling.
Hands-On Activities in Glass Flame Working:
In ONE HOUR, GlassWorks can allow 3 groups of 8 people (24 people total) to make their own small glass sculptures or sea creatures. GlassWorks has 8 torches on which visitors may learn. Each participant will have approximately 15 minutes to experiment, assisted by a faculty member. Designs can be picked up or mailed (UPS) to your group when they are cooled. This workshop is ideal for club meetings, spouse tours, and birthday parties. Please keep in mind your group members are here for the educational experience, as beginners, to enjoy and appreciate the processes involved.
Printmaking Demonstrations
Hands-on PRINTMAKING demonstrations are available from a Master Printmaker in the spacious printmaking studio of New Orleans School of GlassWorks and Printmaking Studio. Printmaking demonstrations are ideal for enthusiasts to explore the ancient processes that are being transformed in today's digital world. There are a variety of techniques that can be viewed and demonstrated, and your group members can even take home their own one-of-a-kind prints. Through advance planning, your group can be exposed to traditional printmaking methods such as block print, etching and screen print. A Conrad intaglio printing press, or a revolutionary Whelan Press will be employed to produce the images created during your group's activities. A verbal narration accompanies the demonstration that will cover history and processes shown. Feel free to discuss which technique would best apply to your group when scheduling your event. The audience may choose to observe theses processes, or PARTICIPATE by creating their own BOTANICAL MONOPRINT, enjoy the ease and simplicity of MARBLEIZED PAPER, OR the fun and excitement of SCREENPRINTING THEIR OWN T-SHIRTS.
The BOTANICAL MONOPRINT allows group members to use foliage or flowers to create their prints. The technique gives artists the capability to turn any surface into a unique design on paper, images that are quickly made, and are ideal for adventurous groups who have never before worked with printmaking.
Group members can also learn how to create exceptional HAND-MADE, MARBLED PAPER using simple methods and colored inks and materials that can be employed in a home studio. Suminagashi, or ink floating, is fun, expedient, and best of all, it creates extraordinary results through seemingly simple processes. Create the beautiful marbled paper found on the end pages of traditional, Italian, hand-bound books!
SCREEN PRINTED T-SHIRTS! - one of the most commonly recognized print methods is another hands-on activity your group could schedule. Email or fax a 2-color (at most) design, (such as a club logo) to GlassWorks Office, and everyone in your group can print their t-shirts to take home. (Your group must supply your own t-shirts or objects to be printed on.) The GlassWorks logo is always a popular, "must have" design that is available for your group to use for their screen printing, hands-on activities commemorating the occasion.
No experience necessary for the first time printmaker. If you are interested in another print technique for your hands-on activity, please consult Glassworks' Print Department.
One-Hour Printmaking Demonstrations:
Price covers the cost of the faculty master printmaker & assistants (if required), the verbal narration of the process demonstrated, studio set up, materials, paper and ink, maintenance of press and blankets, and clean up. (up to 25 visitors may watch at one time and then circulate to demonstrations in glassblowing or torchworking.)
Hands-On Printmaking Activities:
Hands-on activities are available in Hand Marbled Paper and Screen Printed T-Shirts or in Botanical Monoprints. Please allow time for each participant to make their print. Please contact the GlassWorks' office to arrange exact pricing and timing for your event
This site created by Lauren R. Brown