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Glassmaking & Glassblowing

near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
REF: GLSNEW
Rated Based On 8 Reviews

• Discover the art of making, shaping & blowing glass
• Hands on tuition in a professional glass workshop
• Make your own souvenir glass art to take home
• Half day & full day experiences are available
 
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What's Included

Glassmaking Workshop
• A three hour glass making workshop
• Introduction to equipment and basic techniques
• Applying techniques learned to make a glass paperweight

Glassblowing Day
• A full day glassblowing experience
• Learn glass making and blowing techniques
• Make a glass paperweight and a colourful blown piece such as a vase
• Experiences last around seven hours with breaks

What Can I Expect

Take part in a fascinating glass making workshop in Buckinghamshire! These half and full day introductory courses offer a compelling eye-opener to the role of glassmakers and gives you a rare insight into the different methods used to create glass artefacts. Classes take place in a spacious glass making studio in Aylesbury and are hosted by a team of highly-skilled glass makers including Derek Bransfield, a professional glassmaker who designs and creates beautiful contemporary works of art.

You'll be using traditional vessel production techniques passed down from the Roman times at this glass studio near Aylesbury. You'll learn that the main ingredients used in glass making are sand or silica, sodium carbonate and lime or calcium oxide (different chemicals create different colours). For example, iron oxide is used for creating the green in beer bottles, whilst a very small amount of cobalt results in a wonderful shade of blue.

There's so much to learn and with a maximum of eight participants on the course, lots of individual attention and help is assured. After your welcome and safety briefing, you will be shown around the workspace and will be expertly guided through the basic techniques and methods of handling and manipulating hot glass and what all the tools and equipment are used for. The furnace you will practise the techniques on fires at temperatures of around 1100 degrees centigrade.

One of the most exhilarating parts is gathering glass from the crucible, as the intense heat and brightness will amaze you. Initially when you collect the molten liquid, your paperweight will resemble a colourless blob, but not for long...our favourite part is adding individual designs and colours with crushed coloured glass. Using a variety of methods, you will be able to form bubbles and swirls and apply shaping to produce your bespoke paperweight.

Those on the full day course will continue their fascinating journey into the art of glass, with a glass blowing workshop in the afternoon. As you learn this different way of manipulating molten glass, you'll be creating your very own unique piece of blown glass, usually a small vase.

We think these glass making and blowing courses in Buckinghamshire are enjoyably expressive and artistic. And what's more, you will get to make your very own glass art to be proud of, as you made it all by yourself using everything from furnaces and forming rods, to rollers and moulding points.

Availability

  • Saturdays and Sundays from January to May and September to December

Glassmaking
  • Morning and afternoon sessions are generally available, 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm
  • Generally classes run on one or two weekends per month
2024 Glassmaking Availability:
Sunday 8th September
Saturday 5th October
Sunday 3rd November
Saturday 30th November
Glassblowing
  • Day courses start at 10am finishing around 5pm
  • There are usually one or two dates available per month
2024 Glassblowing Availability:
Sunday 6th October
Saturday 19th October
Sunday 20th October
Saturday 2nd November
Saturday 16th November
Sunday 1st December
Saturday 14th December

Location

• Glass making studio in Westcott, Buckinghamshire near the town of Aylesbury

Suitable For

• Minimum age is 18
• Basic level of fitness is required as you will be on your feet

Spectators

• This experience is not suitable for spectators

Anything Else

• Any items made on the day will need to be finished before they can be sent to participants, there is an additional charge of £20 for this, payable on the day
• Participants of the full day should bring a packed lunch

Reviews

5 out of 5 stars

Average Rating: 5
Total Reviews: 8

Find out what other customers think of the experience

Reviews

  based on 8 reviews

Rating: 5 stars
Lynne Dawson
An interesting day making a glass paper weight. Excellent attention to detail and safety issues. Tw...
Rating: 5 stars
Andrew HEYDN
We had a fabulous day. The instructors were very helpful and patient. We came away having made sev...
Rating: 5 stars
B Osborn
A brilliant day! I would highly recommend this to anyone who like myself has ever watched glassmaki...
Rating: 5 stars
Hilary Sheen
Both Caroline and Derek were amazing. We had the best day with them and would reccomend glass makin...
Rating: 5 stars
Millie Crowhurst
An extremely good day. The help and encouragement given by the two glass makers was brilliant. A...
Rating: 5 stars
Brian Crowhurst
Brilliant day. Excellent friendly, helpful instruction and demonstrations from a passionate and kn...
Rating: 5 stars
Kristian Hewitt
A brilliant day which gave more than just a taster of Glass making - the environment was comfortabl...
Rating: 5 stars
JSC
This is a fascinating, engaging opportunity to work with a master of glassblowing and to learn from...