Page 30 - Southern Exposure - January '22

Page 30, Southern Exposure

arTs & enTerTainmenT

Learn About The Magic Of Art Glass

By J.B. Berkow, Founder and President of BCCA

For those you who have never experienced the magic glassblowing “Experience,” the novice can sign up for an the fused glass on top is put back into the kiln. During this
of working with hot glass, now you have a state-of-the-art initial class in fusing or flameworking. If they like it, they second heating cycle, the fused glass slumps over the mold,
facility right in your own backyard! can simply sign up for additional classes until they become taking the shape of it, creating a decorative bowl, votive
When the City of Lake Worth Beach inherited an proficient in their preferred discipline. People who are not candleholder or platter.
Historic FEC Train Depot building, they didn’t know what familiar with these mediums might wonder, “What are Flameworking is the
to do with it. But the minute that founder and professional fusing and flameworking?” process of working with
artist, J.B. Berkow, entered the gigantic 14,000-square-foot Fusing begins with cold glass. Absolutely no artistic colored or clear glass
warehouse, she knew exactly what to do with it! Eight years ability is required for taking up this fun, form of expression. rods in front of flame.
later, after a massive infusion of cash for a major build-out It simply involves working with different shapes and forms The student can make
and procurring an experienced highly-qualified staff, this of glass available in a wide variety of colors. Frit, which a myriad of fascinating
once-run-down warehouse is abuzz with creative synergistic is a crushed form of glass, can also be incorporated into creations. Typically, the
energy and activity. the designs, as well as very thin strings of glass, called student begins by making
“stringers.” The student combines all these glass elements a marble or a pendent.
onto another piece of clear glass. When the design is ready, Jewelry makers love
the combination of elements and clear glass are placed into making their own beads.
a kiln, which fuses them together. After removing the fused Students can also make
glass from the kiln, the student selects a ceramic mold, and sculpted pieces like the
the fused piece of glass is placed over it. The mold with little figurines that you A student working one-on-
may have seen at art one with a teacher in the
fairs, or like those made flameworking studio
in Italy. After taking ten
classes, a student may be deemed proficient enough to work
on their own, and may rent studio time at a reasonable rate.
An experienced instructor is always on site for guidance
and assistance, if necessary.
The Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts is in the process
of developing a glass casting department. When this
department is under way, our skilled and accomplished
This picture was taken in the beginning reconstruction staff will use this intricate and difficult technique to take an
process. Every one of the 448 windowpanes had to be artist’s work and cast it in glass, resulting in a glass version
replaced. of the original piece. To our knowledge, there is no other
facility in the United States providing this service. It can be
The center now offers beginning, intermediate, and extremely expensive and time-consuming for a sculptor to
advanced classes in glassblowing, fusing and flameworking. Two mothers with their sons taking a group class in the
“The Experience” glassblowing class is an introduction that fusing studio Arts & Entertainment on page 31
gives the novice the feel for what it takes to gather glass on
the end of a blowpipe, add color to the glass, and then blow
or sculpt the hot glass into either a bowl, a drinking glass, a
flower or a paperweight. Intermediate and advanced classes
are offered in six-week sessions in the evenings. After these find dating
more extensive courses, one should then be able to come in
and rent studio time working one-on-one with one of our success
staff members.

Our fusing and flameworking classes take place in in your city
a 1,500-square-foot air-conditioned studio. As with the

Happy

NewYear

2022!

Two “Experience Classes” going on at the Benzaiten Center’s
hot shop

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