Fantasy in Glass 1

A search for glass working courses in Toronto led me to Fantasy in Glass. I chose their courses from their web site; it's informative with a slightly offbeat sense of humour.

They list a number of courses and seminars, but most had gone by the time we got to Toronto. However, the Beginner Course for stained glass was running in November so I signed up for the four Wednesday sessions.

First impression on going in to the shop was WOW. Colour (or on this side of the Atlantic "color") and light, lots of beautiful colours from all the glass on display. Being early I just wandered around the displays feeling somewhat overwhelmed. Looking at the tools confirmed that these guys were different in a good way - a display of soldering irons carried a note "we do not recommend this iron as the manufacturer no longer gives a warranty" or words to that effect.

In fact everyone at Fantasy in Glass is so friendly and helpful, they also know glass and their products inside out. Its a pleasure being in the shop.

The courses are run in the basement, a clean and pleasant working space with benches and necessary power tools for students to use. Treece was our teacher, and radiated enthusiasm for glass as an artistic medium. Only five students allowed for plenty of individual help.

After a short introduction we were practicing the technique of cutting glass. Don't tap the glass after scoring, that's just covering bad technique (Hum, that means at least one guy giving demos on You Tube would benefit greatly from a FIG glass cutting course). Having tried different glass cutters those of us without our own basic hand tools had to purchase them; I opted for the easiest way by getting the FIG tool kit that even included bandaids.

We then selected a pattern and some glass for a suncatcher, (all materials provided for the first two projects) and dived in to the Tiffany technique of using copper foil and solder. Having done some silver soldering in the past I tried to get all my joints to touch. Not really necessary, as I saw when Treece demonstrated soldering.

By the end of the day we each had a suncatcher to take home with bright silver solder beads. Lesson #1; opaque glass is not really suitable for a suncatcher, but looks good in reflected light. This picture was taken directly into the sun to show the texture of the glass.
As a footnote, the day was so intensive that I ate my packed lunch on the bus going home.

Week two was lead came work, again we had a choice of patterns, either all straight lines or one with a couple of simple curves. I chose the curves so as to learn more, and picked transparent glass this time. Once the glass is cut to the pattern everything is so much quicker with lead, but can not be as delicate or intricate as with copper foil. Again, by the end of the day we each had a panel to take home. The course is very much supported 'hands on' learning.

I did go away feeling a bit worried about the windows I had restored all those years ago as I used solder with a flux core (not recommended) however the following week Mikey reassured me that they would not have fallen apart. Its just quicker and neater to apply flux and then solder.

In the Begining

Someone said, if in doubt, start at the beginning and continue until you get to the end.

The problem is, where to begin - as an architectural student? perhaps.

Working with glass? probably.

Somewhere over 40 years ago I lived in an old farm house in England. The windows were old, and made of small pieces of glass held together by lead strips. Some of the small panes were broken, which made my bedroom cold in the winter. Not knowing anything about working with lead I repaired the windows by removing the broken pieces and replacing them with new glass while still in the frame.

Sometime later my father, an architect, had a client who was renovating an old country house and needed the windows restored. "Sean did ours, ask him." These windows were in a far worse state, with thin, probably weathered and eroded lead came. I removed every window from its frame and rebuilt it with new lead. In those days the local hardware shop stocked the lead but I had to find out by trial and error how to work it.

 My life moved on, but I have always been fascinated by glass, light, and reflections.

View from Orkney home

Tug seen on the Caledonian Canal

Evening light

Kinlochaline Castle - reflections and seaweed

For more of my watercolours go to:
 http://www.etsy.com/shop/HAMNAVOE?section_id=12568160

Last summer at a local craft fair on the Isle of Skye I saw some fused glass and decided that this could make an absorbing winter project that would draw together my artistic and technical interests. While still sailing I looked for suitable courses to take during the winter in Toronto. There were two organisations offering glass courses within reach of our house. Judging by their websites Fantasy in Glass seemed the best.