Virginia Hot Glass Festival Invite

[Doug Sheridan]

April 29 and 30 are the dates for the next Virginia Hot Glass Festival. If you would like to attend as an exhibitor please email me at doug@sunspots.com. Also, you may visit our website and click on the festival for more details. www.sunspots.com

This will be the fourth year for this event that features around 25 glass artists. You would be required to exhibit your work in the gallery and demonstrate each day. Flame work, casting, slumping and fusing are also welcome. Admission price is a donation of your work.

Please come and join us even if you don't feel the need to be an exhibitor. This event is really about meeting and working with other glass artists in the hot shop.

Tool vendors will also attend. Prizes and some technique competitions for tools will take place. Each year we get about 3500 visitors from all over the country. This is no GAS conference, but tons of fun. Hope to see you there!

[Jeff Hoover]

Doug, this sounds so cool! Here's a link to the discussion here about this same event last year:
http://talk.craftweb.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3305

I don't know if I can get there this year, but here's a bunch of questions anyway:

How "good" does someone have to be to give a demo?

Will you be offering rental slots during times that the show is closed to the public? I love sharing a slot with new people!

Will there be oxy/pro tanks? I could show some interesting techniques with my Nortel Ranger!


Is there anyone here who went last year and wants to share their experiences?

[Rick Sherbert]

I've gone every year and it just keeps getting better. Doug has a first class facility with a really good customer base. (and he's a nice guy too!) It's pretty laid back with some good talent. Nice time to get together, work together and hang.

Tom F. was there last year too.

[Doug Sheridan]

To demo, you just show up and assist exhibitors. If you are an exhibitor you will get blow time slots each day. Four hot shop stations make for a fair amount of time to work. Exhibitors also need to man their booth if they want sales. We don't rent time after hours due to charging and annealer space. Besides, that's when the keg goes to work. And yes, we have a minor torch with oxy/pro tanks ready to go, so come and share if you can.

And Rick, thanks for the kind words. So yes, you may return this year.

[Doug Sheridan]

some pics from last year:

http://talk.craftweb.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3513&highlight=dragons+fire

[Rick Sherbert]

Gosh, thanks :D (lies all lies...)

[Jeff Hoover]

Originally posted by Doug Sheridan
To demo, you just show up and assist exhibitors. If you are an exhibitor you will get blow time slots each day. Four hot shop stations make for a fair amount of time to work. Exhibitors also need to man their booth if they want sales. We don't rent time after hours due to charging and annealer space. Besides, that's when the keg goes to work. And yes, we have a minor torch with oxy/pro tanks ready to go, so come and share if you can.


Doug, it sounds like a really excellent event! And Staunton is a very tourist-friendly town, isn't it? I'm thinking my wife might want to come along (although that could cut down on my evening free time for socializing)

What's the nearest airport? And can you recommend places to stay nearby?

[Tom Fuhrman]

I had a great time at this event last year. I regret that I can't make it this year because of a scheduling conflict with other events. Doug has a great place and is a great host. It's worth going just to get to see and "play" with some of our colleagues. I recommend it highly, just sorry I can't work it in this year. All of you attending, drink a couple for me and make certain someone else wins that drip stopper contest this year. Tenn. Tom

[Rosanna Gusler]

i am thinking on coming up for the festival. only about 250 mi from here (obx). do you think it will be worthwhile for a fuser/kiln caster? i would also like some lodging suggestions. medium price, close by if possible. thanks. rosanna

[Doug Sheridan]

I'm sorry you're not coming Tom. Make room for this next year!

Others, please email me with questions about travel plans etc. and I'll send info in a reply. doug@sunspots.com

[Jeff Hoover]

did you get my info doug?

[Doug Sheridan]

Yes Jeff and I'm glad you are coming!

FYI: It looks like there will be quite a few more flamers here this year, and a week long workshop the week prior to the festival led by Deanna Griffin Dove and Brad Pearson.

Link to their new book: http://www.artofbeadmaking.com/

More on that laters.

[Rick Sherbert]

Brad is the man! He's a machine. His work is so precise and tight. Nice guy too...

[Doug Sheridan]

Looks like we'll have a dozen or so torches lit!

The following is an invitation from Deanna for the reduction class she is offering the Friday before the festival:


Hello Glass Artists,

I want to tell every professional beadmaker about a small festival that is growing and developing and getting better and better each year. I’ve participated the last two years and it’s a great time to network with other glass artists and turn people on to the beauty of glass beads. Last year there were 3,500 visitors!

It is the Virginia Hot Glass Festival. The dates are April 29, and 30, with set up on the 28th if needed. Tool vendors are sending toys to play with, there will be a dinner party on Saturday night and lunches will be provided. Booth Fee is a donation of $250 of finished work. This work will be on display in the Sunspots Gallery after the show and a percentage of the sale will go towards The Staunton Augusta Art Center.

What I know about the show: it’s harder to sell the big art glass beads (still doable though, lots of glass collectors),. Mostly, there are a lot of “wearable” sales, and visiting budgets are all over the place…it’s entirely possible to sell a $1500 necklace.

I’m going to set up 10 torches and teach a class Friday. So the torches will be set up and we can use them in the same room as the show tables…meaning that people will see what we do first hand. Two of the torches will be for rotating artists who want to use them, the others will be available for rent. (We’ll have to help each other if we are in the middle of a bead when there’s a sale, so make sure all merchandise is well labeled.) If you would like to reserve a torch for one day or two (two day rentals get preference, $40 a day), contact me as soon as possible, griffindove@mindspring.com

The Friday, April 28 class I’m offering is a one day Reduction Frit class, cost $150, glass and supplies included, bring your own tools. People in the class get torch priority for Saturday and Sunday. For a more detailed class description, or to register contact me, griffindove@mindspring.com

This could be great fun.

Thanks!
Deanna Griffin Dove

[Doug Sheridan]

Many thanks to Gary Guydosh for sending a great and generous selection of new blocks and accessories for the skill contests. They are packaged sealed wet in plastic and look very nice. After years of Walter's blocks, I dare say these look very professional and well thought out like a true product line. He has a nice website now and a catalog too. The marble/paperweight blocks are cool. The cork pads are mighty. The blocks seemed thicker and probably longer lasting, wood quality looks great too.

Also, thanks to Jeff at Cutting Edge for his donations as well. They will be won only after a tough challenge by two lucky winners. His tools are sweet, we use them daily.

[Rosanna Gusler]

did a county wide 'studio tour' this weekend. mentioned i was comming up that way for the fest to a couple. they said they had vivited your place and how nice it and you were. rosanna http://www.darearts.org/