Looking back at the „Glass Skin“ masterclass by Garcia Nash

In March 2019 we were proud to welcome Gracia Nash in our Glasspoint Studio in Riga. The New York glass and multi media artist hosted a six-day Masterclass. With the help of Nash, the participants got to create their own glass sculptures through flame working and glass fusing. Newcomers to the art of glass were able to learn and experiment alongside experienced artists – and not just about techniques and technical details! Gracia Nash and glass artist Anna Varnese first gave an introduction about the meaning behind artworks and the language they speak. This was to help the participants develop their own vision, to find the story they wanted to tell.

Everybody tried to figure out their concept on the first day and then it went on to creating. The base structure was made and the kiln got loaded to create colorful fused sheets. Throughout the six days, the participants had the opportunity to get to know each other better over shared meals, a collective trip to the Art Academy of Latvia, and the mutual workspace. Time flew and the final day approached quickly – soon it was already time to prepare the pop-up exhibition for the finished pieces. Still, every piece was carefully assembled and, finally, displayed. The end result were beautiful, personal and very delicate glass sculptures. 

This workshop happened with the support of the Creative Europe within the ISGNE (Imagining Sustainable Glass Network Europe) project, which aims to make glass more accessible.