In June 2018 something phenominal happened. The Island of Murano opened its doors to glassmakers across the world by hosting the Glass Art Society's 47th annual conference.
Murano has been well known for its' secretive ways and lack of skill sharing with other glassmakers acround the globe for centuries, so much so that the island itself was once a prison where glassmakers and their families could live happily as long as they never tried to leave. With that context it was a huge, historical step for the glassmaking world. I believe this was largely pushed by Maestro Lino Tagliapietra who has been teaching since the 1970s all over the world.
Murano has been well known for its' secretive ways and lack of skill sharing with other glassmakers acround the globe for centuries, so much so that the island itself was once a prison where glassmakers and their families could live happily as long as they never tried to leave. With that context it was a huge, historical step for the glassmaking world. I believe this was largely pushed by Maestro Lino Tagliapietra who has been teaching since the 1970s all over the world.
It was the first (and hopefully not the last) time I have attended a GAS conference but what a way to start! I stayed in Venice and travelled by Vaporetto (water bus) to Murano each day and had one of the best times of my life. There were so many people with similar interests, so many glass maker demonstrations to watch and so many places to investigate on the island itself. Shops, galleries, tool makers, studios. It was so much to take in all at once. It was so overwhelming but in an amazing way!
So when I tell you that all of this paled in to insgnificance compared to the highlight of my trip you will may grasp the enormity of it. I got to meet my penpal. Her name is Dominique Cassie and she runs a glass workshop in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, U.S.A. She is just about one of the most fantastic humans I have ever met and I met her just before we got on a plane to Venice. I was terrified we were going to hate each other (as we were staying together the whole time) but we got on so well and I love her even more in person! She truly made my trip the best it could have been. She also catnapped everywhere which entertained me greatly. This might be due to accidentally purchasing decaf coffee because we couldn't read any Italian!
We went to watch Ned Cantrel, Vidar Kosvik, James Mongrain, David Powell, Nancy Callan, Gemma Grey, Dante Marioni, Lino Tagliapietra, Martin Janeky, and so many more. We watched the glassmakers work in the murrini factory, went to several glass galleries, visited mirror makers, chandelier galleries, saw loads of different studios, beach combed for the best sea glass I've ever found. I also met some amazing people like Sally Pratch who was just wonderful. It was amazing. I hope one day to be able to visit another GAS conference and see Dominique again. I love her all the way across the ocean.
