Gravity & Grace: Creating Tall Thin Drop Vessels Workshop

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Take your kilnformed glass in a new direction during this intensive four-day advanced workshop with glass artist Larry Pile. Explore the transformation of a carefully designed glass blank into a dramatic, dimensional vessel using heat, gravity, and a thoughtfully constructed mold. Larry will share his approach to creating tall, slender drop vessels, taking you through the process from initial design and construction to the kiln drop and final coldworked finish. You’ll explore how glass placement, blank design, mold shape, firing schedules, and other variables influence the way glass moves and ultimately determine the character of the finished form. Through demonstrations, hands-on studio time, and in-depth discussion, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the techniques and decisions behind successful drop vessels, including: Design & Construction: Learn how to design and build high-performing blanks specifically engineered for tall and dramatic drops. Kilnforming & Drop Techniques: Explore strategies for executing controlled kiln drops and gain insight into the unique challenges of creating tall, thin forms. Form Development & Coldworking: Learn how to refine the shape, proportions, and surface of your vessels through coldworking techniques for a polished, professional finish. Advanced Mold-Making: Work with contemporary mold-making materials, including SilkeMat, and discover how mold design can expand the possibilities of your work. You’ll have the opportunity to create multiple vessels while experimenting with height, proportion, movement, and form. Along the way, you’ll strengthen your understanding of glass behavior, firing strategies, mold construction, and problem-solving—skills that can be applied well beyond this workshop. Whether you’re looking to expand your kilnforming vocabulary or take your existing drop vessel work to a more sophisticated level, this workshop offers an opportunity to push the possibilities of fused glass and develop your own creative approach to the form. Prerequisite: This is an advanced workshop. Participants should have prior experience with glass fusing, mold use, and basic coldworking techniques. All materials included