August 2023 Newsletter

New Classes, Loyalty Punch Cards, Frit, Tom Sourlis, and The State Fair!

Art in the Shop: Title : #2

Malcom Potek

#2, 2017

Performed Cast Elements: Fused 15" x 30"

This work is part of a series of 12 works. Using cast offs from previous projects, reworking them and experimenting with new techniques, I hope to express something new through process, of timeworn concepts. In #2 I imagine my relationship with my #1 abstractly.

Artist in the World: Tom Sourlis

Born in 1947 in Gary, Indiana, Tom Sourlis has pursued a lifelong interest in arts and crafts through weaving, painting and flat glasswork. He studied architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology for four years, quitting school to go into VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America).

Pioneers in the art of ‘thin fusing, Tom Sourlis and Twyla Butler of Sourlis Glass Studio are known for their gossamery sculptural pieces. Their intricate fused glass figures call attention to the delicate nature of glass, pushing the boundaries of traditional glass fusing.

Tom Sourlis

Gold Wings

Stained Glass Lampshade

Events: Potekglass at the MN State Fair

Glass on a stick? Potekglass is going to be at the Minnesota State Fair!

Come watch us demonstrate glass cutting and soldering techniques. What are we making? You'll have to come visit us to find out.

September 2nd and 3rd from 9am-7pm in the Creative Arts Building.

Introducing: Loyalty Punch Cards

Next time you're in be sure to grab a loyalty punch card!

Get one punch for every $10 you spend on regularly priced in stock items.

Get $10 off your next purchase when you spend $150.

Some restrictions apply.

Upcoming Classes at Potekglass

Beginning Stained Glass

September 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th

Price: $115

Member Price: $103.50

4-week course, 2 hours each week (plus 2-3 hours of homework between sessions).

$115 Plus glass, tools and supplies.

Learn the basics of stained glass from start to finish using the copper foil method. We'll teach you pattern preparation, cutting, grinding, foiling, soldering, framing and finishing. Stop in before the first class to pick out a pattern, pick out and purchase your glass, and your beginner kit ($155 - which is a 10% discounted price for enrolled students). There will also be supplies and tools to purchase each week to take you through the creation process (approx. $140 total). Students will have homework each week, and opportunity to work in the shop at a discounted rate.

Thursday Evening Classes are 6pm - 8pm. Saturday Afternoon Classes are 2pm - 4pm.

Glass Menagerie Tortoise

August 24th 5pm

Price: $95

Member Price: $85.50

Glass Menagerie is a series of beginner classes as an introduction to sculpture on the torch. Using Borosilicate color and clear rod, students will learn the fundamentals of creating shapes into small animal sculptures.

Students in the tortoise class will learn the difference between seals and punties, how to tune a gather, how to use mashers, the importance of heating out tool marks, and how to work with and strike boro colors!

No experience or supplies necessary. Class cost covers glass and student tool kit rental for the session.

This is a certifying class for Open Studio: Torch on Free Glass Fridays and more.

Rendering Mosaics with Katie Trent

Nov 4, 11, 18, Dec 2

$195.00 non-members / $175.50 members

Learn to create your own glass mosaic based on a photograph or painting of your choice. Katie Trent will shepherd students from image to mosaic, finish and care! Students will not just learn the step-by-step process for assembling a mosaic, but will learn how to render their image with all the nuances of color, line and shape to reproduce and interpret their creation with tiny glass pieces.

Katie Trent is a glass artist with over 20 years of experience. She is excited to be teaching at Potekglass and looks forward to helping another class explore creativity with glass rendering a favorite image in mosaics.

Open Studio: Practice Your Skills!

We host 4 hour Open Studio Sessions every month for Kiln, Torch, and Mosaic artists to practice their skills.

$35 non-members / $25 members

 
Join us for an Open Studio Session at Potekglass

These sessions include 4 hours of shop time with large work space and studio equipment available for use. BYOT - Bring your own tools from home or rent a student tool kit. We also have tools and glass available for purchase at the studio.

 
Create any size project, collaborate on ideas, and meet other artists.

Torch and Kiln certification required for those Open Studio Sessions.

 
Space is limited so please reserve your seat ahead of time.

Retail in the Shop:

*** LIMITED TIME STEAL OF A DEAL***

15% OFF Frit- Fusible granulated glass in fine, medium, and coarse.

Time to stock up! Save 15% for the month of August!