canadian sci glass schools

[onion]

does anyone know if there are univeristies in canada that offer sci. glass courses? i gave it a cursory googling and didnt find much.

[mistahead]

hey onion...im pretty sure that sheridan college in oakville ontario(toronto suberb) has a science glass course.

[Celcius]

Sorry, Onion,
Sheridan has flameworking, furnace blowing, kilnworking, etc. but no scientific glass courses.

-Joanne Andrighetti

[shakedownlenny]

I looked into that too but the only ones are in the states (salem-NJ)

[onion]

that sucks. i have no interest in spending time in the us.

[onion]

the sheridan courses are looking very interesting, thanks for the pointer joanne. i see you are an alumni? do you think you could tell me a bit about the programs there? do you think the experience was worth the time? im seriously interested in furthering my glassblowing through professional instruction.
*edit* sorry about the flood of questions :D

[Celcius]

Onion,
If you can do the full-time student thing, I highly recommend it. It's a 3 yr program but they were some of the best years of my life! Fully equipped studios and you are given lots of freedom to explore whichever avenues of glass interest you. A supportive environment with a lot of other young people who are as INTO glass as you are.

You have to take other courses as well such as art history, photography, etc. but all these are designed to support your main goal which is to be a professional glassmaker. I actually went there to study ceramics but once I laid eyes on molten glass I switched majors pretty quick, LOL.

If you can't study full-time I think they offer summer courses. Red Deer College in Alberta also has summer courses. So, yes, I encourage anyone with a serious interest to pursue whatever education they can.

Good Luck,
Joanne

[MKT Fire]

Hey Onion Im in the same problem as you. I live in Kingston ontario and There are NO COURSES IN CANADA THAT TEACH SCI BLOWING! Even Sheridan, red deer and that shool in Montreal will not teach it, your best bet is to save money and go the the states or try and get and apprenticeship (shich is hard to do), try and contact a sci glassblower close to you for advise.

P.S. a guy up and LA Sall Sci Blowing in Guelph told me he'd Hire anyone on the spot who just came ou tof school for sci blowing

[Brian Newman]

Craig Nagami at LaSalle scientific in Guelph is worth applying for a job with, even without the schooling.

[Islandglass Man]

Your right Brian
The best way to learn scientific glassblowing techniques is to work in a shop that makes apparatus. There are no courses that will teach you how to glen information and techniques from experienced scientific glassblowers. Just leave attitude at the door and information will flow.

Once you learn the techniques then you have to learn how to use them to assemble items. The big market is repairing broken apparatus this saves the customer money and puts product back in service. This is where the money is today but you first have to know how to disassemble an item and then rebuild it. That is where time and experience comes into play.

Canada has some outstanding scientific glassblowers if you want to find them or jobs join the American Scientific Glassblowers Society. The Canadian sections have meetings at universities and shops through out the year.


Bear

"You gotta pay your dues before you sing the blue"

[Brian Newman]

I wrote down Craig's number at LaSalle for you when I was at the shop today.
(519)824-7301 or (519)824-7091

[onion]

i think my plan as it stands is to have a look into the sheridan program, and explore as many avunues as i can. i definately dont want to live in the us. you guys sure got some good advice tho.

[MKT Fire]

I asked Crai'g about it earlier but he said they already had another apprentice on hand.

[tristanr]

not to change the subject but why the strong dislike of the US onion ?

[onion]

i just wouldnt want to be in a place where my glass is considered illegal. that being said i have friends in oakville, and im getting myself geared up to apply next year to sheridan. thanks for the info tho everybody!

[Brian Newman]

Technically, it is illegal here, but it is tolerated.

[onion]

canada?
*edit* oops haha yeah, i realise the practical situation, but i just really have a problem with the american government and basicly everything they stand for, so living there would defintely be a down for me even though practically its just as nice as living anywhere else i guess.

[Brian Newman]

I agree. Also, they wouldn't let me in. I have a 13 year old conviction for posession of LSD.

[MKT Fire]

Sheridan won't allow you to make pipes either, plus their flameworking classes do not teach much in the way of tourch blown work, neither dose red deer. But it still is a good course and the teachers are great.

You will heve to ask Brad Sherwood, one of the flameworking teachers, for extra help cause sci blowing is not in the curriculum.

[onion]

i dont want to learn to make pipe, i make pipes. all i want to do is expand my glass knowledge and work with different forms of the medium. I most wanted to learn some sci work, because the technical aspect of glass gives me the willies. defintely a perfectionist thing

[MKT Fire]

If thats the case then go to Sheridan cause their furnace and kiln forming facilities are pretty good. I know way to many people who went to Sheridan and came out happy, I almost went there myself (not for glass)