RAGSfest 2011
An annual gathering of Art Glass Retailers for education, inspiration and recreation.
August 13th - August 19th in Omaha, Nebraska at Rainbow Artistic Glass (map).
For more information on how YOU can attend this year's RAGSfest contact:
Bonnie Wentz, Membership Chair (717) 334-0906
Denny Berkery, Vice President (608) 271-2490
History of RAGSfest
In August 2003, an historic event took place in Asheville, NC. An educational conference was held that offered a wide array of affordable classes, roundtable discussions, and social dinners. Hosted by Gary Newlin of A Touch of Glass, this was the first ever event of it's kind. Gary arranged for teachers, accommodations, restaurants, site seeing tours, travel, and scheduled everything for almost two weeks of education, cleverly disguised as fun.
What made this event unique? Only the owners of retail stained glass stores could take advantage of the opportunity. Aimed at teaching the teacher to add diversity to the class schedule and increase the bottom line, the event was conceptualized, organized, and achieved by Gary Newlin and other volunteers from Retailers of Art Glass and Supplies (RAGS), a not for profit organization for stained glass retailers.
RAGSfest 2011
(Note - If you're a member looking for the registration page, please review your emails or the web forum posts to find the registration site details.)
Whats new at RAGSfest 2011? Lots of stuff! Take a look at the classes we're offering to our members below.
We have lots of professional members sharing their teaching skills this year, supporting each other, and providing other members with the information they need to both create new projects and teach them effectively.
We've also brought in some highly sought-after names, like David Alcala (teaching Fused Sand Art Tapestry) and Tanya Veit (she makes some awesome fused art!).
Why is RAGSfest such a great event?
TEACHERS TEACHING TEACHERS
These classes are professionally taught with the object being to train you - the teachers.
The more exciting workshops a store can offer, the more customers that store will attract.
RAGSfest classes are affordable with the average cost being less than $60.00 per class day. Everyone taking a class at RAGSfest will take home a plethora of new ideas and techniques to pass along to their fortunate students in future workshops.
RAGSfest 2011 Class Details:
1-Hour Demos and Lectures
Instructor: Varies by topic.
A series of one hour demonstrations and lectures will be given by vendors or members on topics such as Website Design. The exact list will be announced at a later date.
Bead Class
Instructor: Thomas D. Friedman
Tom Friedman is a glass artist born, raised and lives in Omaha, Nebraska. He has been creating glass since 2001. Tom has studied with many of the world’s best torch work artists from around the world. With these experiences he has created his own techniques and style of wearable glass art and custom collectable marbles. Some call his art, “lampworking”, based upon the ancient and time-honored glass workers from ancient Egypt to the island of Murano outside of Venice. He refers to his modern work as “torch-worked glass”. The pendants created are uniquely original.
CRACQUEL ME UP!
Instructor: JoAnna Vitale
You will learn how to achieve the cracked look using 96 powders. Due to limited kiln space, we will complete the first firing, & you will take your fused piece home to slump in your kiln. We will discuss firing schedules, and finishing techniques. Time permitting, we will complete 2 projects.
Crash Glass
Instructor: Diann Reina
The detail of the fractured tempered glass which obscures the background and the clear plate glass which is placed over your focal point makes for a very interesting work of art. In this class you will use pictures and paper to create a collage on your substrate which will then be covered with the broken tempered glass and grouted. Each student will be instructed on how to make this project in different way but we will only make one small project, I will provide the substrate. We will also discuss the ability to do dimensional pieces using the same adhesive.
Creative Paradise
Instructor: Stephanie O'Toole, President
Stephanie will teach how to create a Ceramic Fusion piece featuring Creative Paradises Hues 2 Fuse glass enamels. Depending on time we will build two other small tiles with the Hues 2 Fuse as well to show the flexibility of the project, plus a fused glass knob and a small Drop-on Drape piece as possible.
Crystal Repair
Instructor: Jesse Baines
This class will demonstrate cold working, focusing on the repair of crystal stemware with use of the wet belt sander, and flat lap beveling machine. The class will consist of equipment overview, usage, and demonstrations, and pricing your time.
Dragonfly Crystal Pendant
Instructor: Bonnie Wentz
Create a dazzling dragonfly using Swarovski crystals and seed beads while learning right angle weaving.
Extreme Fused Glass Jewelry - Breaking All the Rules
Instructor: Tanya Veit (SPECIAL GUEST INSTRUCTOR!)
In this 2-day class, you'll learn:
- EXTREME layering and shading
- Creating landscapes
- Intricate etching techniques
- Shaping, drilling, grinding & sawing
- Using silver settings in your pieces
- Decaling to the max
- Creating frit blends
- Using Glassline paints
- Design and color theory using all techniques!
- Each student will leave with 6-9 projects
You will make gorgeous and unique pieces while learning to layer lots of dichroic glass textures and colors. You will learn etching techniques, cold working, how to effectively use 2 kinds of glass paints, frit blends, stringers, and of course, Tanya's signature decals to make gorgeous and unique jewelry. This is your chance to take your fusing to the next level.
Layered Fusing
Instructor: Margie Bolton
We will be building a 6”x6” glass block, fusing 5 layers of glass together. Each layer contains a different part of the image, with the effect after they are stacked and fuse) of dimension and depth. These pieces can be hung on a wall, hung in a window.
Layers and Layers of Glass
Instructor: Diann Reina
If you liked Nature and Glass then this is the next logical step in the use of head glass. In this class you will construct a piece that is designed to be displayed on a wall with no back lighting. The glass choice is selected so that the beauty of the glass speaks for itself. You will use head glass and rondels or found items such as agate slices to create a multi dimensional art piece. The use of sticks are not necessary in this technique but may be used if you choose.
Moroccan Style Tapestry Mosaic
Instructor: Diann Reina
This popular technique draws everyone’s attention when they walk into my studio. Both detail and simplicity are combined to create a uniquely different grout less mosaic that everyone enjoys. The use of glass, millefiori, glitter glass, dichroic glass, and jewelry items all add to give a diversity of interest to each piece. These pieces of art make great gifts for the person who has everything. We will discuss the creations of patterns and how they work together, and options of substrate that can make this a class one you can teach in ½ a day, all day, or 1 ½ days. We will use an adhesive that is colored with the DTI colorants you can get from your local wholesalers.
No Days Classes
Instructor: Vendor
An introduction and demonstration to the No-Days product, with a couple different projects:
NO Days Mosaic Coaster
Learn how to create a mosaic coaster quickly with NO Days Mosaic Adhesive Film. Use the Morton Glass Cutting Station to quickly cut glass tiles, adhere and then grout the coaster in the same session! We'll be exploring creating faux Van Gogh glass with GlueFOIL, as well.
NO Days Fused Glass Coaster
Learn how to create a coaster by fusing glass with our NO Days Liquid Fusing Adhesive and NO Days Glass Fusing Squares. This is a great project for becoming familiar with our NO Days Fusing Products. Use the No Days Fusing Adhesive Squares to secure pieces for transport from workspace to the kiln (even if it involves a car and a winding road), and create frit painted details with No Days Liquid Fusing Adhesive.
Pattern Bars Advanced Techniques
Instructor: Jesse Baines
During class, I will demonstrate several different methods of constructing pattern bars. Cutting methods, and we will layout and fuse a 10" square plate. Students will have the opportunity to build several pattern bars, try out several saws cutting them. We will focus on planning, design, and layout. During the second day of class, students will use their own pattern bars to create a 10" plate. We will cover temps for these projects, and touch on other high temp processes during class
Pattern Making for the Non-Artist
Instructor: Diann Reina
If your customers have been apprehensive about making their own patterns, or you are just looking for a new and different class to entice your customers to buy more glass then this class is for you. This class is filled with information, tips, hints, and lots of hand outs to use when you decide to teach this class in your shop (one hand out for the instructor to teach from and one handout for the students in your class). We will cover the use of a color wheel, where to get design ideas, proper measurement of the window, how to make the design fit exactly into an existing window, use of reinforcements, proper tools, use of borders, adding designs from existing pattern books or photos to include pattern adapting, combining, cropping, copying with a formula to resize to the correct size, and adding break lines. Principles of design and features to avoid will also be covered. Suggested book list will be provided for the use of design and color combination.
Powder Wafers using Stencils
Instructor: Dione Roberts
You will learn the technique of using fusible 96 powders and multiple stencils to make delicate powder wafers that you can take home and add to your next fusing product.
"Sand Art Tapestry" (Fused)
Instructor: David Alcala (SPECIAL GUEST INSTRUCTOR!)
Since the beginning of time and throughout the world, the medium of sand has been used as a natural yet mystical means of expression. Many of our fond memories might have been playing in the sand while at the beach. Perhaps we remember the calming effect we experienced as the smooth granules of sand flowed through our fingertips while we gazed upon rolling waves with the sun setting in the background. California artist, David Alcala, has capsuled all these sensations together in a new and innovating art he applicably named . . . Sand Tapestry.
The techniques and tools used in the making of a Sand Tapestry are so simple in nature, yet producing such amazing works of art one cannot believe it is created from mere grains of sand. David first developed the 7 basic techniques of Sand Tapestry while a Fine Arts Major at the University of California at Berkeley.
“The creative process of Sand Tapestry is like no other art or craft I've ever experienced as an artist, where the colors literally seem to flow and shaping techniques seem to be guided by the hands as well as the law of nature.”
His approach involves layering different colors of frit in a confined space (much like sand painting). Using only a wire stylus, David is able to achieve amazing images with a textural effect. This is a totally unique way of creating imagery in glass. Students will have the opportunity to practice the various processes before they make their own fused glass tapestry. This technique will enable you to make individual images, as well as glass that could be used as elements in finished pieces. David will also cover working his new product of flexi-glass to add additional detail to your work!
Seashell Beads
Instructor: Jackie Marr
Come explore the many variations of seashell beads. We will use twists, frits, goldstone ribbon, and silvered murrini to make at least 8 different kinds of shells. More if time allows. Customers an students love seashells. They sell well and are fun to do.
Teaching Painting to Non-Painters
Instructor: Stan Price
This class is two consecutive half-days. Each student will trace and matte a piece of clear glass over a black and white design of their choice. Note: don’t worry if you don’t understand “trace” and “matte” – that is part of what you will be learning. Sample designs will be available, or students are welcome to bring their own. The size of the project will be determined by kiln size, but estimated project size 6” x 9”. Multiple layers of paint will be applied and the piece will be fired. The second day more paint will be added to increase shadowing and design. By the end of the class, attendees should feel comfortable adding paint to any project. They will understand the products involved and the process. They will have a sample they have created and then, just remember, practice makes perfect.
Wire Wrapping - 1 Step Beyond the Dichroic Pendant
Instructor: Bonnie Wentz
Learn wire wrapping, bead stringing, & peyote “bead tube” techniques. These techniques will distinguish your pendants from all the other dichroic pendants on the market. The class will be structured to teach you how to make your jewelry more marketable and how to develop classroom techniques. Wholesale sources for products will be provided.