Hello Lightning Tamers,
Percy Here! It’s a last-minute push for my class at Urban Glass coming up on July 30th! I got word just 2-days ago that enrollment for my class is low, but fear not, there are still 3 seats remaining! This is my first time teaching at Urban, as such even if we don’t fill those classes, they want to support my class!
You see in the last few years I’ve been learning from and teaching with a variety of plasma and glass artists, and I want to honor and share the knowledge and guidance of the pioneers in the field who have helped me develop my work and share with the growing community!
In this class we will be learning about glass solder, or rather an enamel used kiln-fired glass solder for plasma sculpture, which I have learned from and taught with ED Kirshner. This a nice entry point for anyone, those with very little experience with glass and those who have many years working with glass. This means that you can take ready-made glass, blown glass, or kiln-formed glass and make some amazing plasma sculptures.
This is a workshop, which means we are in a co-learning environment, together we can explore new possibilities!
I hope to see you in there!
Lightning in ANY Bottle: Creating Plasma Sculptures with Glass Solder
Percy Echols II
Kiln Shop & Plasma
UrbanGlass
Dates: July 30th-Aug 3rd, 2024
Tuition: $1375.oo
Eligibility
No Plasma, Glass, Coldworking, or Kilnworking experience required. Open to ages 14 and up.
Go beyond neon. Learn the magic of sculpting with light and glass forms using gas plasma, and capture Lightning in a bottle!
In this class, you’ll explore stacking readymade glass and using kilnfired enamel as a solder to create your own plasma light sculpture. New to glass? Create your sculpture with found glass vessels like vases, bottles, cups, and bowls. Have some experience in glass making? Bring your own handmade cups, vessels, and blown sculptures and light them up with a mesmerizing and dynamic plasma light. This class will utilize the equipment in the Cold Shop to cut, drill, and grind your readymade glass. Harness the power of the kiln to fire your work together, and use the neon/plasma manifold to fill it with gas, where we will be lighting them up using specialized power supplies.
Kiln-fired Glass Solder in courtesy of the Wisdom, Knowledge, and Exploration by Ed Kirshner
What to Expect
Students are required to bring at least 3-4 sets of glasses or vessel to work with.
- This can include blown glass work and sculptures with an opening made with a tungsten hole or as large as 12mm in diameter.
- Students are expected to be able to walk away with 1-2 filled sculptures, a transformer, and power supply.
- The class will be a mix of:
- Demonstration with coldworking equipment, how to apply the solder, and use of phosphor powders.
- Lectures for knowledge and review,
- Class time use for worktime and setting up kilns for firing.
Read more about how to prepare for class on our Registration Info page.
Meet your Instructor
Percy Echols II
Percy Echols II is a Pittsburgh-based glass artist, alchemist, and educator who pioneers the development of neon and plasma light art at the Pittsburgh Glass Center and is the creator and host of the podcast Taming Lightning. He considers his practice that of alchemy, creating plasma light sculptures, through the technical and artistic expressions of glassblowing with the alchemical and scientific application of electrified gases. His curiosity encourages the exploration of interactivity and subjects that benefit from plasma illumination.
Website: www.percyechols.com
Instagram: @glass.percy
Instagram: @taminglightning
