Enthusiasts get glassy-eyed over expo

THE Festival of Glass Expo attracted about 4,000 visitors to Drysdale’s Christian College at the weekend.

Expo visitors saw stalls on Sunday by nearly 50 glass artists and companies, entries to the Glass Art Awards, exhibitions of collectables and demonstrations of glass art techniques, from hot glass to mosaics.

Mauro Vianello – the festival’s artist in residence – delighted visitors by creating glass kangaroos and rabbits, as well as glass fish, crabs, shells and a deadly looking black glass spider.

The Expo featured the presentation of the annual Glass Art Awards, with categories including Sculptural, Wearable and Functional Glass art, as well as Best in Show and the People’s Choice Award.

The draw for the Festivals’ Treasure Hunt ran throughout the day, with treasure hunters presenting their completed forms, plunging their hand into the treasure chest to draw out a prize piece of glass art.

“Visitors to the Expo get the full glass experience,” festival convenor Doug Carson said. “They can see an amazing range of glass art, watch people demonstrating how it’s made and then sign up to classes to learn how to create glass art for themselves.”

Over the next two weeks, the festival is running three masterclasses featuring Mauro Vianello, followed by classes by four local glass artists.

For more information, head to festivalofglass.net.au or find the event on Facebook.