Glass & Gas Plasma Sculpture

ED KIRSHNER

Glass and Gas Plasma Sculpture
Go beyond neon! Learn the magic of sculpting with light in glass forms using gas plasma. Capture the Aurora Borealis in a bottle.
This class is for beginning to advanced students who would like to create glass sculptures with dynamic light. While experience with neon and glass would be most beneficial, some of the techniques covered are intended to be usable by beginners. The course will serve as an introduction to the use of glass and gas plasma. Students will learn how to create glass containers for gas plasma, how to pump plasma pieces on a modified Neon manifold, and the electronics involved in plasma sculpture. While many kinds of studio blown, cast and flameworked glass vessels will be used, a central focus of the class will be the creation of suitable containers from manufactured glass objects. A uniquely developed glass solder will be demonstrated that enables even the beginner to create mesmerizing glass with plasma light sculptures. Students will be expected to complete at least two sculptures incorporating plasma.

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Ed Kirshner

Ed Kirshner of Oakland, California, was born in New York City in 1940. He studied architecture and sculpture at Cornell University, the University of California at Berkeley and the Oskar Kokoschka School of Vision in Austria. After thirty years of developing and financing social housing, he returned to study art at the California College of the Arts in Oakland, as well as at Pilchuck and Corning glass schools and Northlands Creative Glass in Scotland. Combining his interests in science and art, Ed developed several new and unique techniques in glass and illuminated gas plasma over the past ten years. His sculptures have been exhibited throughout the USA, as well as in Taiwan, Japan, Austria and Australia. His glass and plasma work, "Cone of Chaos," was a Corning Glass selection and is included in Corning's recent book, "25 Years of New Glass Review." His work is represented in prestigious private collections and has been show in such public venues as the International Terminal at the San Francisco Airport. One of Ed's major goals is to share his knowledge and techniques with others in order to help advance plasma as an important sculptural medium. Towards this end, he has taught his unique art in workshops in the USA, Asia and Europe and is on the faculty of the Crucible Fire Arts School in Oakland. He is also a Trustee and the Treasurer of the Museum of Neon Art (MONA) in Los Angeles. www.aurorasculpture.com

* An additional US$20 registration fee is charged during application

** The amount of deposit to be paid is US$320