FEBRUARY 20-21 IS TIME TO FINALLY MEET WITH GLASS

If you've been planning to visit The Glass Furnace for a long time and dreaming of creating something wonderful with glass. This weekend is the right time. Apply now
Introduction to Glassblowing - Camekan
Students will learn the basics of blowing and manipulating glass. They will then create simple glass objects.
Beadmaking - Ahmet Özdeniz
During the two days workshop, participants will learn the basic skills: how to make well round glass beads and then decorate them with dots and flowers.
Kilncasting - Ebru Susamcıoğlu
The participants will first focus on preparing their own clay forms and then make molds of them. The colored glasses will be placed in the molds and then they all will be kiln fired.

"asanni glass hearts"

                        

AVIVA WAS AT THE GLASS FURNACE

One of the leading insurance companies, AVIVA, visited The Glass Furnace campus last week with a group of 8. The group, including general director and vice general directors, tried out fusion and beadmaking techniques gaining beautiful results, and had the chance to watch glassblowing production.

Christmas is Coming!

                        

3-DAYS WORKSHOP FROM ANDREA GUARINO

Andrea Guarino will be visiting Glassfurnace on 19th- 21st and 24th- 26th March you don't miss the special education !!
Please click for details.

Learn Glass in an International Environment
Two week Intensive Course Program!

The Glass Furnace announces 2010 course program and invites you to its international environment for two weeks of art, glass, nature and Istanbul! At the Glass Furnace, students have a chance to work with world renowned glass artists and masters while creating unforgettable memories. They stay in the fully equipped modern campus located less than an hour from the city center and five minutes from the shores of the Black Sea. The Glass Furnace is an international school which aims to provide intercultural sharing of glass. We are proud to inform that there were students from different countries in the 2009 course program. The countries were; Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Dutch Antilles, Germany, Greece, Iran, Irland, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and USA.

TULIN AKGUL, "YUZLESME/ANKARA" EXHIBITION IN R.D.ART GALLERY

Glass sculpture exhibition "Yuzlesme/Ankara" by artist Tülin Akgül can be viewed in R.D. Art Gallery in Ankara between 14-30 December 2009. Akgul, who also previously worked with artists such as Rene Culler, Ed Schmit, Petr Novotny, Tim Shaw and Ben Wright in The Glass Furnace Foundation, works in her own studio on kiln casting and sculptures. To obtain more information about the artist, please visit www.sircafanus.com; for details on the exhibition, visit www.rdartgaleri.com

A NEW VISIT FROM STUDENTS OF YEDITEPE UNIVERSITY

The Glass Furnace Foundation and Yeditepe University students are getting closer. 2nd year students of Yeditepe University, Department of Art and Design (in Italian) visited our foundation on December 7 and had the opportunity to examine glass closely. Visiting all the units in our facility, the young students gained information on workshops and glass shaping techniques and left with appreciation and satisfaction.

The Glass Furnace is the Center of Attention of Young Designers-to-be

Our guests on the 25th of November were the students from Yeditepe University, Department of Industrial Product Design. The group, including some students who had previously worked with glass or had information on it, watched the beadmaking and glassblowing works, received the answers to their questions on glass in the workshops and were informed by our courses briefly. Thus, one more step has been taken in getting to know future designers of Turkey.

Atelier of "Enameling" with Umut Demirguc

Umur Demirguc keep teaching "enameling" at Glass furnace under the name "Atelier of Enameling". We have passed a cheerful week-end during last workshop(07.11-08.11) with local students and students from out of Istanbul. If you would like to join these workshops, you may follow the dates on our web page.

Glassworks inspired from the Nature at Sabiha Gokcen International Airport

Location: İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport
Date: November
Camekan established its own designs of glassworks inspired from the nature at Sabiha Gokcen International Airport. 50 pieces of Glass in form of grass which are exposed in VIP, presidential and ministers halls have admired by all vistors.( longest piece=1.50 cm)

The Bee's of Glass at The Glass Furnace Istanbul

The 3 artists working with the honey like texture of flowing hot glass compare themselves to bees and they are introducing their studio; their "kingdom" to Istanbul.
The Bee Kingdom by 3 Canadian glass artists and respectable glass artist Feleksan Onar will be at The Glass Furnace with their amazing glass blowing shows and lectures for glass fonders in weekends 3rd-4th October.

News from Session 8 workshops

In the hot shop all participants are working on modern designs for evil eye, in torch work studio they are creating cosmic flowers for a crazy garden, cold work studio is working on a sculpture for awards in glass. So if you are curious about what's going on here, check our photo gallery because this saturday all works will be presented in the exhibition as the end of the session8.
Please click for the gallery!.

World Known Artists, Designers from Turkey in the Glass Furnace

This weekend we were honored by world known artists, designers from Turkey for the workshop "Glass Ideas" in Glass Furnace. Can Yalman, Koray Özgen, Tanju Özelgin, Ali Bakova, Aykut Erol, Alper Böler, Gamze Güven, Oya Akman, Derin Sarıyer, Tüzüm Kızılcan, are the participants who had a chance to stay over weekend and attend different workshops such as glass blowing, bead making, lamp working, kiln casting and fusion. In this event they were expected to design glass objects for Glass Furnace by learning and seeing different forms of glass. There will be an auction for the first prototypes by their original signatures on October.
Please click for the gallery!

NEW 3 DAY WORKSHOPS BY JELVEH JAFERIAN!

Jelveh Jaferian will be visiting Glass Furnace on 27 th of September and she will be the master of bead making long term session till 10th of October. She announced she will be able to give short term (3 days long) courses as well.
Please click for details.

DORA SCHUBERT Session 7 Beadmaking Workshop Started

DORA SCHUBERT session 7 bead making workshop started with 8 participants. She started to teach every basic technique and mix all the techniques to make great beads with a very small flame. They learned how to make bead lines thinner than 1mm for decorating the beads. At the end of the course our participants aims to make their detailed geometric designs on the beads.

ETSUKO NISHI PREPARED SUSHI FOR HER STUDENTS!

We are so honored and happy to have Etsuko Nishi, lecturer in Osaka Art University, for the second time in Glass Furnace. She started using glass in the early 1980s, and made square and planar objects. In the beginning, African textiles and traditional American quilts influenced her work. The qualities, which she wanted to translate from fabric into glass, were softness and tenderness. Later on, she created translucent three-dimensional objects, which allowed the transmission of faint and soft light, movement, and an impression of gentleness. The second source of inspiration for her was a diatretum, a Roman cage cup dating from the 4 th century, in which the inner shell was made of transparent glass enclosed by a free-standing outer cage of interlocking rings of colored glass, creating an amazing effect as if the inner bowl is floating in the air. Our students who were intriqued by this tecnique, gave all their attention to learn from the master. A total of 6 students attended this course, one from US, the rest from Turkey. Jane, our student from US, told us that when she found out that there was a last minute vacant spot for Etsuko's course, she jumped at the opportunity and was lucky enough to find a plane ticket to Istanbul. She states that this has been a great opportunity to learn the tecnique from world famous artist, as well as having a chance to visit great historical places in Istanbul. In one of the social activities, Etsuko prepared sushi dinner as a suprise for her students. Staying at the Glass Furnace provides students with a time to learn, a time to relax, chat and share their glass and life experiences.

SESSION 6 GLASS BLOWING TWO WEEK PROGRAM

Stephen has been at Alfred University for the past 20 years building the program into the largest glass program in the U.S. He is a full professor at Alfred University and co-founder or the National Casting Center at Alfred University specializing in casting high temperature metals and glass.We have 9 students attending to his course, some from Alfred University Fine Arts Faculty , two from Turkey. Selin Basmacı who is learning industrial design in London says that to have these courses in glass furnace gave her a great view for working and designing with glass. In this two week program our students also had a chance to see Istanbul. Glass Furnace social assistant Merve prepared them a tour which they saw famous places such as, Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia Museum, Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower and great Bosphorus.

THE FIRST TEACHING EXPERIENCE OF CAM OCAGI'S FIRST STUDENTS

One of our first hot glass students Yasemin Sayinsoy & Gamze Araz Eskinazi shared their hot glass knowledge in a workshop, on the 18th & 19th of July. In this daily program the students saw how things happen in a hot glass studio. The group met with all hot glass materials & equipments, learned how to gather the liquid form of glass from the furnace with the help of the blowing pipe and than enjoyed blowing their first breath in glass. They were so excited about making their first glass marbles with their own hands. After while having lunch by the river Riva everyone had a chance to share their experiences. At the end of the day, the student’s minds were full of good memories, and they were curious about their first glass pieces, which they will be able to get at their next visit to the Cam Ocagi (Glass Furnace). If you want to have such an experience with hot glass, please gather your friends and call 0090 216 433 3693 and make an appointment.
Please click for the gallery!

Andrea Guarino

A few days ago, The Glass Furnace hosted Andrea Guarino,the famous beadmaking artist who is known all over the world.She demonstrated her design of glass beads mixed with coloured glass sticks in different styles.At the end of workshop,allparticipants stated that they admire the glass furnace and they will subscribe to our other workshops.

Emma Biggs

Emma Biggs, the famous artist, revealed her secrets of perfect outcome with limited materials in order to improve skills of experienced mosaic fanciers from different regions of the world. Participants are requested to complete at least one project during the week, and they reinforced their knowledge with small applications. Besides an intensive workshop, Glass Furnace rendered possible for its students to beacquainted with each othet by sightseeing over Riva River and Istanbul's fabulous historical structure.
At the end of a cheerfu week, we saw our lovely guests off with experiences through their path of unlimited productivity of art.

IKEA

Last week, Glass Furnace take on the mission of assembling employees of Ikea Turkey's franchisees with a different activity. After a welcome coctail at Agora, they witnessed to the berth of glass demonstrated by Mr İzzet Overman. Our quest replied to our question on their intentions of success in 2010 by,creating figures at the fusion studio. They kept the glass beads that they made therir own, as a memory of their journey. After creative activities, all employess attended the day with a meeting and subsequently, they had good times at the barbeque party along with Riva River accompanied by DJ.
Please click to visit the images of the activity.

Mosaic Workshop by Oğuzhan Tuğrul

The Glass Furnace hosted glass and mosaic artist Oğuzhan Tuğrul for two days mosaic workshop. During two days, the participants not only learned the technique but created their designs in this technique. On the other hand, participants of the beadmaking class by Ahmet Özdeniz made colorful glassbeads. At the end of the all workshop, all participants enjoyed taking their own work with them.

They Admired The Glass Furnace…

The Glass Furnace has hosted very imported guests from different countries. Director of Crisform from Portugese Avelino Sousa Lopez, Hotshop Program Manager Steve Gibbs from Corning Museum of Glass-USA, Benjamin Moore’s wife Deborah and her friends have visited The Glass Furnace during their İstanbul trip. They had the opportunity to see about our activities and to watch our workshops. They were also informed of our activities and contribution to the Turkish glass art. They enjoyed their day at our campus and it was our honor to host them in the Glass Furnace.

Raku Workshop At The Glass Furnace

Sara Aji-one of the famous ceramic artists-and her students visited The Glass Furnace again as they did at last year. They've had the chance to apply Raku which is a traditional Japanese ceramic technique. Sara Aji and her students enjoyed their day at The Glass Furnace.

The Glass Furnace Experience by Clare Jenner

Mosaic student Clare Jenner shares her impressions about our school and the course she took from mosaic artist Emma Biggs in 2008. She also invites potential mosaic students to have a fun experience this year. She says: Attending the 2008 Mosaic Course wasn't all about WORK! Alot of fun was had and friendships were made, with The Glass Furnace providing a beautiful base from which to sample the local culture. As the school was full, not only did I meet some truly talented mosaicists but glass blowers and bead makers, Masters and students and some wonderful Turkish people as well... Please click to view the whole page.

Apply to Learn Glass at The Glass Furnace!

Applications for 2009 intensive courses still continue! We invite you to spend your two weeks full of glass, nature and friendship on our unique green campus. Last year was fun with all students and artists from 22 countries. Participants not only joined classes and learned techniques but also discovered the timless city Istanbul. We are sure that this year will be the most fun of ever with new glass artists and courses. Glass experience, friendships and great memories are awaiting you at The Glass Furnace! Please click for program, details and application.

The Glass Furnace at Frankfurt Ambiante Fair

The Glass Furnace participated in Ambiante Fair in Frankfurt, Germany between February 13-17. Through the support of the Fair management, we had the chance of distributing our brochures, publicizing workshops and activities during the Fair. Our students Tülin Akgül and Gülin Algül were also at the booth and helped us to give information about our school and courses for potential students. Please click to view the photos of the Fair.

Fusing Studio by Heyecan Ural

The Glass Furnace hosted glass and stained glass artist Heyecan Ural for two day fusing workshop. During two days, the participants not only learned the technique but created their designs in this technique. On the other hand, participants of the beadmaking class by Ahmet Özdeniz made colorful glassbeads. At the end of the all workshop, all participants enjoyed taking their own work with them.

The Glass Works by Turkish Glass Artists at The Finnish Glass Museum

Finnish Glass Museum in Riihimaki, Finland hosts glass works of Turkish glass artists between February 6 - April 12, 2009. The contributing glass artists Altan Sungar, Ebru Susamcıoğlu, Erkin Saygı & Ruhcan Topaloğlu (The Glass Atelier), Gamze Araz Eskinazi & Yasemin Sayınsoy (Camekan), Gülden Demir, Felekşan Onar, Meral Değer, Oya Akman and Yasemin Aslan Bakiri came together with Finnish glass artists at the opening reception where it received high attraction of press and artlovers. The glass exhibition by The Glass Furnace and the sponsorship of Bottle and Glass Factory (Şişe ve Cam Sanayi AŞ) and valuable contributions of TR Helsinki Embassy and The Turkish Airlines underlines the improvement of the art of glass in Turkey.
Please click to view the photos of the exhibition.

The Glass Furnace at The Report-Turkey 2009 Magazine of OBG

Two page article about The Glass Furnace was published on The Report - Turkey 2009 Magazine of Oxford Business Group with the title of "Keeping Tradition Alive". The article mentions about the facilities, courses and the campus of The Glass Furnace as well as the glass history of Turkey. The article says: At The Glass Furnace, you can detach yourself from the sounds and stresses of everyday life and coax out your creative side. And that's exactly what The Glass Furnace is for - the single-minded dedication to the glass arts such as glassblowing, fusion or beadmaking. Please click to read the whole article.

Gerry King: The School Has All Ingredients of a Great Experience

Gerry King, Australian glass artist and who periodically teaches at The Glass Furnace mentions about our school on Glasshous/Glasshouse Magazine, the issue of 4/2008. In his article, he says: The Glass Furnace has all the ingredients of a great experience; good equipment, wonderful hospitality, interesting cultural insights, staff and students from around the world but there is something extra. Hard to identify, perhaps it's an amalgamation of the above plus the improbability of a glass school sited in the countryside, which also has a hand-production factory. Embodying aspects of many cultures, Turkey is a land of contrast. Principally Muslim, aspects of society are more liberal than in many countries. It has the most modern of electronics, yet next to the school shephards tend flocks while it thrives although there are few professional contemporary glass artists in the country. Perhaps, the contrasts are key to the special nature of this experience.

The Weekend was Hot

The third weekend of January was hot through glassblowing and kilncasting workshops. During two days, all participants enjoyed making their own work in studios of kilncasting by Ebru Susamcıoğlu and glassblowing by İzzet Özdemir. The glassblowing workshop was organized for a private group and the glass was shaped in their hands. The young participants of kilncasting studio also stayed on the green campus and this was a great activity for their semester break. At the end of the weekend, they were glad to have their works with them.

New Year Party with Our Participants

The Glass Furnace celebrated The New Year with all its two days and two weeks workshop participants on Sunday, December 21. We all came together through the exhibition by following students between 11:00 -15:00. We all had new friendships as well as fun! We are planning to make this exhibition again in spring with more students. Exhibition participants were Altan Sungar, Ayşe Seferoğlu, Banu Oyman, Burcu Tansuğ, Felekşan Onar, Gamze Araz Eskinazi, Gaye Döşer, Giray Ertaş, Gülin Algül, İlknur Akbay, Lale Özer, Meral Değer, Nilgün Saraçoğlu, Pınar Hakim, Semrin Korkmaz, Yasemin Sayınsoy, Yıldız Çetiner.

A Glass Experience by Pfizer Corporate Relations Division

The members of Corporate Relations Division of Pfizer Turkey had a day full of glass on December 18. They first met with hotglass by blowing and turning them into vases. They then joined beadmaking and fusing workshops and made their own work. At the end of the day, they all enjoyed working with glass and having fun time at The Glass Furnace.

New Year Wishes by Children on Glass Trees

The project of "Always Green with Akmerkez" was held on 22-23-24-29 and 30 November at Akmerkez Shopping Center with the cooperation of The Glass Furnace, Camekan and Akmerkez. During the activity, children first painted soda bottles, wrote their New Year wishes and placed them inside the bottles. All the bottles then were hung togehter and turned to a New Year trees. Throughout the whole project, we hosted over 500 children and all of them were informed of the recycling process of glass. All bottles will be displayed as New Year trees until January 15, 2009 at the shopping center.
Please click to visit the images of the activity.

Children Love Glass

The Glass Furnace enjoys hosting students, children, schools to introduce the birth of glass. The students first watch the beadmaking glass demonstration and see how colored glass rods turn to glass beads. They then visit the hotshop and watch how masters blow the glass like a baloon and shape it. Students also join the fusing workshop and create their own designs as a plate or panel. The Glass Furnace invites young glass lovers to introduce this magical material during the school season.

PUM Volunteer Advisor Cees van Olst at the Glass Furnace

Cees van OlstCees van Olst, working as the volunteer advisor of PUM visited The Glass Furnace again to give advices on operations and activities of the school. During his stay on November 5-13, Olst shared his experiences with masters and also gave advices on improving the operations of The Glass Furnace. We all were pleased to host Olst and evaluate his advices.

Opportunity of Being The Representative of The Glass Furnace

The Glass Furnace invites you to be the representative of the school. Interested candidates are requested to contact us at ccanga@glassfurnace.org for details.

Students from Israel Enjoy The Glass Furnace

The Glass Furnace has the pleasure of hosting students from Israel during two week workshops. Just like the previous years, Israelite students continue to join classes including glassblowing, fusing, kilncasting and beadmaking. It is so nice to see students again at The Glass Furnace and their friends in new classes. Just like all Israelite students, Sidor Kohen in hotcasting and metal class in session 3 aggrees that The Glass Furnace is a great school to learn glass, have frienships and live the experience of Istanbul, and adds that he will continue to be at the school in coming years to continue his passion in glass.

Letter of Thanks by Consul General of The United States of America

"I would like to thank you for your kind present at the celebration of The Two Hundred Thirty-Second Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America. I really liked the piece of 'Hand for Help' by Mitchell Gaudet. Once more, on behalf of Istanbul Consulate of the United States of America, I would like to thank you for your courtesy."
Sharon A. Wiener, Consul General.

The Glass Furnace Met Glass Friends at GAS Conference

Glass Art Society (GAS) held its annual conference at Portland between June 19 - 21. We, as The Glass Furnace, came together with all our glass friends at the Conference where international glass artists, students, glass suppliers meet every year in different locations all around the world. All the participants and glass artists stated that The Glass Furnace is a great school with all its facilities. At the school presentations, we met with glass schools all around the world and had the chance of introducing our school through our presentation. We now look forward to coming together again at the GAS Conference in 2009.
Please click to view the photos of GAS Conference.

THE GLASS HAS NEVER BEEN SUCH MAGICAL

Between May 19-23, we all not only witnessed the glass art of Lino Tagliapietra but all rediscovered the magnificience of glass during five days. Lino Tagliapietra, during his five days demosntrations, underlined that the glass has no limit as far as cretaivity concerns. All audience including glass artists from all over the world, glass students, college students and glass lovers moved one step over their imagination in glass. Tagliapietra stated that the facilities are great and The Glass Furnace is the best glass school in this region. Please click to view the images of the demonstations.

The Glass Furnace Thanks to All Glass Lovers at Lino Tagliapietra's Demos
The Glass furnace would like to than for the valuable contribution and support of the following glass lovers during Lino Tagliapietra's demonstrations between May 19-23: Alametifarika, Anadolu Cam Sanayii A.S., Beck's, Bose Turkey, Cahide Erel, Glass Atelier, Camekan, Denizli Cam San. ve Tic. A.S., Elma Catering, Erhan Aras, Frito Lay, Giray Ertas, Habas Gas End. Co., Hajo Mück, Italian Culture Center, Jen Somerville, Kayra Wines, Kenan Bengü, Koleksiyon Furniture, Kugler Glass, Meral Deger, Nadia Arditti, Nejla Resen, Pasabahçe Cam San. ve Tic. A.S., Petr Novotny, Pg Art Gallery, Sara Soronoya, Shlomit Eisenstein, Telateks, Tülin Akgül, Ugur Mengenecioglu, Ulvi Boroglu, Yücel Kurttepeli'

The Unique Object of The Glass Furnace: The Whirling Glass Dervishes

The Glass Furnace since 2003 has been dedicated to unite the philosophy of Mevlana with the transparency feature of glass through the whirling glass dervishes designed by American glass artist James Minson. The great interest by artists, glass lovers and leading firms, prove how unique this glass object is. The Glass Furnace invites everyone to see the magical dance of the whirling glass dervishes in fire and how Mevlana’s philosophy exposes. The whirling glass dervishes are under the legal protection of Turkish Patent Institution.

Evil Eye Bead Making Tradition at The Glass Furnace

Traditional Evil Eye Furnace was opened on November 21, 2007 by Beykoz Lieutenant Aydın Ergün and Beykoz Mayor Muharrem Ergul. The tradition now proceeds at The Glass Furnace along with İzmir Gorece and Bead Village (Kurudere). At the Traditional Evil Eye Furnace established by valuable contributions of Altan Sungar, the bead master Ibrahim Yildirim will give one week intensive course on traditional evil eye beadmaking. The details of this workshop will be announced with our 2008 program.

A Message from Edward T. Schmid "LET'S TALK TURKEY!"

AMAZING! OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME!
I am currently teaching at the GLASS FURNACE, (CAM OCAĞI pronounced: "KAM O-JAI") roughly 1 hours drive from ISTANBUL on the Asian side, not far from the Black Sea. I am having a wonderful time & absolutely amazing teacher experience. Let me explain...

To read the whole message, please click images above...

You may visit our web page for more information on our 2006 program. Please do not hesitate to contact us from arts_education@glassfurnace.org if you have any questions.

Dale Chihuly, world's leading glass artist visited The Glass Furnace on June 24, 2006

Dale Chihuly, one of the world's leading glass artists and founders of Pilchuck Glass School visited The Glass Furnace on June 24, 2006 and participated in the cocktail party held on behalf of him. Before the cocktail party, Dale Chihuly came together with Beykoz Mayor Muharrem Ergul and masters/artists and students from session 3 of The Glass Furnace. He presented a slide show of his work and installations in all over the world to all guests.
After the slide show, he joined the cocktail party and was informed of activities of the Glass Furnace as Turkey's only glass school and its contribution to the Turkish Glass Art.
At the cocktail party, Chihuly expressed his gratitude of being at The Glass Furnace. He also stated that The Glass Furnace has great facilities, well-equipped studios, qualified masters and experienced personel. He congratulated Yilmaz Yalcinkaya, founder of the Glass Furnace for establishing such a great glass school in Turkey.
The Glass Furnce had the honor of hosting Dale Chihuly on Saturday, June 24, 2006 and is looking forward to working with him at the Glass Furnace in coming years.