Cold working with Kirstie Rea

Coldworking, as it sounds, is changing the shape or surface texture of glass using tools and processes that do not rely on heat. Coldworking methods include grinding, carving, engraving, polishing, sandblasting, and other techniques to give your work a professional finish. Learn the basics of coldworking with glass artist and coldworking expert Kirstie Rea. Kirstie will take the class through the proper use of each coldworking machine at Blue Dog Glass. Students will also be set projects that will allow them to learn how to cut, grind, drill and work the surfaces of glass to various finishes from heavily textured to high polish.  All materials are included in this workshop.

Please click here to see the terms and conditions and safety for this class

Having established her studio in 1987, following her graduation from the Glass program at the Canberra School of Art, Kirstie has over the past 27 years continued to develop her practice to become internationally recognised and respected for her works in glass.

She has exhibited widely internationally and her work has been included in numerous Australian Glass survey shows. Kirstie has had solo exhibitions in Australia, the USA, New Zealand and Hong Kong and her work is now included in international collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the National Gallery of Australia and the Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung Foundation in Munich Germany.

Kirstie was a staff member of the Glass Workshop, Australian National University from 1987 -2003, and was the inaugural Creative Director at the Canberra Glassworks, Australia between November 2006 to February 2008. She has taught in her field of kiln formed glass and cold working techniques across the world since 1987. These teaching venues include Pilchuck Glass School USA, the Corning Studio, USA, Pittsburgh Glass Centre, USA, North Lands Creative Glass in Scotland and Vetroricerca School in Bolzano Italy.

Between  2003 – 2005 Kirstie served on the Board of Directors for the Glass Art Society (USA) and was closely involved in the organisation and running of three international glass conferences. She also served on the Board of Directors of Ausglass and was a co chair for the 14^th biennial Ausglass conference Open House, held  in January 2008.

In 2009 Kirstie received the Ausglass Honorary Life Membership Award for her contribution to the education of glass in Australia.