The colourful world of glass
GLASS-blowing techniques perfected by Phoenicians and Romans in the Mediterranean region over two millennia ago were recently demonstrated at a new, state-of-the-art workshop in Girne.
Cyprus Today met two instructors, vice-rector Professor Lale Dilbaş and Assistant Professor Ayşenur Ceren Asmaz, at the Arkın University of Creative Arts and Design (Arucad) to document the magical art.
The new workshop includes areas for glassblowing, working with a propane gas-gun, creating stained glass and a kiln room.
Turkish experts Emir Özkaya and Ecem Küpeli fired-up the furnace to 1,200˚C for a one-hour demonstration.
Mr Özkaya explained that colours changed after gradual cooling in a kiln and that fans were used in place of air-conditioning to avoid cracking.
After refining the shape of a glass bulb, he returned it to the furnace before his colleague dipped the molten material into heaps of different coloured glass for reheating.
The two experts worked side by side as one rolled the glass bulb in white powdered glass while the other blew, shaped and elongated it.
Further layers of coloured glass were added consecutively, with frequent reheating, smoothing and blowing before the base was secured with liberal dabs of powered glass and returned to the furnace.
“Neck” shapes were teased out with a scissorlike tool and attached to the base for firing and cooling before they were tapped off the steel rods.
After deft rotation to expand a hole and continued reheating, smoothing, shaping and turning, the piece was finished with a final spin to thin and widen it into a plate.
Arucad Rector Professor Turan Aksoy said: “Our doors are open to anyone seeking to discover the colourful world of glass, show their creativity and execute designs.”
Workshops will be held for beginners up to the level of professional artists and designers, along with certificate courses.
Customised products made by using hot glass, glass-blowing, glasscasting and fusion techniques can also be tailored to individual and corporate designs.
For more information, visit http://www. arucad.edu.tr or call Gizem Kaya on 0533 850 9656.