Australia
My teaching style is relaxed and flexible. Each group of students is different and the content of the course, while outlined in the course description, quite often ends up reflecting the aesthetic style of the students in the course. My hopes for my students are that they learn the practical elements required to express their own creativity and create beautiful, wearable beads by the end of the course. The course is significantly practical, with a small component of glass theory and safety procedures in the first lesson, plus some extra information on glass theory and the behaviour of glass taught throughout the course. Each lesson I will demonstrate one or more new techniques, which the students will then learn and practice themselves for the rest of the lesson, adapting the technique to their own style. There is plenty of time during the course for students to undertake projects of their own if they wish, or the content can be completely guided by myself.
I have worked in glass for as long as I can remember. My mother, Jan Blum, is a very well renowned glass artist, and she introduced me to the medium. I remember my first lampwork experience when I was 8 years old – I made a glass bear which I still have and my daughter now plays with. I worked for many years in slumped glass, and while that was successful, I wasn’t completely satisfied until I discovered bead making which has filled that gap nicely with its endless possibilities – I know I will never run out of ideas.