Murano, November 2006 & June 2005 Study Trips

Murano, November 2006 - Winter

I was fortunate to celebrate my 40th birtday present in Murano, Italy. As usual, my trip was filled with lampworking classes ! I did a 6 day class with Lucio Bubacco with Doretha (a beading buddy from US who was in my 2005 class). It was an amazing class, as we understood much more of the magic of glass. What is possible and what is not in the large flameworked creations. Lucios amazing art work is so inspiring ! It was interesting seeing Murano in the summer (last year) and spring-winter season this year.

Murano, Italy. Foggy morning in November 2006.

View across the bridge to the front of Lucio studio, Murano.

Santa Maria de La Salute Church.

An amazing lamp made by Lucio .

Sculptures made by Lucio.

Pegasus, Doretha was happy to take him home.

Class demo pieces.

Samples of jewellery for sale in a Murano shop front.

Murano, June 2006 - Summer

26 June 2005, well I am back to reality ... I have had the time of my life the past 2 weeks. My first lampworking class with 3 of the legendary Corina Tettinger, Kimberly Affleck and Lucio Bubacco in Murano !! I learnt so much and would never forget this fabulous experience !! Corina with her amazing stringer control, Kimberly who made me look at colours as not mere colours but the possibilities within ... and of course ... Lucio the Maestro, I prefer calling him the Magician ... watching him create his romantic or erotic situation masterpieces was like being put under a magical spell ! His creation comes to life as you watch ...

The experience was really extra-ordinary, imagine thrown together with other bead fanatics and living and breathing glass from 9am to midnight for eight solid days. Glass Heaven - no phones, computers, cars, traffic, kids, husbands; just beads and hot molten glass, beautiful weather, lovely food and fellow glass addicts for company. An amazing high for self confessed glass addicts.

I also visited the glass factories of Effetre and Vetrofond and raided their lolly shop :)) Just as well I do not do this too often .. it was very easy to accumulate hundred of kilos of glass in 30 minutes ... lucky hubby was not there :) As a lampworker, I am always attracted by colours and this was my opportunity to do so.

I caught the Murano Fever ... fell in love with it and did not want to come back home .. I wished I had hubby & my babies with me & I would have definitely stayed ! lol The weather was perfect 25C most days, cool nights, perfect for al fresco dining.

I stayed a few more days to sight see Venice and even went to Burano , a gorgeous, quaint little island famous for its lace and colourful house.

Murano, Italy. Path outside the apartment.

We go across this bridge to get to Lucios studio.

Romantic Murano at dusk

Colonna -the main tourist drag .. expensive glass galleries .

Boat ride to Venice. Beautiful shops, restaurants and romantic & historic buildings

Venice- a must for any romantic.

Boat ride to Venice. Beautiful shops, restaurants and romantic & historic buildings

Venice- a must for any romantic.

One of the more luxurious gondola ..

Chocolate croissant and cappucino brekkie ! Yummmm !!

Lucio in collaboration with furnace glass maestri making the worlds biggest bead. We were lucky enough to witness the worlds biggest necklace in the making .. this was the first bead.