Born to Bead – Making Beads of Distinction

I’ve just received word that they are planning the 2009 Wanganui glass festival and we will be hearing the details sooner than later. This year they are also looking to include a jazz music festival. I would like to propose us hiring a van and have a retreat with a few of us. I’ll work on costings and see what packages we can come up with for us to share the drive down. There will be workshops available as well for those who wish to try their hand at glass fusing with David Traub, and hot glass at Chronicle glass studios.

Here’s what happened at the 2008 glass festival, great fun! had by all.

2008 Wanganui Glass Festival…
Year on year the Wanganui Glass festival is growing not just in size but in quality and experience. I absolutely LOVED the festival this year. My friend (Helen Moore from Moore beads) decided to take a road trip to the festival and see what it was all about. Following a somewhat late night and pickled celebratory evening after the NZGBA first (very successful) opening evening of our 2008 Wearable Glass Exhibition; Helen and I hopped into the car at 06h30 and headed down to Wanganui. The trip by Wises standards should have taken an approximate 6hrs, we managed to stretch that to 9hrs. Such a glorious day of sunshine and cloudless skies we were greeted halfway by the magnificent Mt Ruhapehu and had to stop for a few hours on the mountain. catching the shuttle up as we weren’t sure of the roads Helen and I bought tourist passes and faffed in the snow like real Jaffa’s boots and all.

The whole main street has glass artists exhibited in shop windows, everyone of note from Katie Brown to David Traub, Dominic Burrell, Karen Ellett, Greg Hall, Lyndsay Patterson, Brendon Sole, Rachel Ravenscroft, Mark Rolinson, Larinae Steward and our very own Donna Sole. The list was extensive too many literally to mention here and with that alone I was very impressed. Not to mention the beautiful town of Wanganui! Tulips and blossom trees lining the streets, fantastic cafes with delightful decor, boutique shopping that would appease the average Jaffa appetite and an ambiance of peace and happiness. Not once did we feel threatened so all those who warned us about dangerous Wanganui have yet to experience Danger Danger in Whangarei.

We had the pleasure of attending UCOL’s student exhibit and regretted missing the opening ceremony at Chronicle Glass studio.

This is a festival not to be missed next year and I urge you if ever you played with marbles and grew a love for glass objects you simply cannot miss this festival next year.