Art majors at Ball State are finally able to experience the new art center they had been hearing about all last semester. The Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass is open and currently housing art students while they learn to work with hot glass.
Janna Abbott, a senior art education major, is enrolled in the glass blowing class.
"I'm excited that we are the first class because it's just been fun, it's really experimental and the professors are really easy-going about everything," Abbott said.
Abbott first heard Ball State would be getting a glass program at the end of last semester through professors. Since then, students have been excited to be involved. Abbott said the students love the atmosphere, and a lot of the equipment has never been used.
She said she was nervous at first to learn to work with the hot glass and the professors warned the students not to wear clothes with high polyester content.
"We spent the first three to four classes strictly on safety and what to do in case of emergency and working with partners," Abbott said. "I definitely feel safe as far as this point goes."
Megan Gross, a junior art major, said the glass blowing class is a great way for art students to broaden their skills in art even if it does not specifically apply to what a student is going for.
"I think learning different art forms is important. You can take inspiration from another art form and apply it to what you are doing," Gross said.
Gross is not enrolled in the glass blowing course now, but she wants to take the class to see what it is about.
"Most art majors will probably want to take the class because it's something new and something else to learn about our field," Gross said.
Gross said she thinks the glass blowing class will attract more three-dimensional art majors, but all art majors have become interested in the experience.
The Glick Center also offers lab time for students to finish their projects on their own time. This aspect is very helpful to art students because they do much of their projects outside of class time. Gross said most art students will spend anywhere from nine to 15 extra hours a week working on projects.
Abbott said she has already taken advantage of the lab to work on perfecting her skills in gathering the glass, which is where someone opens the kiln door and takes out the hot glass with special utensils to roll the glass into a shape.
"There are a lot of people that want to take the class. Most art majors will probably just take the class for fun to see what it is about," Gross said. "They could learn something out of it they might not expect."
Ball Bearings Online: More information about glass blowing and an audio slideshow at ballbearingsonline.com/feature.php?id=95
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