Comments on: Guest Blogger: Glass as tourist attraction (Part II)

By: Katie Katz

Katie Katz — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:18:48 +0000

I completely agree with Benjamin Cobb’s statement, “all the while educating the public, is a win-win situation.” At our glass blowing studio, our customers have a better understanding of the process, and become more aware of the technical challenges to create hand blown glass sculpture.

By: Emma Camden

Emma Camden — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 01:43:06 +0000

I believe Douglas (who by the way is NOT a curator in Whanganui) was trying to make a more profound statement about the lack of quality and desperate need for critical discussion within the New Zealand glass fraternity. I live in Whanganui myself, I understand Douglas’ worries. For me, we have gone down the road of self-promotion without genuine thought of a long-term direction of promoting thoughtful work.

By: Lisa-Jane Harvey

Lisa-Jane Harvey — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:01:25 +0000

I wanted to add that I own a lampworking studio up in Auckland and for the last three years myself and a fellow artist book our leave and head down to Wanganui for the festival. We find it inspiring and you are correct the vision of hot glass and participation is mostly why we come down there.

We are glass artists who for that week become tourists and we love it. We hope to expand our group and have a few more tag along with us to make it an event and road trip.

Educating the public will only create discerning consumers, the more the general public knows about quality the better it will be for our artists to manage their pricing structure.