Campus Connection - Lighting a fire

>>>JOE CARIATI: So far what I’ve chosen to for a demonstration at RIT is include people. I have been an educator for some time in my career so I understand the benefit of basically being able to engage and grab students—so to speak—and bring them in on the floor and help me first hand. Glass blowing in particular depends on people and it’s a team effort in order to make one thing happen. So naturally it’s kind of easy to bring in students. So far their skill level and their level of attentiveness has been very, very good and impressive. >>>JOE CARIATI: So glass blowing is so technical. It’s so very difficult that it has its own set of problems and parameters that we discuss. Body mechanics, timing, attention to detail, focus, all of these things that have to happen in the moment. >>>ROBIN CASS: Our students have so much to gain from an artist like Joe because he’s a practicing designer and glass blower and he’s also been an educator in the past and worked production studios. So he can really speak to them about all their possible future plans and potential. >>>ROBIN CASS: This year the glass program has tried to really focus on artists who are accomplished designers as well as skilled makers. >>>KAREN MAHARDY: It’s been really great to have a variety of artists coming this year to visit RIT because they each have an individual way of working and individual experiences that have brought them to where they are in their professional career. Not only do we get the benefit of all their experience but can kind of pick and chose what we relate to the best and how to incorporate that into our work.