General Meeting: Annual Meeting and Torchwork: Not Just Beads

It’s hot, but the sun brings out the beautiful glass refractions we all love. Take some time to enjoy glass with others at one of the upcoming events around the region.

August 15 Guild Picnic. Fairview, OR. RSVP today for this Guild picnic hosted by Margie Rieff at her lakefront home just outside Portland. Talk glass and share good food with other glass aficionados. For the brave, Margie has a couple of kayaks and a paddle board available. Members and non-members alike are welcome to attend the picnic. Contact her at therieffs at gmail.com for the address and more details.

August 15-16 Fresh Paint Festival. Everett, WA Visit member Mel Williams’ booth, and check out the many other artists showing their work in the Schack Art Center’s big summer art show in downtown Everett. This vibrant event features over 100 artist booths, live entertainment, interactive activities, glassblowing, and more.

August 22-23 Silverton Arts Festival, Silverton, OR Guild member Kathy Kollenburn of Wildflower Fusing will be part of this juried event featuring 75 artists from around the Northwest. Find her at booth 20, under the trees in Coolidge-McClaine Park.

November 16, 2025 @ 3:30-5:00pm. Pacific Time : Via Zoom

Topic: Float Glass

You have choices! Let us introduce you to an incredible system of glass; more than what you might expect it to be. Start your journey here with us and learn about System 82 Float Glass — a system designed to make glass fusing accessible, affordable, and endlessly creative. We’ll blow the doors wide open on what’s possible with System 82, showing how its professional-grade quality, broad versatility, and approachable pricing give artists more room to create with confidence.

In this demo and talk, we’ll explore:

A clear look at what makes float different and why that difference matters for kilnforming artists

A live demo of sifting, layering, and building your own base sheets

How to harness the versatility of float for a wide range of projects and spark new inspiration

Myth-busting common misconceptions about float glass

A firing strategy that supports rather than restricts your vision

Special offers and goodies just for attendees of this session

Speaker: Lisa Stirrett of Glassy Cuts 

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7822930560?pwd=2bH5zvIVs5qGfdM10TR9g74TK83ydv.1&omn=81306757357

Take a trip out to the the Marvelous Mosaic Studio in beautiful Deer Island, Oregon on this coming weekend, February 1st or 2nd, for their Crafters’ Market. See the event listing for more details.

February 23 @ 3:30-5:00pm. Pacific Time : Via Zoom

Kick off the new year by getting your studio in tip-top shape! Join us as Mitzi Kugler unveils her custom-designed frit organizer and shares her best studio organization tips. Plus, come prepared to share your own brilliant organization hacks, ideas and challenges for taming that glass, tools, scraps, molds, and more! Let’s inspire each other to create the ultimate creative space. together!

Zoom Link

The Portland area Holiday Party is coming up fast: Saturday Dec 7th at Linda Gerrard’s in Beaverton. The fun begins at 5:00 PM and goes until about 9:00 PM.
(There’s also a potluck Holiday Brunch Dec. 15th in Seattle)

This is a not-to-be-missed event! We have an awesome potluck dinner with Linda Gerrard preparing the main course (and probably a few other things). The appetizer, salad, side dishes, libations and desserts are brought by the members in attendance. Believe me when I say, you won’t go home hungry!

Not only will you be treated to an amazing meal, there is also a very fun gift exchange. You spend no more than $25.00 for the gift, everyone randomly selects a number and the fun begins. Don’t get too attached to your awesome gift because it just might get stolen.

Please RSVP to Linda at pnwggholidayparty@gmail.com no later than Monday November 25th to get the address and additional details.

Lots happening this month:

• Nov. 10-12 join members Lael Bennett and Mari Aoki Knight and over 100 other local artists in the 35th Best of the NW art show at hanger 30 in Seattle’s Magnuson Park

• Nov. 18 Flash Play Day via Zoom since it is mostly kilnwork. It will be described in detail in next week’s November Newsletter

• Nov. 18-19 Members Shirley Bishop and Charlene Hale and about 14 more artists in a variety of media are looking forward to seeing you on this 4 studio tour. See WashougalStudioArtists.org for more info. (Washougal is NE of Portland on the north side of the Columbia River).

• Nov. 18-19 Member Ann Cavanaugh and many other nature-themed artists are selling their work in the 43rd Wild Arts Festival, an annual fundraiser for the Portland Audubon Society, at Portland State University’s Viking Pavillion.

• Nov. 19 Guild General Meeting: Holiday Projects for Kids: Will you share a glass project that kids can do? Tune in and get some ideas on how to nurture a love of glass in the budding artists in your neighborhood. Please contact VP Rachel Dollar to add yourself to the list of speakers . Meetings run so much smoother and are more interesting if you have speaker lineup in advance. 3:30 via Zoom

Looking ahead: 3 Holiday Parties in December

in Beaverton OR (Dec. 9), Seattle WA (Dec. 10), and Vancouver WA (Dec. 17)