By Jena Carr
A Drysdale studio is encouraging the participation of people over 55 in the design and creation of glass artworks.
Festival of Glass will host workshops on October 2, 16 and 23 for people to work with glass and make art pieces representing a Glympse of the Lelon (Wathaurong word for lizard) World.
President Mercedes Drummond said it was important to encourage people over 55 to try something new during Positive Ageing Month this October.
“These kinds of programs open up an opportunity in a safe environment to allow them to feel much more confident in being able to come back into community-based projects,” she said.
“It’s been a very slow process for some of our past members to come back and engage in these environments due to the isolation and the lack of connectedness as a result of COVID.”
Festival of Glass received a $1000 City of Greater Geelong’s Positive Ageing Grant for its Glympse of the Lelon World project.
“There’ll be members of the association who will be able to assist with the teaching and showing of different techniques,” Ms Drummond said.
“Then it’ll be up to the individuals on how confident they are as to what elements they will work with as we will have different stations where, in some cases, the glass will already be cut.
“(It will) encourage people to have a go, even if they’ve never had an opportunity to do any mosaic work, and gives us the opportunity to showcase our studio and what other activities we run.”
The workshops are free, but people must email festivalofglassdrysdale@gmail.com expressing their interest and the day they wish to attend.