May 14 - Artist Studio tour

Today we woke up bright and early to have a lovely breakfast waiting for us.
Some of us had to run around in the garden and see some more of the wood statues.

I took this photo thinking of our friend Della (she loves rabbits).

Our bus driver was ready to go. We headed off to meet up with our first Artist Designer, Karolina, who makes lampwork beads.

These are two beads which glow under a black light. We just had to order some to be made for us. 

And then she made these- oh yes, we also needed to have some of these made for us also.

 stripes - one is shiny and one is matte finish. and now shown under the black light.

As we arrived at the studio Guy heard that our last missing member had arrived at the hotel in Jablonec and so he drove into town to collect her.

They caught up to the rest of us at the glass workshop restaurant in time for lunch after everyone else had visited the second studio where goldsmithing and glass engraving was being done. Interesting, but nothing available for sale, which was disappointing. The group wanted to buy stuff and their money was burning a hole in their pockets.

 We had lunch at a working glass factory showroom. All complete with furnaces and flame workers. It was exciting to be able to be on the other side of the glass and watch all of these wonderful artists at work.

  Petr (our bus driver), enjoying lunch with us. Of course he has to have a beer with lunch. (after all beer is cheaper then water) 

 The guys at work in the hot shop making vases, bowls, wine glasses and more. 

The ceiling of top of the hot shop near the museum area.












After lunch we toured the glass museum of the workshop, then headed over to the artist group's gallery located in the front area of one of the artist's house, where we were able to buy jewelry that was over the top gorgeous. Everyone was happy.

Next was the Novy Bor glass museum, the state run history of glass museum. Guy had seen it before so he stayed in the car while everyone else roamed around the museum.

Finally the last stop on the studio tour of Novy Bor was the Aleto Glassworks on the outskirts of town. It had a new glass foundry converted from an old textile factory, along with a reconstructed pub furnished with antique period furnishings and knick knacks on the walls and scattered around the room. It had a working furnace with two glass blowers working at production of glassware while customers could drink and eat.

Anna showed us her studio setup and gave us a class on making her distinctive wire coil ropes while we drank coffee and explored the pub.

Wrapping up the tour, we drove into Jablonecs and checked into the Hotel Zlaty Lev. Dinner was at Franko's Pizzaria.