Murano LUCIO BUBACCO workshop in 2016, anyone?
 

Ciao tutti! Yes, it's time to dust off the cobwebs and reach out to my fellow lampworkers here. Come va?! Ever been dreaming of a true full immersion to your lampwork experience back to the mother of all glassy places? Back to the tiny island of great wonderment and amazing lifetime friendships to be made? I can be that conduit for your to introduce you to AMAZING artists and great lifelong memories to bring back home with you. Having done over a dozen trips to Murano for this purpose, I have lots of tips I can share with you as well as introduce you to local artists behind the scenes.

Drop me a line here either by PM or on the thread or to my personal email (new, BTW) ofiliacinta1@gmail.com

Ven con me a Murano per un veramente fantastico workshop con Lucio Bubacco en 2016:love::smile:!

Start musing and any questions you have, I'd love to entertain them with you!

I saw a saying today.... "Live what you love"......:p What powerful words!

It reminds me how much my times in Murano has impacted my life, my soul my very being. Who could have ever imagined that learning to melt a little lump of crystal could have such importance and purpose?! I started these ventures because I did not see anyone doing it the way I felt was justified. I omitted all agenda other than getting the full glass experience in this sacred place whose amazing glory has shifted with history and the passing of time. I always kept true to what my heart told me to do. I am forever grateful to those who followed me on those journeys :love:.

I did this trip with Ofilia last year and it was AWESOME!! Highly recommend it.

Oh wow what an opportunity! What month and for how long?

I have also done this trip and will probably do it again sometime! AMAZING!

Wonderful experience....

Hi guys:waving:! So good to see some of you again! I'm so happy you all enjoyed it and hold the memory dear to you. Mission accomplished!!

We have not yet solidified the dates, but we are looking at either early spring (late March early April) or late fall (Octoberish). Will keep you posted. Any preferences or ideas you have, I welcome the chatter:p.

Ciao,
Ofilia

Approximate cost?

We are working on dates and price. It will be a four day workshop for sure. This shorter version of the 5 day he usually does in his studio will help with the price for students. I honor Lucio's request that the 3 day workshops are not financially suitable for him due to costs for the studio, so we settled for the four day. We are still working out dates for spring or fall or both :razz:!?

Lucio does travel from time to time and teaches, but there is nothing like the experience of his private studio..... surrounded by nothing but Murano air everywhere to breath in the inspiration and history. Call me a romanticist, but I say it like it is. When I started going to Murano in 2002, I was completely enchanted and never imagined the impact it would make on me. I am living what I love and that is to return to Studio Bubacco in beautiful Murano, Italy, with people also eager to get the full immersion experience.

I just wanted to add that doing Lucio's workshop in Murano and traveling with Ofilia is the experience of a lifetime for any glass worker. The combination of learning from a true master, living on the island during that time for complete immersion, and Ofilia's in depth knowledge and guidance are so worthwhile and well worth the expense. Most of my spending money went to Roberto's tools!

Is it for advanced artists only?

Oh absolutely not! It is mostly off mandrel work so that you really get the feel of what the glass wants to do naturally and watching how gravity and gather sizes make some really awesome sculpture. It can be staying miniature to be incorporated to applique on a bead, or create pendants or small figures and architecture. A lot of learning on connections, marias, avolios, how to maximize the extension of building on a piece a-la-Italian style:smile: (meaning allowing your glass to cool while working and growing extensions without the piece blowing up). It's a process in learning and practice and patience.

One year we had a student that was determined to make hands and that perfect wrist gesture..... OMG, if she didn't have a mountain of limbs on her work space!! BUT come the end of the week, she did a beautiful silouette figure (she never even tried to do the separate legs position). Just the most elegant piece ever=D>!

You never mind how others in the class are doing. Just stay focused and pursue your quest. You add the mix of the total immersion to the local ambiance and mama-mai:love::love:;-) .

I always tell students to just be a "sponge". Soak every little detail and nuance as if it was your last time you will ever be there (and I personally have taken that approach for 13 years and still learn more each and every time I am there). Carpe diem and you will never look back.

Sounds like the trip of a lifetime. Will you post details here?

Sounds incredible!!!!! I am interested in learning more information also!

Is it okay for advanced beginners? Who have not done off mandrel work? Also, does someone pick us up at the airport and helps us get to the studio in Murano. It sounds exciting. Thanks. Lydia

This is on my to do list

Sounds wonderful! I would love to go.

Come one come all!
 

Sounds just fabulous! I have a friend who went a couple of years ago and had the most wonderful time! I am definitely interested in going :grin: Can you give info on getting from the airport to Murano?
Also, I assume class needs to be paid for to hold the spot? How does one go about that?
Thanks!

I definitely want to go 😊 six glorious days of lampworking in Murano, sigh!

Hi Lezlie, The details to get to Murano from Marco Polo airport is super easy! Murano is the first stop before the vaporetto heads on to Venice proper. And likewise it is the last stop before arriving to Marco Polo stop on the return. Depending on the season, there is either the red or blue line and I get very detailed with the students in preparation.

There is one line (vaporetto) that is the ususal commuting about the islands that is called ACTV. This is their website: http://www.actv.it/en/movinginvenice/movinginvenice

And then there is the one for the airport that is the Alilaguna http://www.alilaguna.it/en

There are all sorts of tips for making savings when buying your choice of ticket(s). We cover those tips based on the amount of time you will be there. Generally, for class days, students don't venture to Venice much, so it sometimes is cheaper to just concentrate on the ACTV that is purchasing "rides". It is a lot cheaper than buying trip by trip on board!

Likewise, the Alilaguna if you prebuy your ticket at the airport, it can save you a little from buying on board, so I always recommend to buy your return ticket while you are at the airport on your arrival.

Taxi's can be hired but for the 100 euro plus, I say save the money for SHOPPING:grin:!!

Hey, well come on over!! Ven con noi! Three- four- five or 6, your choice! PLUS you have the added advantage of having the option to extend your stay and see the sights and come with me to visit some private studios for great "wholesale" shopping direct from artist themselves:happy:. Personally, that is my favorite. I've seen some of these works in shops and galleries, and then when I got to personally meet these fine artists over the years....!!! OMG, what a great new dimension to the total Murano experience! Too much to see, too little money, but hey, if prepared, it's a great opportunity and needless to say.... THE TOOL SHOPPING goes without saying:wink:. You got Roberto there with his deep handsome voice and great warm smile swooning you to his lovely tools.... YUM!

I did this a couple of years ago. Sadly that was the one year Ofilia missed and I never got to meet her in person. Even so, it was a wonderful trip!

My husband joined me as we were going on vacation elsewhere in Italy from there and he spent his days exploring Murano, Venice, Burano and probably one or two others. In his 5 days he had no shortage of things to keep him entertained while I was immersed in glass.

Lucio's studio is great - a clean, bright workspace and all that you expect in a teaching studio. But the thing that sets this apart from any other in the world is the AMAZING work by Lucio that not only surrounds you, but hangs above your head in the backroom where we ate lunch everyday.

Lucio is one of the most generous teachers I have ever had. I was the most beginner glassworker in my class and the first day thought everything was way over my head and self-conscious of my skills and ability to master what he was showing us. Lucio and I were talking about it and he reminded me that we all make mistakes (mu-stake in his Italian accent). He actually pointed out some of his 'mistakes' - his worst day will always be better than my best day - lol! Now everytime I am frustrated with how something is coming out on the torch I can hear Lucio in the back of my head telling me we all make mistakes.

Long story, but there is a point I promise! I saw a couple of people asking if it was only for advanced students, and it really isn't. Don't get me wrong, more advanced students will get so much out of a workshop with him, but so do beginners. I was in class with Monique Swinkels, look her up - she was the star of our workshop, she's amazing! Lucio was able to work with both of us and everyone in between and give us all what we needed/wanted from the workshop.

And then there is the whole experience outside of the workshop that is just incredible. Oh, and Roberto *sigh*. My husband swears that ogling Roberto was the main reason for my visit and desire to return ;-)

I would recommend it to everyone. Seriously. If Lucio can teach me, he can teach anyone!!

Thanks for the encouragement ! I'm sold. Since March is my birthday, this will be a terrific birthday present!!! I'm going - hooray! I'm the beginner, so feel feel encouraged to go. ☺️

Ciao, Shelle! Come va? Thank you so much for chiming in about being comfortable in the group of different level students. The main thing I always tell students is not to compare themselves to others. It's not about that, it's about taking your journey to this next level of the full immersion!

One cannot ask for a more amicable environment. Lucio is a really great host. His opening his doors to us into his most private space filled with those incredible treasures Shelle mentioned, is just the cherry on top. No comparison to any other studio out there =;.

That was great your husband was fine finding himself things to keep busy. We have had many a travel companion and they did wonderfully as "scouts" finding places to recommend and later be explored by the rest of us, or just suit their interests including antique and rare book collectors! I loved it every time I'd find a used book store.... I could spend hours in there! But I digress....

Every Moo-stake is a stepping stone to a new path and better result as we practice. Remember Lucio has been doing these figures over 30 years! We all start somewhere, and excel to the beat of our own drum. Let the sounds of Murano lure you there with us;-):love:

I would love to go as well!

Ofilia, I have been wanting to take this trip and a class with Lucio in 2016 but can't pull off the spring due to a work conflict.

I can and do desperately want to do this class and trip in the fall 2016. Do you know yet if you will be doing a fall trip next year as well?? (Fingers and toes crossed!!)

Hi Rene, I have sent you a reply:waving:.

Hi Ofilia,
I am lampworking since more than 30 years but still learning.
Does Lucio work with Boro or with soft glass?
Hello from Germany,
Glassmax

Gutten tag! Lucio works in Italian Effetre, 104 COE. We have had boro students in the past. It is a little more a challenge to wrangle the soft glass, but it is a good discipline for boro users. The most prominent boro flame workers, off the top of my head, that have studied with Lucio, are Lewis Wilson and Joe Peters. I know there are more, but these two I know personally.

In class Lucio uses clear colors for instruction because it is "stiffer", in his opinion, and better for learning with than the softer opaque colors like ivory that is signature for his work. That said, he certainly uses plenty of clear grey, red, yellow, etc in his work in creating his intricate scroll work and figures. "Boro boys", as they are referred to by the Italians, are always welcome in the group! There are a couple Muranese masters I am friends with that work in boro, so it is starting to be more recognized in Murano. I can also introduce you to them. Coincidentally, they work with German torches, BTW;-).

We work a-la-Italian style where you let the glass cool as you are working, similar to how some boro is worked. Annealing is done in batches and at interim strategic stages. He builds on the figures in a progressive series practiced over time to work in his figures. He is more than capable of guiding you in your quest. Shoot me some images of your work (via email is best) and I can involve Lucio in your query.