And There Were Tears of Joy

http://www.glassexperience.com

Darren Goodman is a glass artist who has studied with the great glass masters and traveled the world to share his "Glass Experience," an interactive presentation that teaches about his art of glass blowing through life lessons and story telling. He has exhibited his work at many museums and venues and was commissioned to create glass trophies for Ferrari.  It just so happens that Darren lives and works out of his home studio in the neighboring town of Waynesville.  This summer I received a Facebook message from a teacher aide at our school who met Darren and told me about him and his art, and suggested that I look into having him come to our school to present to our students.

                                                 
I contacted Darren and arranged for him to visit our school and he spent a week presenting to every one of the 6th grade classes at Berry Intermediate.  His presentation was so well received by the 6th graders that he was applauded from the windows as he shared his talents and there were students lined up to talk to him after every presentation.  Below are some photos from the week and a little about what he shared with our 6th graders.

 

The portable glass furnace that Darren had especially made so he could travel around and share "Glass Experience."

Here, Darren creates a Tear of Joy, an example of one of his art installations that he has exhibited in various museums and locations.

Yes, he even incorporates music into the presentation!  A man of many talents, Darren is an excellent musician!

We are so lucky to have met Darren Goodman and had him visit our school.  This has been and continues to be a meaningful experience for the students.  We are in the process of making a mural of paper tears that each represent a feeling or emotion.  Darren will reproduce some of the student-made tears in glass and this piece of art will be donated to a local Children's Hospital.

                                 Next time I will share the process of creating the mural of tears.