Ten Ranch Hope students recently participated in the first Art and Glass Week at the Samuel H. Jones Glass Education Center in Alloway. Sponsored by the Robert M. Minkoff Foundation, the program enabled students to learn techniques in flameworking and hot glass used in artistic, industrial and commercial workplaces. The Art and Glass Week was co-sponsored by Ranch Hope...
Ten Ranch Hope students recently participated in the first Art and Glass Week at the Samuel H. Jones Glass Education Center in Alloway.
Sponsored by the Robert M. Minkoff Foundation, the program enabled students to learn techniques in flameworking and hot glass used in artistic, industrial and commercial workplaces. The Art and Glass Week was co-sponsored by Ranch Hope Inc. of Alloway and the Salem Community College Foundation.
"This is the type of inspired idea that keeps you up at night and drives you to keep providing youth with opportunities during the day," said Dave Bailey Jr. CEO of Ranch Hope Inc. "The week was a microcosm of both the missions of Ranch Hope and SCC -- providing new and innovative educational experiences that initially attract, continuously educate and, when it's all said and done, provides students with an employable skill-set and changes their lives."
On the final day, students produced several cast-glass sculptures. First, students designed a composition to fit within a 3-by-3-inch framework, utilizing the artwork previously made in the flame shop. They placed their flame-worked objects onto the background color of their choice and used a heating torch to warm the glass to prepare it for the casting process.
The final project concluded with instructors and SCC students gathering glass at 2,250 degrees out of the furnace and pouring it in to the molds, incasing the flame worked composition in clear glass. In an instant, all of the creations were "frozen" in the cast glass and the objects were transferred to a cooling oven to slowly bring them to room temperature. One final piece was a large tile with the letters RH along with flowers and other objects created by the Ranch Hope students, thereby creating a commemorative plaque for display at the Ranch Hope campus.
Students were taught by SCC distinguished alumnus Paul Stankard, SCC Scientific Glass Instructional Chair Dennis Briening and Glass Center Coordinator Doug Ohm. They were assisted by SCC students Dustin Scarfpin, Thaddeus Wascheck and Oliver Weerts and SCC alumna Nancy DuBois.
A world-renowned glass artist from Mantua, Stankard said, "I was proud to share my experiences in glass with these talented young people. By putting them in touch with their creative side, they have a better understanding of the hand crafts. Based on their enthusiasm, they can now relate to crafting beautiful objects as a noble pursuit in life."
The organizations plan to hold another Art and Glass Week for Ranch Hope students early next year.
In addition to raising scholarship funds for SCC students, the SCC Foundation has established this new partnership with Ranch Hope. SCC Foundation Executive Director Ceil Smith said other new alliances will enable the community to be exposed to the Glass Education Center. To learn more about the SCC Foundation, call Smith at 856-351-2644 or email csmith@salemcc.edu.
Since 1964, Ranch Hope has been providing behavioral healthcare services to adolescent boys at its Alloway Campus in rural Salem County. The Alloway Campus provides 57 boys between the ages of 13-17, treatment and care in a family environment. For more information about Ranch Hope, visit ranchhope.org.