Glasstastic 2025: Artists Create Sculptures from Children's Drawings in Live Demo
Saturday, April 26 in Bellows Falls, Vermont
More than 1,000 schoolchildren dreamed up their most fanciful creatures, put pencil or crayon to paper, and sent them off to the Brattleboro Museum of Art in the hope of seeing them transformed into glass sculptures.
“Glasstastic” is Brattleboro Museum and Art Center’s beloved biennial celebration of youthful creativity and artistic ingenuity. On view until Nov. 1, the exhibition features 21 sparkling sculptures of creatures imagined by children in grades K-6 and rendered by professional glass artists from across New England.
The drawings always come with imaginative biographies. This exhibition “includes such characters as the colorful “Fefe,” who is part cat, part dragon, and part unicorn; “Larry,” an unusual avocado who moved to New York City seeking fame and fortune; and a magical critter named “Red Cat” who eats only strawberries.” Each and every submission is included in the exhibition—“either displayed on the walls or in binders available at the museum.”
In addition to the ongoing exhibition, the public is invited to view a live demonstration by glassmakers inspired by two of the kids’ drawings. From BMAC’s recent press release:
Artists Chris Sherwin, Nick Kekic, and other members of the Vermont Glass Guild will transform two children’s drawings of imaginary creatures into sparkling glass sculptures during a live demonstration on Saturday, April 26, 1-4 p.m. Presented by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) in connection with the exhibition “Glasstastic,” the event will take place at Sherwin’s and Kekic’s adjoining studios at 33 Bridge Street, in Bellows Falls, Vermont.
This family-friendly event offers viewers an opportunity to witness the dramatic art of glassblowing and see imagination come to life in molten glass. The artists will sculpt two creatures dreamed up by children: “Gerald,” a penguin in a blue top hat, drawn by 11-year-old Charli Berger of Charlotte, Vermont, and a candy-corn-shaped monster named “Scooper Dooper the Third,” as imagined by Jayden Bolduc, also 11, of Starksboro, Vermont. During the demonstration, viewers can walk between the two studios as the artists work, come and go as they wish, or watch the process from start to finish.
Meet Gerald here. At first blush, Scooper Dooper the Third reminded me of a certain political figure (see what you think), but artist Jayden expresses a different inspiration in Scooper’s photo and bio here.
Admission to the demo is $10 for adults/teens, $5 for children ages 6-12, and free for children under 6 and for BMAC members. Purchase tickets in advance at brattleboromuseum.org or by calling 802-257-0124 x101. Tickets may be purchased at the door, subject to availability.
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And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word, and quite likes the Brattleboro Museum of Art.