As so many parents and children get ready for “Back to School” and anticipate the excitement of a fresh start and a new school  year, I wanted to share some memories of Fairglade, my all-time favorite school. This alternative educational environment, which changed the lives of hundreds of families, was located in Miami, Florida.

Enjoy the recollections of Ms. Karen Collins, who ran the school for many years. This interview will share poignant and cherished memories that will be especially meaningful to Fairglade families and students, but really is an inspiring look at what real education is all about, and is therefore applicable to everyone who teaches and learns.

As  “Miss Karen” closes the door on her earthly existence, and preens her wings for skyward flight, I wanted all the world to hear, in her own words, what Fairglade meant to her and to many of us who’s lives were transformed by the Fairglade experience.

Join us on a trip down memory lane as Fred shares his wacky and perilous journey behind the Iron Curtain. Obsessed by the glass of Lauscha, no regime could keep this passionate artist away. Home to some of the most complex glass techniques in the world, Fred risked life and limb to befriend a number of the influential artists who's work was hidden from the world in communist East Germany.

Follow Fred's adventures and learn about the precise nature of the montage vessels created by Kurt Wallstab and Albrecht Greiner-Mai, among others. You'll also come away from this interview with a clearer insight as to the influence of the communist government on the lives of the artists in Lauscha. Within that context, the work of these German artists appears all the more provocative. precise and fascinating.

We would like to thank Glasscraft Inc. for sponsoring this podcast. Learn more about them at www.glasscraftinc.com

Margaret Neher fashions fabulous flameworked flowers using borosilicate glass. Influenced and inspired by the Blaschka glass flowers, her attention to detail allows her to create spectacularly lifelike work. Textures and patterns are her constant companions, and she finds them everywhere! If you have ever worked at making your own glass flowers, you'll get great technical advice here on how to prevent (and cure!) fractures, cracks and other unanticipated separations. 

Find out more about her at www.margaretneher.com. 

Excerpts of this interview can be seen in the March/April 2012 issue of Glass Art Magazine

We would like to thank Glasscraft Inc. for sponsoring this podcast. Check them out at www.glasscraftinc.com

Join your host, Marcie Davis, and Deborah Carlson, as they explore ways of getting in touch with your inner artist. By getting ego out of the way and reconnecting with the spirit of play, you can find your creative center. Playtime with Deb gives you ideas for getting beyond ego in both individual and group settings. Look for excerpts of this podcast in the upcoming issue of The Flow Magazine. Sponsored by Glasscraft Inc.