If your stuck for something to do on a wet summers day or want to test out your artistic talents whilst the rest of the family hit the beach there’s a great new experience to try in Tenby. Gift of Glass have for many years been a popular stop for day visitors and locals alike in Tenby who like to admire the imaginative creations that Dave and Lucy have to offer in their shop and workshop ideally located just up hill from the towns multi storey car park.
Gift of Glass was started 20 years ago when Dave and Lucy returned from Austraila to Set up home in Pembrokeshire. Lucy, a local Pembrokeshire girl met Dave whilst backpacking around Austrailia and not content with bringing back a didgeridoo decided to bring back a husband. Dave is a glass blower with 38 years experience and after running their shop where you can see him ply his craft on a daily basis has decided to share his knowledge to with the general public.
We were fortunate enough to be invited along to a preview day to find out more and try something new. Based in the Brachyn Mews on Upper Frog,street, Gift of Glass have set up a brand new studio especially designed for the glass blowing experience.
The sessions last for two hours and are pre booked by contacting Lucy and Dave via their website www.giftofglass.co.uk, by phone on 01834 845886 or you could just pop into the shop which is located just above the multi storey car park in Tenby, next to the fruit shop.
The experience starts with a cup of coffee and a brief but essential safety talk by Dave and then its onto choosing and cutting your materials for the rest of the experience. Its then that the fun starts and you are let loose on the flame. Dave specialises in a particular part of glasswork called lampwork which entails heating up the glass over a gas flame to a temperature which makes it muluable.
Dave takes great care in demonstrating each piece that you will make stage by stage during the session and as the class sizes are small he’s always at hand to cover anything that you may have missed.
During the experience with Gift of Glass you will have the opportunity to make a variety of pieces from drinks straws,cocktail stirrers and pendants to the more technical christmas bauble.
Although affectionatly known for being the ‘Grumpy glass blower of Tenby’ you can see that Dave’s passion for his art shines through with his patience and great teaching skill, even with the most artistically inept of us!
At the end of the session you get to take home your creations all packaged up in Gift of Glass’s great bespoke presentation pack which makes it an ideal way to make gifts for the person in your life that has everything.
All in all the two hours spent at Gift of glass was time well spent for the artistically gifted and want to try something new or for those of us who are still trying to find their artistic flare.
