Want to maybe start up a lampwork group meeting.. Advice & Q's?

[jaci]

So I am pretty sure I have a bead shop we can meet at, in a central location, but what do u do at meetings? I could bring a torch sometimes for demo's but would not want to all the time. Half the members would probably be current or former or potential students. And maybe some HS kids who will be doing lampwork in class (I just had there teachers in studio for professional development day ) My studio is just not big enough to house everyone for demos and fun lol.

I would love us all to get together in the area on a regular basis.
But idk what we would do.....

What do u do at bead maker/ lampwork meetings etc?? I don't want to just do beading projects etc.. I want it to center around lampwork, and I want us to get together.

[5betsy]

The meetings I've been to have:
-food
-discussion of classes available in the area
-a bead exchange of some kind
-open discussion of techniques (sometimes someone would be the teacher)
-sometimes a demo
-sometimes a studio tour (our meetings rotated to each persons' house)

Once you get a bunch of lampworkers together it kind of naturally flows to info and technique exchanges.

[echeveria]

We have an ISGB affiliated chapter, so our meetings go like this:
Hugs all round
Business meeting
A picking and stealing type exchange of our challenge beads
Pot Luck
Demo (lampwork, metal, etc, depending on where we are meeting.)
Open torch is usually available
Open critique for anyone that wants feedback

We will sometimes have a yard sale/exchange meeting where we sell off tools, glass, etc, or just trade stuff.

We meet 6 times a year, and try to have 2 teachers in a year for classes. I have learned so much from getting together with everyone; it really made a difference in my ability to grow as a lampworker.

[tammydownunder]

In Sydney, we meet once a month and everyone takes a turn at hosting.

We bring our latest work for everyone to ooh and ahhh over.

Everyone brings food

We talk about fellow lampworkers (in a good way)

We often have a demo or two but not always.

Once or twice a year we have a garage sale.

[patienthand]

here in florida we have the biz part of the meeting and keep is short and sweet. We have a food theme and everyone brings food, and there is a prize for the best home made food. Then we have an activity of some sort. It could be torch demo, a BOC work day, making a tool, such as a frit sifter, a jewelry technique to use with beads etc etc etc.

we have a BOC collection and the guild mails them all in together, we have show and tell for current work, we have a raffle. The meeting moves from place to place each month. We tend to schedule non torch things in the summer when its scorching hot. This year they have started a spark challenge. At each meeting you get a small packet of materials to play with, and then we show off our creations the next month. This is a way for folks to experiment with new things and techniques.

twice a year we have a big event. the spring fling and the christmas party.

[Steph'sBeadCorner]

We try to meet once a month and share meeting spaces at each other's house.

Sometimes snacks

Show and tell what we've been working on.

Talk about techniques that we want to learn and create challenges on techniques to work on for the next meeting.

Occasionally organize a class and bring a teacher in.

[jaci]

Thanks guys you have been MOST HELPFUL!