On Thursday, December 7, at 6:30 p.m., Visual Arts Alliance will be given a private demonstration of Italian glass blowing by DIck Moiel and Kathy Poeppel of Houston Studio Glass. Dick and Kathy will explain the art of Italian off hand or free hand blowing as done in Murano, Italy for hundreds of years. Sitting on a gaffer’s bench, they will work the glass while hot and demonstrate the process of gathering, blowing and punting the glass. They will finish by putting the piece in the annealing oven or kiln. There the temperature is stabilized and over a period of hours the glass is brought down to room temperature.

Dick Moiel and Kathy Poeppel’s interest began with collecting. After taking their first glass blowing class in 1994, they built a basic hot shop and began melting glass the following year. The couple blows both decorative and functional objects during climate friendly months (October through April.) They continue to take more classes during the summer months. The retired physician and his PA/RN wife are nationally known in glass blowing circles.

Many of Dick and Kathy’s pieces will be on display as well as for sale. Houston Studio Glass is located at 610 Jackson Hill, Houston, 77007.

Visual Arts Alliance (VAA) is an educational organization for serious practitioners of the visual arts and interested members of the general public. Founded in Houston, TX in 1981, VAA is an all-volunteer-run, 501(c)3, nonprofit organization. In addition to educational and recreational programs, VAA also produces professionally juried art exhibitions providing opportunities for members and non-members to have their work professionally judged and viewed by the general public. For membership details and more information, visit www.VisualArtsAlliance.org.