Andrew Jackson Pollack Designs Welcomes the International Society of Glass Beadmakers

I am heavily involved this year as an attendee, teacher,  student (taking Jerilynn Alderman's bead/marble class), helping to organize the Hands of the Maker II juried show at RHINO Gallery, and exhibitor at the Bead Bazaar.  This is my first gathering and I look forward to seeing and  meeting so many of you .  

 The International Society of Glass Bedmakers (ISGB) is the leading organization for the promotion, education, and appreciation of the art of glass beadmaking for wearable, sculptural, and functional art. 

Their mission is "to preserve the rich and diverse traditions of the art of glass beadmaking and glassworking techniques; promote educational initiatives and professional development; and encourage innovative use of complementary mediums among artists and craftspeople."

This year they are holding their annual conference, The Gathering, in New Orleans July 20-24th with pre conference workshops starting on the 19th with a class at Yaya with Andrew Pollack.  This class is full but Andrew teaches regularly at Yaya and is in the process of opening his own glass studio and gallery.  

The focus for Gathering XXIV is "Breaking Tradition" which echoes the revision of their mission statement and supports our extended creative community outreach. It invites both a well-rounded, broad range of artistic style, and multi-media interpretation for workshops and presentations. Their instructors and presenters will bring strong, creative content to educate and inspire conference attendees by sharing ideas and knowledge in the diverse traditions of the art of glassworking techniques, complementary mediums, professional development, and business education.