Images in fused glass

Studio Valeria 03-05 December 2010. Istra held a workshop based on Chatarine Newell's tehnique in making images on glass using powdwes. Workshop participants, with some previous experience in glass art made images using 5 layers of 3 mm float clear glass and black pigment. Layers of glass were then fired to show 3D images inside glass.

Workshops in glass and art at studio Valeria

During the October and November 2010 in studio Valeria in Medulin, Croatia Istra held a workshop in leaded lights. Participants had the opportunity to make few attractive pieces and learn new skills. Christina, feacured here is from Sweeden, her glass reflects her love of yellows and blues. Christina is also an athlete, she recently run Palmanova halfmarathon, 21km race and finished in 1 hour 55 min. Well done you!

Extra virgine olive oil from Medulin

For the first time ever Branka and Istra made 2,8l of the best extra virgine oil. We picked olives from 3 olive trees by hand. This took about 3 hours. At the end 28kg of olives were taken to a mill in Pula. We returned home with our best ever olive oil which we shared with Terry, Damir, Nino, Sinisa and still had a little for our selves. Branka decorated our gift bottels which were gratefuly received.

Workshop in portrait painting

http://www.studiovaleria.blog.hr/

Studio Valeria, 29/10/2010 organised a workshop in portrait painting with Boris Nemes. A group of 8 artists had the opportunity to observe and learn from Boris principles of constructing a classical face using charcoal and graphite. In addition, we shared a super lunch of local specialities and a lovely walk along Visula a Roman site in a gorgeous autumn afternoon.

Autumn in Istria

A group of artists visited the heartland of Istria looking for inspiration and enjoying some of the majestic scenery and gorgeous weather. We visited Oprtalj, Kaldir, Motovun, Brkac and Rovinj; marvelous autumn colors in vineyards, hilltop medieval towns and endless open views that stretch all the way down to the Adriatic coast. We returned fully inspired to create foe our new project. Watch this space!

Talent Show in Hoylake

Community and family event in association with Hoylake Village Life open studioa art group http://www.wirral-open-studios.com/
Istra has a keen interest in supporting and encouraging creativity in the community. She has organised an evening of music, poetry, and art at the beautiful St Luke’s Methodist Church Hall in Hoylake on Saturday 25th September

Creative people from all areas of Wirral contribute and share their talent in making music including ukulele, banjo, piano and guitar; poetry recitals and sketches; and original pieces of art and batik silk. These they shared with friends and neighbours in an informal and friendly way and enjoy a fun evening. Images of Hoylake seafront on a suney September day.

'One Year On'

One Year On is an exhibition by glass artists and makers that followes from Kaffe Fassett and Steve Klein master class in 2009. The exhibition was held during the annual international conference at Northlands Creative Glass in Lybster in Scotland, U.K. http://www.northlandsglass.com/

Istra Toner - 'Silver darling'
In her work created especially for this exhibition, Istra leads a viewer into the immense, powerful and timeless Caithness landscape, seascape, and social history and shows the fragility and transformation of both. Her work is driven by her interest in Lybster’s past and its people. “Silver darling” a beautiful modest little herring played a pivotal role in the life of Lybster over some considerable time and forms the basis for Istria’s work shown here. In this exhibition Istra demonstrates skills she developed at the North Lands Creative Glass master classes:
2009 ‘Colour and texture’ with Kaffe Fassett and Steve Klein Istra developed further sensitivity and importance of awareness and recognition of colour.
2010 ‘A particulate language’ with Catherine Newell Istra developed sensitivity toward form and restraint in the use of colour in achieving power and movement.

Istra at Northlands glass

Lybster in Catithness at the very north of Scotland is a charming village that houses the North Lands Creative Glass www.northlandsglass.com

This is a place of excellence in furthering the art of glass.

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend three of their master classes, to further my own creative potential by working with masters and glass artists from all over the world
‘A Particulate Language’ led by Catharine Newell, June 2010. We worked with powders on Bullseye glass sheets that were layered to create remarkable 3D images in black-white and in colour.

'Color and Transparency' led by Kaffe Fassett and Steve Klein, September 2009. I explored ways of displaying flowers using glass translucency, color and light.

‘Tradition and Innovation’ led by Jiri Harkuba and April Surgent, September 2008. We used diamond wheels to engrave, carve out and etched panels of glass to achieve images.

Exhibition 'Salon pod hrastom'

02/07/2010, Salon pod hrastom, Pomer, Istria in Croatia, http://www.studiovaleria.blog.hr/
This was 11th year of an international artist collony organised by Ante Mihovilovic and Alexander Tausan for an art society in Pomer. This year a group of artists from Hungary Mihaly Szeverenli and Bela Nove an art historian; from Montenegro Milena Vladisavljevic, Darko Drljevic and Luka Lagator; form Italy Lilijana Corfiaty attended the collony together with artists from Croatia. As aguests of INA AGIP an oil and gas company artists visited their gas platforms in Adriatic and expressed their impressions in their work. The collony ended with an open air exhibition of art work in Pomer under an old oak tree. The exhibition was well attended and shown in the media. Artists and guests had an opportunity to meet and enjoy the event accompanied with some live music. 

Exhibition and cellebration

01/07/2010, Studio Valeria, Medulin Centar 194. http://www.studiovaleria.blog.hr/
A group exhibition titled 'Motovun, a place of dreams' followed a workshop in perspective drawing given by Boris Nemes a renowened artist from Pula. Angelo Cvijetkovic opened the exhibition. The program consisted of folck music played on traditional Istrian instruments and poetry recited in the local dialect. In all 14 artists exhibited a range of art work from drawings to oil, acrylic and watercolours. A group of guest artists from Hungary, Montenegro, and Italy who were attending an art collony in Pomer in Istria were our dear guests and joyned in our cellebrations. The evening was as always friendly and very lively.

Motovun, a place of dreams

May 2010 a group of 12 artists from Medulin in Croatia visited Motovun a spectacular hill top town in the heart of Istria on a day of painting. Under instruction for Boris Nemes artists worked on drawing in perspective, socialising, sharing experiences and meeting with local artists including the Motovun creative group.  http://www.studiovaleria.blog.hr/

Studio Valeria, Medulin

Group art exhibition titled 'Medulin moje misto malo'. A group of 7 local artists painted Medulin, the place where they live and from their perspective showing influences of local tradition and many new changes. The exhibiton was very well attended and presented in the media, http://www.studiovaleria.blog.hr/

Events at Studio Valeria

Medulin, Croatia May 2010

Studio Valeria - Istra gave 3 workshops in glass art including jewellery and leaded lights, and a workshop in painting in acryclc using rollers. Participants were artists from the local community.

An evening of culture and friendship

Group exhibition and an evening of poetry

On Friday the 5th of March a group of artists and poets organized an evening of culture to celebrate International Women’s Day and Mother’s day at the studio the Valerija in Medulin. Delia Tanger, Gordana Stojkovski, Nina Dragan Belić, Radojka Gržinić, Franka Rabar, Nevenko Stupar. Valerio Martinčić and Božica Siladić showed paintings; Igor Fabris ceramics and Istra Lazarić Toner and Ljiljana Lorenzin showed glass. Davor Dužman and Maria Peruško presented their poetry. Angelo Cvijetkovic opened the event.


Workshops in glass art

From October to December 2009 Istra held community workshops in glass art including glass jewellery. Participants were artists with interest in glass, some of them had a basic experience having attended previous workshops and some were beginners. Participants made some imaginative pieces and will contribute to an exhibition in 2010.

More on glass follow  http://eventstudiovalerija.blogspot.com/