This training offers a progressive and methodical approach to lampworking, guiding participants in the creation of glass animals and insects. Under the expert guidance of master glassmaker Emanuel Toffolo, learners begin by mastering the essential basics of handling molten glass before tackling more complex forms that require precision, attention to detail, and dexterity.
Upon completion of the training, participants will be able to:
The workshop is based on a highly practical approach: each technical principle is immediately put into practice, allowing participants to quickly grasp the techniques and develop their independence. Thanks to Emanuel Toffolo's individualized guidance, each participant benefits from tailored support, fostering steady progress and a true immersion in the world of torchwork glass.
Throughout the five days, participants learn to master the fundamental techniques: observing the behavior of heated glass, controlling the heat, stretching it, shaping it, and safely integrating colors. Demonstrations by the instructor alternate with hands-on exercises, providing a structured and in-depth skills development experience.
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In Murano, where glass is as much a part of the landscape as the lagoon, Emanuel Toffolo was likely destined for no other path. Born in 1982 into a family of master glassmakers, he grew up in his father Cesare's workshop, soothed by the crackling of the blowpipe and the clinking of the glass rods. After graduating from the Venice Art School, he naturally gravitated, in 2000, towards the technique of torchwork, which would become his artistic language.
Very quickly, a world took hold: that of insects. Their anatomical precision, their colors, and their forms fascinated him. What began as a hobby, developed without any formal academic training, transformed into a vocation. His father's expert and benevolent gaze encouraged him to pursue this unique path.
Recognition came as early as 2013, when the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass named him Artist of the Month. His pieces attracted the attention of the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, which exhibited them during Glass Weekend in 2013 and again in 2015. His international reach expanded even further a year later: Emanuel was invited to the Niijima International Glass Art Festival in Japan to lead a workshop. The Niijima Glass Museum and the Kobe Lampwork Museum subsequently acquired some of his works. In 2019, he was featured in an exhibition at the Wiener Museum of Decorative Art in Miami.
But Emanuel Toffolo's work extends beyond creation. In 2016, he combined his three passions—glass, music, and photography—to create his first documentary, Murano: The Unbearable Lightness of Glass, made with his brother Elia and Caterina Toso. Presented in Italy, the United States, and then Portugal, the film won the Best Art Feature award at the Eugene International Film Festival.
He continued this work of visual and documentary exploration with ROSIN: The Strong Side of Glass (2018), The Engravers (2020), and The Flame: The Art and the History of Lampworking (2022), the latter produced in collaboration with the Corning Museum of Glass and awarded forty international prizes.
Today, his delicate, vibrant, almost pulsating glass insects travel the world, exhibited in galleries and museums that celebrate the precision of his technique and his entomologist-poet's eye.
Through his work, Emanuel Toffolo continues to renew lampworking and to carry the Murano glass heritage into new territories.
In France, AFDAS is currently the only skills operator (OPCO) that can support training in Venice, under certain conditions.
This funding is primarily aimed at intermittent performers and affiliated or subject artist-authors.
If this applies to you, contact your AFDAS advisor in advance to prepare your application. Campus Mana can provide the necessary documents upon request.
The price includes training as well as materials and personal protective equipment. However, it does not cover transportation, accommodation, or full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Contact us inscriptions@campusmana.com
Isola di San Servolo,
1, Venice, Italy 30124
T: +33 (0)3 86 45 23 42
contact@campusmana.com
