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The Program

Learning objectives

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:

  • Handle glass
  • Create small glass objects using the lampworking technique

Content of the program

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.

Schedule

Day 1: Creating Small Monochrome Animals

Morning

  • Demonstration and explanations by the instructor
  • Practical exercises for learners

Afternoon

  • Demonstration and explanations by the instructor
  • Practice by learners

Day 2: Creating Small Multicolored Animals with More Detail

Morning

  • Demonstration and explanations by the instructor
  • Practical exercises

Afternoon

  • Demonstration and explanations by the instructor
  • Practical work

Day 3: Continuing to create small multicolored animals with more detail

Morning

  • Demonstration and explanations by the instructor
  • Practical exercises

Afternoon

  • Demonstration and explanations by the instructor
  • Practical work

Day 4: Creating simple and stylized insects

Morning

  • Demonstration and explanations
  • Practical work

Afternoon

  • Continuation of practical work

Day 5: Creating more detailed insects

Morning

  • Demonstration and explanations
  • Practical work

Afternoon

  • End of practical work
  • Review of the training
  • Workshop storage

Monitoring

with Emanuel Toffolo
Details

Emanuel Toffolo

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.

Methods

  • Classroom, multipurpose room, workshops with professional equipment
  • Materials provided
  • Individual and collaborative work
  • Workshop sessions
  • Active participation and experimentation by participants are encouraged

Evaluation follow-up and modalities

  • Group and individualized monitoring of work, regular check-ins
  • Self-assessment of technical skills
  • Group presentation
  • Attendance sheet for each half-day
  • Certificate of completion issued by Campus MaNa
starting from *
1619.40€ TTC
5
 days of training
Italian
English
*The price includes only the cost of the training, including materials and personal protective equipment.

Pricing details

Cost of training
1619.40€ TTC
(for 
5
 days)
Catering
168.50€ TTC
(for 
5
 days)
Accommodation
240€ TTC
(for 
5
 days)
Total cost
2028€ TTC
(for 
5
 days)
Extras
Shuttle from Joigny
50€ TTC
Back and forth
Individual bathroom
120€ TTC
(for 
5
 days)

Financement OPCO

Training 100% financeable by AFDAS, or partially covered by other operators such as FAFCEA, AGEFICE, FIFPL, OPCO EP etc.

Price:
2500€ TTC

If you are concerned, we invite you to contact our sales department in advance via "Request for information" in order to prepare your file, or to register directly via the page of the chosen training course.

Practical information

Target audience:
This course is open to all adult participants
Schedules:
10h-13h / 14h-18h
Location
Campus MaNa Venezia
91
%
Training satisfaction rates 2025
Number of participants:
12
Accessibility:
For any disability-related situation, please contact us.
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