Outline

Overview

This unit of study examines the glass vessel in everyday life and its application as a conceptual agent in contemporary art. By nature, the glassblowing process creates a vessel or container from a mass of molten glass. Through research projects you will investigate the psychology of the glass vessel through its function and physical properties. You will develop fundamental hand skills and glassblowing techniques through structured weekly workshops, and combine practical skills with contextual knowledge in the development of conceptually themed projects. You may work exclusively with glass or in conjunction with other media and processes.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Sydney College of the Arts
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 1000 level in Visual Arts or 12 credit point at 1000 level Studio Foundation units in Bachelor of Visual Arts
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Andrew Lavery, andrew.lavery@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Cobi Butcher, cobi.butcher@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Katie-Ann Houghton, katie-ann.houghton@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Oral exam ?	Final self directed project Practical work presentation - self-directed artwork	40%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2025 at 06:00 Closing date: 18 Nov 2025	15 minutes (oral)	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Portfolio or journal	Prototypes PDF Documentation evidencing material tests, experimentation & working models for the Final Project	35%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2025 at 06:00 Closing date: 18 Nov 2025	N/A	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-class quiz	Tutorial Quiz #earlyfeedbacktask Respond to multiple choice questions for reading titled: A Short History of the Studio Glass Movement.	0%	Week 03 Due date: 18 Aug 2025 at 06:00 Closing date: 19 Aug 2025	N/A	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Project proposal Project proposal	0%	Week 06 Due date: 08 Sep 2025 at 06:00 Closing date: 09 Sep 2025	500-700 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Presentation and proposal In-class presentation of the final work proposal	25%	Week 06 Due date: 08 Sep 2025 at 06:00 Closing date: 09 Sep 2025	10 min presentation	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Formal exam period	ASSESSMENT 2 & 3 - STUDENT PRESENTATIONS	Studio (1 hr)
STUVAC	OPTIONAL - PROJECT DEVELOPMENT	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 01	INTRODUCTION TO STUDIO - Studio inductions. Introduction to assessment tasks and technical processes.	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 02	VESSEL AS A CONCEPT - Introduction to relevant contemporary artists & materials. Discussing basic forms and exploring possibilities in the Hot Shop.	Studio (3 hr)
Week 03	TOOLS & SHAPING - Identification and purpose. Gathering and developing ideas	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 04	COLD SHOP - Presentation, working beyond the historical conventions of Hot Glass. Demonstration & Induction	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 05	FORM - Creating basic shapes and vessels in Hot Glass. Looking at containing; meaning, memory and volume.	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 06	ASSESSMENT 1 - PRESENTATION & PROPOSAL	Studio (3 hr)
Week 07	INDEPENDENT STUDY WEEK	Independent study (3 hr)
Week 08	TECHNIQUE - Applying techniques to align with your individual project.	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 09	TECHNIQUES & PROJECT DEVELOPMENT - Applying techniques to align with your individual projects.	Studio (3 hr)
Week 10	CONCEPTUAL & TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT - Individual consults and self-directed studio research.	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 11	PROJECT DEVELOPMENT - Applying techniques to align with your individual projects.	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 12	PROJECT DEVELOPMENT - Assessment briefing. Final finishing options. Consideration of assessment locations. Use of walls, plinths, suspension or other media.	Studio (3 hr)
Week 13	PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & COMPLETION - Self-directed project development & completion.	Workshop (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Additional requirements from Sydney College of the Arts

Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for this unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Unit Coordinator.
All assignments are compulsory and must be attempted.
You must attend scheduled assessments to be eligible to pass. Non-attendance at assessment on any grounds insufficient to claim special consideration will result in the forfeiture of marks associated with the assessment.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

General

Brittenham, Claudia. Vessels: The Object as Container. Editor, Oxford University Press, 2019

Halper, Vicki. Links: Glass in the pacific Northwest. Tacoma: Museum of Glass; Seattle: in association with University of Washington Press, 2013

Moines, Des. Transparencies: Contemporary Art & a History of Glass, Iowa: Des Moines Art Center, 2013.

Albers, Josef, Glasstress, [project conceived and organized by Adriano Berengo]: [translations: Brenda Lea Stone]. Milano, New York, Charta, 2009.

Blanche Craig, Ed, Contemporary Glass, London, Black Dog, 2008.

Osborne, Margot. Australian Glass Today. Kent Town, S. Aust: Wakefield Press, 2005.

Oldknow Tina, 25 years of New Glass Review, The Corning Museum of Glass, New York, 2005.

Frantz, Suzanne, The Glass Skin, Corning Museum of Glass, 1998.

Schmid, Edward T. Advanced Glassworking Techniques : an Enlightened Manuscript. Bellingham, Washington: Glass Mountain Press, 1997.

Schmid, Edward T, Beginning Glassblowing, Bellingham, Washington, Glass Mountain Press, 1998.

Movements and theory appropriate to glass

Adamson, Glenn. Thinking through Craft. English ed. Oxford: Berg, 2007.

Baudrillard, Jean. The System of Objects. London: Verso, 2005.

Butterfield, Jan. The Art of Light + Space. 1st ed. New York: Abbeville Press, 1993.

Artists

Yhonnie Scarce https://artistprofile.com.au/yhonnie-scarce/

Beth Lipman https://www.bethlipman.com/

Katherine Gray https://katherine-gray.com/section/103668.html

Simone Fezer https://simonefezer.com/

Fred Wilson https://www.pacegallery.com/exhibitions/fred-wilson-7/

Timothy Horn https://www.timothyhorn.net/

Tony Cragg https://www.tony-cragg.com/works/sculptures/1990-1999/

Neil Roberts https://www.neilroberts.com.au/detail81-2.htm?iID=742

Josiah McElheny https://www.whitecube.com/artists/josiah-mcelheny

Christopher Wilmarth https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/481191

Norwood Viviano https://www.hellergallery.com/index#/norwood-viviano/

Nadege Degenetez https://www.hellergallery.com/index#/nadege-desgenetez/

Gabriella Bisetto https://archive.bmgart.com.au/artists/bisetto-boggs/20070426/bisetto-gabriella/art-work/05.htm

Annette Blair https://canberraglassworks.com/visit/studio-artists/annette-blair/

Kim Harty https://www.kimharty.com/

David Schnuckel https://www.davidschnuckel.com/

Tom Moore https://www.mooreismore.com/

Periodicals:

New Glass Review (Prague, Czechoslovakia). English ed. Prague: EFEKT, 1992-

Websites:

http://www.urbanglass.org

http://www.cmog.org

http://museumofglass.org

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. demonstrate understanding of the glass vessel in: the history of the glass vessel; contemporary art practices; and relevant histories and theories that informs their own creative processes
LO2. communicate their ideas and those of others creatively and effectively
LO3. demonstrate rigorous and independent thinking in the development and editing of their projects
LO4. engage critically with social, cultural and ethical issues and apply local and international perspectives specific in studio glass to extend their creative practice
LO5. use appropriate technologies and media to effectively gather information
LO6. critically evaluate information and apply to their own practice where appropriate.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Dear Students, Thank you for taking the time to provide your thoughtful feedback on this unit of study. Your comments are invaluable in helping us understand your experiences and continuously improve the learning environment. Key Themes from Your Feedback Positive aspects: Many of you appreciated the opportunity to learn a wide range of glassmaking techniques and apply them to your own designs. The hands-on experience and the freedom to experiment with your own ideas were highlighted as enjoyable and rewarding. The teaching team, particularly Kate, received praise for being knowledgeable, supportive, and approachable. Areas for Improvement: Some of you expressed concerns about the feedback provided during the sessions, specifically when addressing mistakes. A few students suggested that having a permanent teacher’s assistant would improve support, especially in a large class setting. Additional practice time was noted as potentially beneficial for skill development. Planned Actions for Future Offerings Feedback Approach: We acknowledge the importance of constructive and actionable feedback during practical work. Moving forward, we will focus on providing clearer, immediate remedies when mistakes occur, in addition to guiding you on how to improve in future attempts. We will also incorporate communication strategies to ensure clarity, particularly for students who may face language challenges. Support for Teaching: We are unable to provide a dedicated teaching assistant in future sessions due to low student numbers. Practice Time: We understand the need for more practice opportunities but are unable to accomodate this as the studio is currently at capacity. Thank you again for your feedback and for contributing to the success of this unit. We are committed to making this an even more enriching experience in the future. Warm regards, Associate Professor Andrew Lavery

Additional information

Students who wish to BLOW glass (inflate the bubble with human breath) may be required to purchase their own ‘blow hose kit’ at a cost to the individual – supplier recommended.

Students who do not purchase their own PPE will be restricted to hot sculpting glass, which is manipulating glass on a solid pipe.

Additional costs

$100 Material levy Additional Individual personal protective equipment may be required.

Site visit guidelines

Hand washing will be encouraged frequently and required when entering and leaving workshops/studios and workstations. Students will wear mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times.

Work, health and safety

Please note the below safety requirements for working in the Glass Studio.

- Enclosed-toed shoes at ALL times

- Natural fibre clothing at ALL times

- No loose jewellery/hair tied back

Please bring a notebook, pens and pencils to all classes.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

CAEL2049: Vessel as Concept: Hot Glass Intro

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links