Fall 1969, after returning from CCAC ceramics study in El Molino, Erongariquaro, Michoacan, Mexico, I registered in the newly formed CCAC glass class. Marvin LIpofsky was my registered instructor, and I primarily worked with Ruth Tamura, who was the TA and first MFA student.
We blew in an outside studio behind ceramics building, with a blue fence and blocky furnace we built. I seem to remember we melted the Mansville Marbles. I was intrigued and thrilled to move from ceramics to glass making. I melted some red glass cullet we found and experimented with clay and glass. I learned how to make vessels.
I kept taking glass classes. When I graduated with a BFA in 1970, I enrolled in the Secondary Teaching Credential program, and continued to take glass classes, working primarily with Ruth. I was thrilled. I started helping Randy Strong, Alan Rice and Michael Cohn build a hot glass studio in west Berkeley. When I got my credential in 1972 I substitute taught for a little while and then I was hired at Oakland High to teach publicity, screen printing and general arts every morning from 8- 12 noon. Every afternoon I rushed over to the coop studio and helped out. Michael and Randy had the day blowing shift. Alan and I blew late afternoons to early evenings and Alan charged the furnace.