Paly glass team to sell work at Great Glass Pumpkin Patch

posted September 25, 2009

by Ken Wattana of The Paly Voice

Ken Wattana

Hand-blown glass pumpkins made by the Palo Alto High School glass team are on display at the Palo Alto Art Center. They will go on sale Oct. 3-4 and benefit the Paly sculpture program and the Art Center.

The Palo Alto High School glass team will sell its hand-blown glass pumpkins to benefit the sculpture program at the upcoming Great Glass Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 3-4.

Comprised of ceramics teacher David Camner, Paly students, alumni and other glass artists, the Paly glass team is in its fourth year of participation in the annual pumpkin patch. Camner believes the team made around 400 pumpkins last summer.

More than half of the funding for the popular glass studio comes through pumpkin making, according to Camner.

"The pumpkins are all made by volunteers who give up their time for the program," Camner said. "The money raised through the sale of the pumpkins goes directly into the [sculpture] program, to buy materials such as clay, glass, bronze, and wood. Glass is expensive and the studio requires maintenance."

In its 14th year, the pumpkin patch supports the Bay Area Glass Institute in San Jose, the Palo Alto Arts Center and the Palo Alto Arts Foundation.

According to a recent press release, the patch is "the largest glass pumpkin patch in California." More than 8,000 hand blown glass pumpkins will be on display, in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes.

Ken Wattana

The 14th Great Glass Pumpkin Patch will be held on Oct. 3-4 at the Palo Alto Art Center. Hand-blown glass pumpkins (above), made by local artists will be up for sale.

The pumpkin patch will be open for exhibition on on Sept. 29-30 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 1-2 before the actual sale begins. The exhibition days will feature glassblowing demonstrations and opportunities to meet the artists.

Camner encourages people take a look at the pumpkins, which will be displayed in the Art Center courtyard.

"All the pumpkins together act as one big art exhibit," Camner said.

Camner urges those who cannot attend the Art Center sale to come to Paly's annual pumpkin sale. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 15 in the courtyard of the Tower Building.

A special 10 percent discount coupon is available here. The pumpkins go on sale on Saturday the Oct. 3-4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 14th Annual Great Glass Pumpkin Patch, Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94303.

Exhibition: Tuesday – Wednesday, September 29 – 30, 2009 (10 a.m. – 9 p.m.) Thursday – Friday, October 1 – 2, 2009 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Sale: Saturday – Sunday, October 3 – 4, 2009 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)