Residencies

We run residency programs for artists who want to work with glass or historical photographic techniques. Each program includes professional guidance, fully equipped facilities, and space to work.

Open to artists, designers, and anyone with an interest in glass or historical photography, regardless of background or experience level.

This program takes you through all stages of creating a kiln-cast glass sculpture: model, mold, firing, and cold working. No prior experience with glass is required. We provide instruction and hands-on guidance throughout.

You will take home a finished piece. We can photograph it in our studio before you leave.

The process

The residency follows a structured timeline set by the material.

Phase 1: Model and mold. Intensive work on model creation and mold preparation. This phase requires extended hours and may include evening sessions. We work with refractory molds. Multi-part molds do not survive the firing well, so the sculpture needs to be designed to release cleanly from a single mold.

Phase 2: Drying. Once the clay is removed, the mold must dry for at least 10 days depending on size. The pace slows to 5 to 8 hours per day, Monday to Friday. You can use this time for vermiculite board molding, glass fusing experiments, or other glass processing techniques.

Phase 3: Firing. After drying, we load the kiln. The firing program runs for about one week. You will learn the principles of glass melting and the parameters for calculating melting and cooling curves. The glass is broken into shards of roughly 1 to 3 cm and placed into the mold. At peak temperature the viscosity is similar to honey: colours blend to some degree, but gradients and boundaries remain visible.

Phase 4: Cold working. The final phase: sanding, grinding, and polishing the cast sculpture. This is often the most time-consuming part, which is why we recommend at least 5 to 6 weeks for the full residency.

Mentorship and access

A member of our team will guide you through the entire process, from theory to production. Someone will always be with you at the studio.

Standard access is Monday to Friday during the day (10am to 4pm). We are often on-site during evenings and weekends, and you are welcome to work during those times as long as a team member is present.

Duration

Minimum 4 weeks. We recommend 5 to 6 weeks to allow enough time for cold working.

The residency runs year-round.

Price

10 000 CZK (c. €400) per week. This covers: 

• studio access, 
• all materials including glass and mold-making supplies,
• mentoring, 
• and all other necessities to complete your project.
  
  

There is no limit on the number of molds you can make. The constraint is kiln capacity and firing time: the residency allows for a single firing of about 7 to 10 days.

We can provide up to 20 kg of glass, including coloured glass. Larger projects can be accommodated but would be priced separately based on firing time and labour.

Payment

The full fee is due before the residency starts. We ask for a 10% deposit once your application is confirmed.

Our kilns

Medium kiln: 65 × 70 × 50 cm
Fusing kiln: 90 × 180 × 50 cm
Large kiln: 80 × 100 × 100 cm

The maximum size of a finished piece depends on the kiln dimensions, the thickness of the mold, and whether it is a closed or open mold. Closed molds and tall, narrow forms require extra space at the top for a chute to hold additional glass.

Funding support

If you are applying for a grant or scholarship, we will provide all necessary documentation to support your application. We are also happy to share current funding opportunities that we know of.

Accommodation

We provide a guide with accommodation options in Prague. The workshop is at the end of Metro A (Depo Hostivař), about 20 minutes from the city centre.

This residency is for artists who already have experience with the techniques they plan to use: kiln casting, fusing, slumping, or similar. The program provides workspace and equipment, not instruction.

You have access to a fully equipped space for kiln-cast glass sculpture, slumped glass, grinding, polishing, sandblasting, the wet collodion process, and traditional photographic techniques (darkroom and photo studio). Our kilns can also be used for firing ceramics and porcelain.

Professional consultation is available for any project that can be realised with the available equipment, except porcelain.

Length

Flexible, by agreement.

Price

6 000 CZK (c. €250) per week.

Materials

The artist covers material costs. We can help source suitable materials based on your project.

Funding support

If you are applying for a grant or scholarship, we will provide all necessary documentation to support your application. We are also happy to share current funding opportunities that we know of.

This course covers the wet collodion process. You will have access to a photography studio and a darkroom throughout the residency.

You will learn collodion preparation, photography on glass plates of various formats, and how to mix and handle your own photographic chemicals. At the end, you take home your finished photographs and a complete guide to the process. There is also the option to experiment with other historical photographic techniques.

For questions about our residency programs, get in touch. We are happy to help you choose the right program or put together a custom residency.

We can also help with finding accommodation and preparing documents for scholarship or grant applications.

Julie Lesová, Mentor & Kolodium Glass Director
tel.: +420 731 243 653
email: info@kolodiumglass.cz