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Re: neon schools
>
> > Eddie ended up sending his son to a
> >school near Kansas City, I think the guys name was Blazeck. I'm thinking he
> >said that although the guy was a good sign-maker he wasn't that good a
> >teacher; didn't spend enough hands-on time showing how to make the bends and
> >splices. (Not trying to insult anyone here, this is just my recollection of
> >the conversation.)
>
> Just to set the record straight for those who may not know, Blazek's neon
> school in Wisconsin is not the same as Paris School of Neon, which was in
> Kansas and run by Per Walin, and is no longer.
>
> I know Ed DeZuzio (on this list) came from the Kansas school and had a
> different (positive) experience, and hey, while we're here, let's have a
> show of hands for who went to what school where, and what they thought of
> it? Seems like I'm outnumbered by self-learners on this list... which I find
> slightly ironical since self-learning has been my approach to most things,
> like car repair and house remodelling (yeah, so it shows, don't rub it in...).
>
Time to delurk - I no longer do neon, but do glassblowing and beadmaking
as a hobby. I went to Blazek's Northern Wisconsin Neon Workshop for
a six week session in the late 80's. In six weeks I learned enough
to be a reasonably competent bender. Dean and his assistant instructor
were quite hands on and have the advantage of having taught enough people
that they know how to teach.
It was also interesting to learn in a production environment of
mixed beer sign and custom work. Watching someone crank out the
200th beer sign in a row opens your eyes to just how fast a good
bender can go.
Is it worth the money? maybe... for me it was a definate yes.
For people in other circumstances, the answer will vary.
Several people in the class were sent by their employers to
get over the beginning part of the learning curve, so they could
start doing moderate commercial trade work.
john mc
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