Submitted by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
On Saturday, December 6, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will hold its annual Advent Fair. The Fair features gifts, crafts, food, and holiday cheer for all ages, with all proceeds benefitting the work and ministries of the church.
This year fairgoers will also be treated to a live glassblowing demonstration by local artisan Matthew McDonald. Matthew will have his equipment set up in the church’s back parking lot, accessible through the parish hall where the bulk of the Fair takes place. He’ll be making pendants, small figurines, simple ornaments, and icicles, all of which can be purchased onsite.
Matthew has been blowing glass for about five years, learning the old-fashioned way as an apprentice to his father-in-law, who’s been a glassblower for more than thirty-five years. Most of Matthew’s work is scientific: repairing broken lab equipment, and manufacturing small quantities of custom glass pieces for universities or pharmaceutical research. A natural off-shoot of his scientific work, however, is artistic work.
“I would have to say that my favorite part of the artistic glassblowing process is the middle,” he explained. “You’ve already started joining colored glass rod to other colors, the piece is beginning to take shape, the whole area around you is burning with the heat of the torch, and there in your hands is the most unique, amazing material on this Earth. You are forming it into something that will catch the eye of all who pass by.”
The Advent Fair runs from 9:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday, December 6, with demonstrations offered continuously throughout the day. St. Paul’s is a fully-accessible church located at 100 Pine Hill Road in Bedford, MA. For more information, please call the church office Tuesday through Friday, from 9:00am to 1:00pm, at 781-275-8262, or visit www.stpaulsbedford.org.
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