FLAMEWORKING WORKSHOPS & CLASSES:

Flameworking I Workshop

One Class, 6 Hours (includes a lunch break)

Ever wanted to try your hand at flameworking?  This workshop is the perfect setting to explore glass in a friendly environment.  Students will be introduced to the basic techniques of working clear borosilicate glass rod on a bench mounted torch to create unique stir rods & free forms featuring twisty shapes and swirls.  The class will also give you a little taste of color that hopefully will inspire you to want more time playing with glass & flame!  Glass work will be kiln annealed and ready for pickup the following day/week.  All materials, tools, and safety equipment provided.  Wear 100% cotton clothing, no baggy sleeves. 

No prerequisites required for new students; continuing students who want to practice their beginning skills are welcome.

Cost per Student is $75

Beginning Flameworking Class Series 

Four Classes, 4 Hours each

Looking for a more substantial class series to learn the basics of flameworking?  Students in this class will learn a sequential array of beginning flameworking techniques designed to help you gain competency with manipulating molten glass and your torch flame. The instructor will also cover the use of a wide range of tools along with kiln annealing and studio safety & setup.  All materials, safety equipment and tools will be provided.  Wear 100% cotton clothing, no baggy sleeves.  No experience necessary for new students; continuing students who want to practice their beginning skills are welcome.

Cost per student is $210

Continuing Flameworking Class Series

Four Classes, 4 Hours each

Now that you have some basic experience and torch time with borosilicate glass, you are ready to push your technical skills with more challenging beginner level assignments.  Students will continue working with clear glass rod and be introduced to some basic tubing techniques, with the goal of learning to assemble small scale sculptural pieces from components.  You will also learn the beginnings of working with boro colors and creating twisted latticinos and encased cane to incorporate some simple surface designs into your artwork. Class will cover multiple annealings, and will introduce the "italian method" and bridging to help you start executing small scale sculputures.  Beginning Flameworking I Class is required for new students; continuing students who want to practice their beginning II skills are welcome.

Cost per student is $225

Flameworking Workshop: Twisted Cane

One Class, 6 Hours (includes a break for lunch)

Ready to get more serious about working with color in your beginning flameworking projects?  This workshop will concentrate on showing students how to create cased colors, twisted lattacinos, ribbon cane, and other complex pulled canes.  Important skills such as how to strike certain colors in the flame and how to prevent color shifts will also be covered.  We will focus on technique rather than product, so you can gain the skills necessary to work more successfully with color in your own projects.  All materials, tools, and safety equipment will be provided.  Wear 100% cotton clothing, no baggy sleeves.   Beginning Flameworking II Class or equivalent experience required for new students;  continuing students are also welcome.

Cost per student is $85 

NOTE:  While enrolled in a 4 session Flameworking class series, you are welcome to reserve Open Studio Time at $15/hr (with a 2 hr min) to practice your new skills.  A reservation is required to ensure torch space availability.  As a currently enrolled student, all tools, kiln time, AND boro glass will be provided during this special Open Studio Time.  You will however still need to provide your own dichro, precious metal leaf and/or silver wire if you are using those materials (or purchase them from me).  Please also note that "mass boro production" during this special Open Studio time will NOT be allowed unless you provide your own glass!  At the start of the week following the last class, Open Studio Time reverts to you paying the $15/hr studio rental AND the glass & kiln use charges stated on the Studio Use Policy tab above.

FUSING WORKSHOPS & CLASSES:

Many thanks to Morton Glass System for making their Portable Glass Shop cutting system available for each student's use in my studio!

Fusing I Workshop:  Basic Fusing

One Class, 4 Hours

Feel like playing with the glass but want to start with something a little less intimidating? Try your hand at making a simple 8x8 tile AND 4x4 coaster.  We will cover glass safety & cutting basics along with applications of colored glass sheets, rod, stringer, and frits to design a unique set that will be fused and ready for pickup the following week.  All materials, tools, & safety equipment are provided.  Bring a pen & sketchbook.  No experience required.

Cost per Student is $75

Fusing II Workshop:  Basic Fused Jewelry

FRIT CASTING WORKSHOPS & CLASSES:

Frit Casting I Workshop:  Cast Glass Mosaic

One Class, 4 Hours

Start with the basic concept of making a fun mosaic by creating your own glass tessare, then learn how to grout with glass frits and powders to create a smashing new tile you can frame or add bumper feet to use as a trivet.  Diamond Ring saws and grinders will be available for use as well.  Your 8x8 tile will be fired by the instructor and ready for pickup the following week.  All materials & equipment are provided.  Bring a pen & sketchbook.  Basic fusing experience is required.

Cost per Student is $75

Frit Casting II Workshop:  Painted Line

One Class, 4 Hours

Have fun creating a more painterly type of fused tile using glass powders and frits after laying down a painted line as a reference point on an 8x8 glass blank.  Mix in a little dichro and some metal leaf and you have a truly glitzy piece of art!  All materials & equipment are provided.  Bring a pen & sketchbook.  Basic fusing experience is required.

Cost per Student is $75

Frit Casting III Workshop:  "Painting with Light"

Two classes, 4 hours each (8 hrs total, 2 weeks)

Now it's time to take all those frit casting & fusing techniques and combine them into a beautiful deep casting to create an 8x8x1/2 inch "thick" tile with depth and perspective.  We will be using painted lines, metal wire, frits & powders, metal leaf, dichro, cullet, and stringer to paint a scene that will create dimensional depth as the light shines through it.  Your "painting" will be fired during the week; coldworking techniques & mounting systems will be taught during the second class with time given to clean up your tile .  All materials, tools, & safety equipment are provided.  Bring a pen & sketchbook.  Basic frit casting & fusing experience is required.

Cost per Student is $150  

KILN CASTING & PATE DE VERRE CLASSES:

Kiln Casting I:  Open Face Tile

Two classes, 6 hrs 1st wk + 2 hrs 2nd wk (8 hours total, 2 weeks)

This class will create a 5x5x3/4" glass tile by making a simple bas relief clay tile model.  The clay tile will then be used to create a refractory mold that will be filled with soda lime glass using colored frit for detail & clear cullet for background (to be fired during the week between classes).  Students will meet the following week to devest their fired molds and learn some basic coldworking skills to cleanup their final glass product.  Bring pen & notebook.  All materials & equipment are provided.  No prerequisites required; continuing students welcome. 

Cost per Student is $125

Kiln Casting II:  Solid Sculpture

Three classes, 4 hours each (12 hours total, 3 weeks)

Students will create a small basic sculptural work in wax, then learn to form a basic sprue cup, followed by a coddle box pour using refractory materials to create the mold.  A crucible will be charged with glass cullet to fill the mold when fired; the mold will be devested during the last class, with simple coldworking techniques covered to cleanup the final piece.  Bring pen and notebook to class.  All materials & equipment are provided. No prerequisites required; continuing students welcome.

Cost per Student is $180

Kiln Casting III:  Hollow Vessel (Lost Wax Casting)

Four classes, 4 hours each (16 hours total, 4 weeks)

Students will continue to expand their casting skills by learning to make a simple hollow vessel form with exterior design elements.  Spruing and venting concepts will be covered, along with creating a handbuilt refractory mold that will then use lost wax techniques to retrieve the interior model.  The mold will then be set up in the kiln for a crucible melt (students will learn to set up the kiln for firing), fired during the week  and then devested and cleaned up during the last class.  Bring pen and sketchbook to class.  All materials & equipment are provided.  Kiln Casting experience required; continuing students welcome.

Cost per Student is $240

Kiln Casting IV:  Carved Core Hollow Vessel

Four classes, 4 hours each (16 hours total, 4 weeks)

Expand your casting experiences by learning to do carved cores where the design elements are on the inside of your hollow vessel form.  Variations on refractory materials for handbuilt firable molds will be discussed.  Students will handbuild their own molds, which will then go thru the lost wax process and a crucible firing in the kiln, with the artwork devested and coldworked in the final class.  Students will be invited to help with the kiln setup and high heat charging if they would like to be present.  Bring pen and sketchbook to class.  All materials & equipment are provided.  Kiln Casting required; continuing students welcome.

Cost per Student is $240

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PATE DE VERRE CLASSES:

Pate de Verre I:  Talc Core Vessel

Three Classes: 2 classes 5 hrs each + 1class 2 hrs (12 hrs total, 3 weeks)

Ever wondered how artists get that cool sugary crystal look in a hollow vessel?  Come to this class and explore the exciting possibilities of Pate de Verre.  Students will learn to create & test their own glass recipes, then learn to create a refractory mold from a simple bowl shape that will be packed with various frits & glue to form a color design.  Molds will be fired by the instructor and ready when students meet for the final class to devest their molds and learn some basic coldworking techniques suitable for this type of pate de verre piece.  All materials & equipment are provided.  No prerequisites required.  Beginning and Continuing students welcome.

Cost per Student is $150

Pate de Verre II:  Talc Core Vessel w/ Inclusions or Bas Relief

Three classes: 2 classes, 5 hrs each + 1 class, 2 hrs (12 hrs total, 3 weeks)

Amazed and excited from the first class, but ready for a bit more challenge?  Students will continue to expand their skills by testing more glass recipes and creating a vessel mold that incorporates bas relief inclusions as a design element providing dimensional relief on the exterior of a bowl shaped vessel.  The final class will be spent coldworking the piece and debriefing the firing.  All materials & equipment are provided.  Pate de Verre I is recommended; continuing students are welcome.

Cost per Student is $160

Pate De Verre III:  2 Part Press Molds with Bas Relief

Four classes, 4 hours each (16 hours total, 4 weeks)

Students will learn to make a 2 part press mold w/ exterior designs in bas relief on their hollow vessel.  This process is more complicated and stays in the kiln longer and at higher temps, yielding the rich, traditional alabaster-like surface on these luminous vessels.  The final class will be spent devesting the mold and debriefing the firing, as well as learning several coldworking techniques using various pieces of equipment, with time to coldwork your own piece.  All materials and equipment are provided.  Bring pen & notebook to class.  Prerequisite is Pate de Verre I or II; continuing students are welcome.

Cost per Student is $240