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Flame Shop Classes

Our Flame Shop is equipped with 8 Nortel major burners, plenty of tools, and both soda line (Effetre, Vetrofond, etc.) and borosilicate glass. Most classes will provide student glass packs specific to the class. Additional glass may be purchased at cost. Classes are limited to 6-8 students to allow for ample 1-1 instruction. We also offer Beading classes in conjunction with our glass Beadmaking classes.

***Every student who comes to participate in glass making classes is required to wear eye protection and closed toed shoes. No exceptions will be made!***

Registration Form

Try our new online registration page! Please make a note of your desired class titles, sessions, dates and pricing before clicking onto this link.

Beginner Level Classes:

Semester Torch Working (FS 100-B)

Session I
September 20 - December 22 (skip 10/11, 10/13, 11/22, 11/24)
Session II
February 14 - May 8 (skip 4/5)
 

Members: $850 Non-Members: $875

24 classes per session (72 hours)

Tuesday & Thursday, 2 - 5pm

 

Faculty Instructor: Karl Taylor

In this 12-week class, students will learn the basics of torch working Borosilicate glass. Students will learn torch safety, proper rotation, color and application, solid sculpting, use of Dichroic glass, and basic usage of tubing. Students will receive plenty of demonstrations, torch time, and individual attention. All supplies included. No prior experience required.

Beginning Beadmaking (FS 100-E)

Session I
September 17
Session II
November 5
Session III
January 21
Session IV
March 3
Session V
April 14
Session VI
May 26

Members: $95 Non-Members: $115

Saturday, 11am - 5pm (6 hours, students take breaks as needed)

Faculty Instructor

This one-day class focuses on using Effetre, a traditional Italian soft glass, to create mandrel wound beads. After an overview of safety basics, students will move on to winding glass onto steel mandrels, basic beads, shaping, tool usage, color application and design. This is a great class to learn the essentials of beadmaking. All supplies included. No prior experience required. Return students welcome.

Techniques in Simple Murrini (FS 101-E)

Session I
October 30 & November 6
Session II
December 4 & 11
Session III
March 11 & 25 (skip 3/18)
Session IV
May 20 & 27
 

Members: $135 Non-Members $155

2 Sundays, 12 - 4pm (8 hours)

Faculty Instructor: Renee Wiggins

What better way to add beautiful and unique detail to your beads than with murrini? This class will teach students to make three types of ornate yet simple flower canes; students will also focus on the relationship between clear and colored glass to create depth and design. Working with Effetre glass, you will make a "bullseye" style flower; a Tonbo Dama style 3-D petal flower; and a rose. Learning these simple yet classic techniques is sure to spark your imagination and creativity to create your very own murrini designs. This class is limited to 6 students; return students welcome. Pre-requisite: Beginning Beadmaking.

Murrini by Renee Wiggins

Intro to Pendants/ Boro 101 (FS 101-B)

Session I
September 15 & 22
Session II
November 3 & 10
Session III
January 12 & 19
Session IV
February 16 & 23
Session V
April 19 & 26
 

Members: $105 Non-Members $125

2 Thursdays, 6 - 9pm (6 hours)

Faculty Instructor: Karl Taylor

This class is a great introductory class for students who want to learn the basics in Borosilicate to create glass pendants. The class will focus on rotation, surface color applications, and making round and tapered pendants with structurally sound loops. All supplies included. No prior experience required. Return students welcome.

Intro to Marbles / Boro 102 (FS 102-B)

Session I
October 22 & 29
Session II
December 10 & 17
Session III
March 31 & April 7
Session IV
May 12 & 19
 

Members: $145 Non-Members $165

2 Saturdays, 12 - 4pm (8 hours)

Faculty Instructor: Karl Taylor

Intro to Marbles offers a two-day beginner class in marble making. The class will focus on rotation, gathering glass to make clear marbles, surface color applications such as dots and pinwheels, and using gravity and heat to achieve a round shape. This class is a great introductory class for students who want to learn marbles and practice their skills in Borosilicate glass. All supplies included. No prior experience required. Return students welcome.

Intermediate Level Classes:

Intro to Boro Blowing (FS 200-B)

Session I
October 18 - November 8
Session II
January 10 - 31
Session III
February 21 - March 13
Session IV
May 1 - 29 (skip 5/8)
 

Members: $250 Non-Members $270

4 Tuesdays, 6 - 9pm (12 hours)

Faculty Instructor: Karl Taylor

If you aspire to make hollow forms in borosilicate glass, this is the class to get you going! Projects will include: chili peppers, sea shells, tube pulls and small vases. The scale of the work will intentionally be kept small to promote a focus on the fundamentals. This class includes 6 hours of rental time in the price; students must use these hours during the span of their class session. Pre-requisite: Intro to Pendants or Intro to Marbles.

Intermediate Beadmaking: Focus on Surface Decoration (FS 200-E)

Session I
November 4 & 11
Session II
December 9 & 16
Session III
February 17 & 24
Session IV
March 30 & April 6
Session V
May 11 & 18
 

Members: $155 Non-Members $175

2 Fridays, 5 - 9pm (8 hours)

Faculty Instructor: Nan Charif

This class is great for students with some beadmaking experience under their belt with the drive to learn more about surface decoration. This class meets for 2 Fridays and focuses on: consistency in shaping, proper tool usage, and color application with an emphasis on using dots and stringers. Prerequisite: Beginning Beadmaking.

Focus on Implosions (FS 201-B)

Session I
September 25
Session II
November 13
Session III
January 22
Session IV
March 4
Session V
May 6

Members: $120 Non-Members: $145

Sunday, 10am - 4pm (6 hours, students take breaks as needed)

Faculty Instructor: Karl Taylor

This class expands on the skills learned in either Intro to Pendants or Intro to Marbles. The class will focus on techniques in frit-based implosions. Students will learn technical design skills; what you make is your choice (marbles, pendants). Prerequisite: Intro to Pendants or Intro to Marbles.

Implosions by student

Focus on Vortexes (FS 202-B)

Session I
October 23
Session II
December 18
Session III
February 12
Session IV
April 15
Session V
May 13

Members: $120 Non-Members: $145

Sunday, 10am - 4pm (6 hours, students take breaks as needed)

Faculty Instructor: Karl Taylor

Continue learning design skills in Focus on Vortexes. Students will learn vortex techniques using opaque, transparent, and Dichroic glass. This class will teach technical design skills; what you make is your choice (marbles, pendants). Prerequisite: Intro to Pendants or Intro to Marbles.

Aquatic Beads (FS 201-E)

Session I
September 18
Session II
November 12 (Saturday, 12 - 4pm)
Session III
January 15
Session IV
Feburary 26
Session V
April 1

Members: $75 Non-Members: $95

Sunday, 12 - 4pm (4 hours)

Faculty Instructor: Nan Charif

This class will teach techniques for making various fish shapes using tools and gravity with an emphasis on details like:eyes, lips, fins, and body decoration.Students will also learn how to make several types of shells to complete your aquatic experience. Prerequisite: Beginning Beadmaking plus torch time.

Advanced Level Classes:

Advanced Implosions (FS 300-B)

Session I
November 20
Session II
January 8
Session III
February 19
Session IV
April 22

Members: $120 Non-Members: $145

Sunday, 10am - 4pm (6 hours, students take breaks as needed)

Faculty Instructor: Karl Taylor

Advanced Implosions builds on the skills learned in our 100 and 200 level Borosilicate classes. Students will learn complex techniques for creating implosion style marbles and/or pendants, including: air traps and flowers. Students will learn technical design skills; what you make is your choice (marbles, pendants). Prerequisite: Focus on Implosions.

Silver Reactive Beads (FS 300-E)

Session I
November 7 & 14
Session II
February 13 & 20
Session III
April 2 & 9
Session IV
May 7 & 14
 

Members: $100 Non-Members $120 + $50 materials fee

2 Mondays, 6 - 9pm (6 hours)

Faculty Instructor: Renee Wiggins

This intermediate class will focus on how to achieve the best results from of working with silver-rich glass using reduction and striking techniques. On day one, students will learn how to get repeatable color reactions from both opaque and transparent striking colors. On day two, we will focus on flame chemistry and how to consistently achieve super metallic surfaces using reduction on both surface and encased color. This class is limited to 6 students. Your materials fee covers silver rich colors; students can choose 5 out of 7 available colors. Prerequisite: Beginning Beadmaking plus torch time.

Continuing Blowing (FS 301-B)

Session I
September 29 - October 27 (skip 10/13)
Session II
December 1 - 22
Session III
March 1 - 29 (skip 3/22)
Session IV
May 10 - 31

Members: $250 Non-Members: $270

4 Thursdays, 6 - 9pm (12 hours)

Faculty Instructor: Karl Taylor

Once you have taken Intro to Boro Blowing, it's time to take Continuing Blowing. Expand your skill sets using tubing: learn tube patterning, bubble assembly, reversals, and off-axis work. Continue practicing your double-handed rotation, color application, and using heat to make vessels. This class includes 6 hours of rental time in the price; students must use these hours during the span of their class session. Pre-requisite: Intro to Boro Blowing or Semester Torch Working.