Beginner Bead Making

Learn the basics of glass bead making during this day-long class.

• Basic skills covered: stringers, bi-colors, lines, dots, textures and frit.

• Basic shapes covered: droplets, round, tube, barrel, cone, bi-cone, tab, simple buttons and hearts.

• Safety discussion: torch safety guidelines and studio rules.

• Basic Art Glass overview: types of glass, torches, COE, variety of glass art techniques and their uses. 

• Work with soft glass rods which come in a fabulous range of colors.  Cost of glass included in tuition.

• Make 4 – 8 finished beads during class.

Tuition includes 2 hours of guided studio time on the torch – post class.

Beads will need to cool down slowly....so plan to come in the next time our studio is open to retrieve them.

Suggested reading: The Complete Book of Glass Beadmaking, by Kimberley Adams.    Time: 5 hours (w/lunch break)       

Tuition: $135 for individual study, or $115 for two students

Intermediate Level 2: Stringers, Dots & Twisted Cane

Build upon the basic skills learned in the beginning class, learn how to control your designs, create complex looks with simple techniques and practice the building blocks of sculptural glass.

• Intermediate skills covered: stringer control, silvered ivory stringers, basic cane, twisted cane, encasing, dot control, dot placement, distortion effects, and manipulation of specific areas.

• Bead designs made in class:  Delicate spirals, tiger bead, colorful cane, plunges, simple florals, bubble beads, various dot distortion patterns, twisted dots, and a quilted dot pattern.  

• Cost of glass and silver foil included in tuition.

• Make 4 – 8 finished beads during class.

• Tuition includes 2 hours of guided studio time on the torch – post class.

• Prerequisite: Basic Techniques class. Time: 5 hours w/lunch break      

 Tuition: $135 for individual study, or $115 for two students

Intermediate Level 1: Inclusions & Surface Designs

Build upon the basic skills learned in the beginning class, learn how to create beads with various items embedded and covered with clear glass for fabulous effects.

• Intermediate skills covered: Basic encasing, silver foil, silver wire, copper tubing, and millifiori, dichroic glass, frits, pixie dust, enamel powders, copper foil, reduction frit, baking soda and acid etching.

• Cost of glass and all inclusion materials included in tuition.

• Make 4 – 8 finished beads during class.

• Tuition includes 2 hours of guided studio time on the torch – post class.

• Prerequisite: Beginner level class 

• Time: 6 hours w/lunch break

Tuition: $175 for individual study, or $150 for two students

Intermediate Bead Making - Metals and More

 Build upon the skills learned in the Inclusions & Surface Designs class. This class is all about combining metals with glass to get great results.

• Intermediate skills covered: Perfecting shape prior to design work, threading, using high metal content glass, perfecting reduction & oxidization techniques, reactive color combination, gravity shaping control.

• Cost of glass and all inclusion materials included in tuition.

• Make 3 - 5 finished beads during class.

• Tuition includes 2 hours of guided studio time on the torch – post class.

• Prerequisite: Inclusions & Surface Designs or have competency in the skills that class covers.

• Time: 3 hours

Tution: $120 for individual study, or $105 for two students