Glass Bead Making — I                                     

Price: $135.00

Skill Level: Beginner
Focus: Skill Development
Pre-Requisite: None

Learn the basic techniques required for making glass beads over an open torch flame. Students will learn to use the Hot Head torch to create beads in various shapes, colors, and sizes. We’ll work with a variety of glass products including stringer, frit and dichroics. Finishing beads, annealing, and safety, are topics that will be covered. The workshop will also focus on design techniques required to create multiple effects. Students will experience several practice sessions incorporating their basic knowledge with their new skills. Students will enjoy showing off their flame worked creations!

Glass Bead Making — II

Price: $145.00

Skill Level: Intermediate
Focus: Technical Mastery
Pre-Requisite: Beads I

Create spectacular focal beads that incorporate the beauty of dichroics and the brilliance of silver foils. Students will work to develop solid, well-executed focal beads. Skills in this workshop include layering dichroic glass, working with strips, encasing, and applying precious metals, raised decoration, and constructing puffy hearts. This workshop focuses on developing the technical mastery of large focal beads and annealing in a kiln environment. Students will have the opportunity to “test run” the Minor Burner torch.

The Art of Floral Beads

Price: $135.00

Skill Level: Intermediate
Focus: Design Techniques
Pre-Requisite: Beads II

Do you love to stop and smell the flowers? In this workshop, you will learn to capture their beauty forever. Students will make plunged flowers and learn to pull specialty stringer which will be used to “paint” flowers and stems on their beads. Several methods of encasing and applying raised flowers will be explored. Special attention will be directed towards working in and out of the flame, controlling heat and glass applications.

NEW! Working Deep — Encasing

Price: $145.00

Skill Level: Intermediate
Focus: Design Techniques
Pre-Requisite: Beads II

Magnify and expand the patterns on your beads with layers of clear, transparent glass. Learn the tricks of creating focal beads with seemingly endless depth, interest, and detail. This workshop will “cover” deep encasement of beads and creating patterns by applying layers of clear or transparent glass to raised decoration. Student will learn to encase dots and twisted cane to create patterns and scenes under a transparent surface.

NEW! Color Reactions — Glass Chemistry

Price: $145.00

Skill Level: Intermediate
Focus: Design Techniques
Pre-Requisite: Beads II

This exciting workshop will introduce you to working with glass that chemically reacts during the fusing process. These reactions create fantastic effects that are unmatched anywhere else. Students will receive reaction charts as references for their home studios and will produce sample tiles to catalog the reactive combinations. We'll complete the process by creating a composition that incorporates color reactions as a part of your design. We'll use a large palette of reactive glass colors, frit, stringer, rod, foils and leaf. Be prepared for the unexpected!

NEW! Button it Up — Functional Beads 

Price: $145.00

Skill Level: Intermediate
Focus: Design Techniques
Pre-Requisite: Beads II

A button can be used in the traditional way or as a spectacular clasp or even as a focal bead. This workshop is all about the buttons, but there’s so much more! Students will make buttons on and off the mandrel using beautiful latticino cane they’ve created in this workshop. We will think out of the box or the buttonhole for the many ways buttons can be used and created. Each student will make and take home a variety of buttons with shanks and standard holes and learn creative ways to use beads as buttons.

Chamber Beads

Price: $205.00 (2 sessions)

Skill Level: Intermediate
Focus: Technical Mastery
Pre-Requisite: Beads II

This two-day workshop focuses on the creation of the chambered bead, a deeply encased focal bead in which the internal color is deliberately distorted. This distortion creates unique and beautiful intricate effects unlike any other technique. Students will learn how to master stringer construction and control, multiple encasing methods as well as the development of long tubular beads. Primary focus will be placed on heat control and encasement. Many of the skills taught in this workshop will enhance the quality of your daily bead making experience.

Dichroic Bead Heaven — BLING!

Price: $205.00 (2 sessions)

Skill Level: Intermediate
Focus: Design Techniques
Pre-Requisite: Beads II

This two-day workshop covers everything you wanted to know about dichroic glass! Students will learn to cut and prepare their glass for flame working, use strips and chips, and learn how to layer to create their own unique custom color combinations. Additionally, students will make and use dichroic stringer and twisted cane, two components that are an integral part of advanced bead making. This workshops will help you master the heat control you will need to become dichro bead expert!

Fire Escape — Torch Time — Fiery Friday    

Price: $10.00 per hour  for soft glass , $15 per hour for borosilicate glass

Skill Level: All Levels
Focus: Fun
Pre-Requisite: Glass Bead Making I

Want more practice time? This is a great chance to escape and keep the fire and creativity burning! Students will enjoy up to six hours of time (two-hour minimum) at the Minor Burner or GTT Cricket and may use all studio tools and equipment. We provide the gas… you provide the glass. Check the schedule for extra play days too! Fiery Fridays are held on the 2nd Friday of each month… join us as the camaraderie and creativity runs rampant!

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