Glassworks Classes in Worcester, Massechusetts
Glassblowing and Bead Making Coursces at Worcester Center for Crafts
Oct 23, 2009
For most, daily activities are routine. Wake up, put the kids on a bus, go to work, pick the kids up, eat dinner, watch TV and then go to bed. Excitement and entertainment are limited. A crafts class with the Worcester Center for Crafts is one way to add some pleasure and enjoyment to a monotonous schedule.
The Glassworks Studio on New Street is a Hot Spot
While re-modeling continues inside the Craft Center’s Sagamore Road building, the Glass Studio on New Street is where the three-hour classes are held. Interested students are able to register now online for 8-week classes at the Glass Studio, which are scheduled to begin the week of November 3rd of 2009. There are also 6 different, one-night, craft-specific sessions for those who are nervous about committing to full eight-week courses. Classes are scheduled to resume at the Sagamore building in 2010.
Glassblowing Courses for Every Level of Talent
Glassblowing is a skill that has been studied and practiced for centuries. Working with glass takes both willingness and discipline to learn. Because of the extreme temperatures required to boil glass, this is a serious hobby that requires students to follow both safety and etiquette rules. Glassblowing I will provide beginners with the proper rules to abide by while taking part in the practice. A teen Glassblowing course is also available on Saturdays.
Students that graduate from Glass Blowing I, or students with prior experience from a different school, are invited to give Glassblowing II a try. Skills will be refined, and new procedures will be learned throughout the eight-week course. All of these Glassworking courses are offered to students that are 18 and older. Students that are 16 or 17 are able to enroll, but need to be accompanied by an adult.
Stained Glass and Glass Beadmaking Courses are Also Available
Designed to teach new students how to use soft moretti glass to make beads, Glass Beadmaking I shows people the correct ways to properly use torches and other studio equipment to create unique glass beads and pendants. Participants are able to take home these one-of-a-kind beads, which can be turned into jewelry and given as gifts throughout this upcoming holiday season.
Experienced students can advance to Glass Beadmaking II. This course builds on the lessons learned from Beadmaking I by adding new elements to the beadmaking design process. Students will learn how to apply shards and to use silver or foil to enhance their unique pieces.
Techniques in Stained Glass is a class that is open to students of all levels, and participants are expected to work at their own pace. After learning safety and etiquette rules, students are shown the proper steps and procedures to create stained glass. From color and design to foil and shaping, students enrolled in this class will create pieces within their skill levels.
Friday Fun Sessions and a New Jewelry Course are Open for Enrollment
Friday Night Fun sessions are offered over the course of the 8-week sessions in both Glassblowing and Glass Beadmaking. These six, one-night classes run from are introductory steps for those individuals who are not ready to enroll into an 8-week program. During each three-hour class, students will learn a bit about the history of the craft and watch a brief demonstration before rolling up their sleeves to create their own pieces.
The Friday-night courses are Glass Beads or Floppy Bowls on November 13th, Icicle Beads or Holiday Ornaments on December 4th, and finally Candy Cane Beads or a Parent-Teen Holiday Ornaments on December 11th. This is an affordable way for people to try their hand at a craft before committing to a full eight-week session.
A new class was added to the New Street lineup for this winter’s session. Fusing and Slumping: Jewelry and Beyond explores the various warm glass procedures used. From sandblasting and painting to frit fusing, cold/UV gluing and gliding, several techniques will be covered.
The Worcester Center for Crafts’ New Street Glassworks Studio is located at 35 New Street, in Worcester. The Center’s website lists the complete schedule of courses available throughout March, along with pricing information. Plenty of free parking is available.
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