At the end of last month, I had a wonderful class with two new students, Julie and Christa, along with a returning student, Glenda. We began the class the way I always do — by reviewing studio safety and completing the required liability forms. Once the paperwork was taken care of, we moved on to one of my favorite parts of every class: surprising each student with a free gift. They could choose from magnets, stirrers, pendants, pocket hearts, or pocket crosses before diving into their projects. I always enjoy watching students pick out a little piece of fused glass art to take home before they’ve even started creating. It sets such a warm tone for the class — relaxed, welcoming, and creative. Since this was Glenda’s second time making fused glass dishes, she already knew the process and what she wanted to do. So after we wrapped up the forms and everyone selected their gift, she headed straight into the studio and got started.
With Julie and Christa visiting my studio for the first time, we walked them through my specialty rooms, giving them a feel for how I work and just how wide the possibilities are with fused glass. I’ve found that beginning with a tour helps new students relax, get inspired, and feel comfortable before diving into their own projects. Glenda, didn’t need the tour so she headed straight into the studio and got started.
- The Finished Room — is filled with completed fused glass artwork available for purchase. It gives students a real sense of how varied fused glass can be — from florals and landscapes to jewelry and functional pieces. It’s one thing to talk about possibilities, but it’s another to see them displayed in front of you.
- The Finishing & Inspiration Room —is where I spend time adding final details to my own work. It’s a relaxed, creative space, and students often linger here, gathering ideas and imagining what they might create during class. There’s always a little spark that happens in this room.
- The Gallery Area —showcases a curated collection of finished fused glass pieces, all available for purchase. This room tends to spark the most conversation. Students start noticing color palettes, textures, and techniques they’d love to try themselves — and suddenly the ideas start flowing.
After visiting the gallery, we headed to the studio and everyone was ready to create. The table was filled with an abundance of supplies — murrine, dots, transparent and opaque glass, vitrigraph, and plenty of frit — giving everyone lots of options to work with. This is always one of my favorite moments during a class. Students begin looking over all the colors and textures, picking pieces up, comparing combinations, and imagining what they might create. Questions start forming, ideas begin to take shape, and that’s usually the exact point when creativity really takes off.
First up was Julie. She decided to create two beautiful fused glass plant stakes, and they turned out absolutely lovely. She used one of my favorite flowers — the sunflower — which adds such a bright, cheerful feel to the pieces. To bring her design to life, she incorporated a variety of elements including frit, vitrigraph, and some adorable murrine. One stake features a little squirrel while the other includes a sweet bird, giving each piece its own personality. The gentle curves of the vitrigraph stems tie everything together beautifully and create a natural flow through the design. Julie did a fabulous job. The combination of the sunny yellow flowers, the detailed murrine (including a squirrel, bird, and ladybug, and the layered glass elements makes these plant stakes feel like little garden scenes captured in glass.
Next was Christa. She created a beautiful mountain-inspired winter night light featuring aspens and a snowy landscape. The blue frit forms the mountain backdrop, while the white glass and textured elements give the scene a soft, wintry feel. She added slender aspen trunks that stand out beautifully against the mountain and then finished the piece with an adorable little cardinal perched nearby. She added a red cardinal really brings the whole design to life and adds a touch of warmth to the winter scene. Christa did a wonderful job. It’s such a peaceful design, and once the night light is illuminated, the soft glow highlights all the textures and details of the landscape.
Glenda returned to the studio to finish her dishes, and they turned out beautifully. She created a lovely amber set with rich, warm tones that really glow when the light hits the glass. In addition to the amber pieces, she also made two sets inspired by the Italian flag using green, white, and red glass. The colors are bold and vibrant, and the finished dishes look fantastic. What makes them even more meaningful is that Glenda plans to take them with her to Italy as gifts. It makes me incredibly happy to think that pieces created in my studio will soon have a home all the way in Italy.
Occasionally, I offer students the opportunity to create a smaller fused glass piece — a pendant, magnet, or keychain — using my cabochons and decals. It’s always a fun option because it allows them to experiment with imagery and layering in a different way. Christa took advantage of this and created a beautiful pocket cross. The simplicity of the design makes it especially meaningful, and the black cross set within the soft blue glass creates a striking contrast. There’s something very satisfying about working on a smaller scale. It allows you to focus on detail, composition, and that little “pop” that makes a piece special. I always enjoy watching students sort through the cabochons and decals, holding different ones up to the light and deciding what speaks to them. Seeing the finished result is just as rewarding as watching the creative process unfold.
This class was such a joy. Julie’s cheerful sunflower plant stakes, Christa’s peaceful mountain night light and meaningful pocket cross, and Glenda’s beautiful dishes destined for Italy made for a wonderful day in the studio. I love seeing how each student brings their own ideas and personality into their projects. Watching those ideas come together in glass is always the best part of teaching. And knowing that some of these pieces will soon be all the way in Italy makes it even more special.
If you’d like to explore more of my fused glass art, including jewelry and home décor I’d love for you to visit my website, Elegant Fused Glass by Karen.
While you’re there, be sure to explore the full site — and don’t forget to check out my Elegant Fused Glass by Karen YouTube for even more inspiration! If you’d like to stay up-to-date with my latest projects, classes, and special offerings, you can also sign up for my monthly newsletter, published on the information on my site. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a private class, feel free to email me at elegantfusedglass@gmail.com. I’d love to help you create something beautiful!
Keeping my kilns warm,
Karen
