I had a wonderful, fused glass class this month with four brand-new students, and they were such a great group! As always, we kicked things off with my little safety briefing and the all-important liability forms—because as shocking as it may sound, glass will cut you if given the chance. 😄 Once everyone was squared away, I let them choose from a table full of free gifts, including pocket hearts, crosses, pendants, ornaments, and of course magnets. I love starting classes this way—it sets a welcoming tone and gives everyone something special to take home before we even begin creating.
Since Lisa, Marion, Kathi, and Katie were all new to my studio, I gave them the full tour of my glass rooms. It’s one of my favorite parts of welcoming new students because each space has its own personality and creative energy.
✨ The Finished Room — A bright, colorful space filled with completed fused glass pieces available for purchase. From elegant flowers to sparkling jewelry, this room really showcases just how many directions fused glass can take. It always sparks ideas!
✨ The Finishing & Inspiration Room — This is where I put the final touches on my own pieces, surrounded by some of my favorite work. It’s a creative nook, and I often see students pause here to soak in inspiration before they start designing their own projects.
✨ The Gallery Area — A beautifully display of fused glass art—every piece available for purchase. Many students tell me this is their favorite room because it’s packed with inspiration for color palettes, textures, designs, and techniques they’re excited to try.
✨ A Fully Stocked, Hard-Working Studio — My studio isn’t fancy, but it is packed from top to bottom with tools, supplies, glass, molds, and everything a fused-glass artist could ever need. It’s a functional, well-organized workspace built for creating, experimenting, and having fun—exactly the kind of place where great projects come to life.
First up was Lisa, since she was the one who scheduled the class. Because all four students were new, I fully expected each of them to choose something small and simple for their first project. Oh, how wrong I was! These ladies came ready to create, and they went straight for big, bold, and beautifully complicated pieces. Lisa decided to make one of my sconce-style designs, wanting something similar to one of my originals—including a textured plate backing. She even drew her own bird, which was so impressive for a first-time student. I showed her how to cut out the design, and together we created the little pockets that make the sconce come to life. And to top it all off, she chose iridized glass, which is gorgeous but definitely not the easiest glass to work with. It was a challenging project, but she handled it like a natural!
Marion was up next, and she created such a charming and unique piece—a beautiful mix of fall and spring in the form of a fused glass sconce. She built her tree using vitrigraph, giving it that lovely natural flow and movement, and then added murrine and frit to bring in pops of color and detail. The combination of seasons makes her sconce feel playful, vibrant, and full of personality. It’s always exciting to see how new students bring their own vision to life, and Marion’s creativity truly shined in this project!
Katie was next, and she created an absolutely beautiful piece! She used one of my dishes as her inspiration, then took it in her own direction with amazing colors and over a dozen perfectly matched millefiori. Her eye for color coordination was spot-on—every tiny detail fit together beautifully. The finished dish is not only stunning, but also wonderfully versatile; it’s art and functional. Katie did an incredible job for her very first class!
Lastly, we have Kathi, and her project was such a charming, creative surprise! She designed a beautiful fall scene that combined graceful aspens with striking bare trees, giving her piece a wonderful sense of depth and late-autumn mood. Before she even started decorating, she knew she wanted her artwork to hang, so she teamed up with Katie for a quick (and fun!) drilling lesson. The two of them did a fantastic job drilling the holes—perfectly smooth, perfectly placed—and then Kathi brought her vision to life with color, texture, and detail. For a brand-new student, she showed so much confidence and creativity, and her finished piece is going to look absolutely stunning hanging on the wall.
Three of the students even had a little extra time at the end of class, so they jumped into making a few decal pieces including pendants and a keychain. This is always such a fun bonus project! They had lots of cabochons and decals to choose from, ranging from cute and whimsical to bold and detailed. The first three photos show the pieces they created; the second row shows all the different options they had to pick from, and the bottom row features the pieces I made as a demonstration. It’s always amazing to see how everyone takes the same materials and turns them into something uniquely their own!
I had such a wonderful time with Lisa, Marion, Kathi, and Katie in this class. For being brand-new to fused glass, each of them embraced big ideas, new skills, and beautifully challenging projects—and they did it all with creativity, curiosity, and laughter. Classes like this remind me why I love teaching so much: every student brings something unique, and every project leaves the studio with its own personality and charm. If you’d like to explore fused glass for yourself, see more of my work, or sign up for an upcoming class, please visit my website Elegant Fused Glass by Karen, check out my YouTube channel, or join my monthly newsletter. I can’t wait to create with you!
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
