This month I taught a class with four talented women. Vanessa and Alyssa had taken classes with me before, while Tiffany and Joyce were brand new to fused glass. Before we got started, everyone reviewed and signed the liability forms — glass is beautiful, but it can definitely cut you. As a little welcome tradition, I also gave each student a free gift to choose from, including earrings, ornaments, or Christmas pendants.
Since Tiffany and Joyce were new to my studio, I gave them the grand tour of my three additional glass rooms, each one with its own purpose and personality.
- The Finished Room — is a colorful space filled with completed fused glass pieces available for purchase. From elegant flowers to sparkling jewelry, it’s a wonderful way for students to see just how many different directions fused glass can take.
- The Finishing & Inspiration Room — is where I add the final touches to my own work, surrounded by some of my favorite pieces. It’s a cozy, creative space full of ideas, and I often notice students lingering here, soaking in inspiration before starting their own projects.
- The Gallery Area —features a curated display of finished fused glass art, with every piece available for purchase. Many students tell me this is their favorite spot in the studio because it sparks so many ideas—from color palettes and textures to styles and techniques they want to explore next.
With the tour finished, the studio itself was all set up and ready for the ladies. Every workstation was stocked with plenty of supplies, including murrine, dots, transparent and opaque glass, vitrigraph, and lots of frit. I love having everything laid out and easy to access, because it encourages students to explore, experiment, and follow their instincts. There’s something exciting about seeing a studio fully prepared before a class begins — full of possibility and creative energy, just waiting for ideas to take shape.
Since Vanessa had taken several classes before, she came in knowing exactly what she wanted to make — bookends. Her husband planned to build the wooden bases, and she wanted to create the glass panels to go with them. I gave her a bookend to use as a test base, which let her experiment with the design before fully committing. She loves greens and blues, and those colors came together beautifully in her pieces. We decided a full fuse would be the best choice, and the results turned out wonderfully. I can’t wait to see her finished bookends once everything is assembled.
Next came Joyce, Vanessa’s mom, and although she’s new to fused glass, she jumped right in and made this beautiful vase. It was wonderful to watch her work through the entire process — using the cutter, spending time at the grinder, and even loading her piece into the kiln herself. Seeing a new student confidently handle each step and end up with a piece like this is always so rewarding.
Alyssa had taken classes with me before, and this time she decided to make a night light with a twist — she wanted to incorporate a wolf screen print design. Screen printing is usually its own special class, but I wanted to give Alyssa the opportunity to try it. We designed her piece with space specifically set aside for the screen print, and once the glass portion was finished, I had her come back so I could walk her through the screen-printing process. It didn’t take long for her to realize that screen printing isn’t nearly as easy as it looks, but she did a great job and learned a lot along the way.
Tiffany loves black and red, so she created a striking night light featuring a powder wafer tree. The colors worked beautifully together, and her design really came together in the kiln. She did a fantastic job with this piece, and I loved that she later sent me a photo of her night light plugged in at home — it looks absolutely wonderful lit up.
Occasionally, I like to give students the opportunity to try a new technique, and this time we explored working with decals. I have a wide variety of cabochons, along with an even larger selection of decals in white, black, and color, which opens up so many creative possibilities. It’s always fun to watch students’ experiment, make design choices, and see their confidence grow as they try something new. Below are a few photos of students in the process of creating their pieces and their pieces.
This class was such a great reminder of why I love teaching fused glass. Watching students with different experience levels explore new ideas, try unfamiliar techniques, and gain confidence in the studio is incredibly rewarding. From bookends and vases to night lights and screen printing, everyone brought their own vision to the table. If you’d like to explore more of my fused glass art, including jewelry, home décor, and my commercial/production work, 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
