During the last week of April, I had the pleasure of hosting a wonderful, fused glass class with Julie, Lacey, Stephanie, and Kari. What made this class especially fun was that they weren’t just students—they were friends and family spending creative time together. There’s something extra special about laughter, encouragement, and shared memories happening around the glass table while everyone creates something uniquely their own. As always, we started class by reviewing studio safety and completing the required liability forms. Once the paperwork was finished, I surprised each of them with a free fused glass gift. They could choose from stirrers, pocket hearts, pocket crosses, pendants, or magnets. One of my favorite parts is watching everyone browse through the gifts deciding which one speaks to them most. Some people choose immediately, while others carefully study every little detail before making their final pick. It’s such a simple thing, but it always adds a little extra excitement and fun to the start of class.
Since it was Julie, Lacey, Stephanie, and Kari’s first time visiting my studio, we began the day with a tour of my different fused glass spaces. We explored the studio and my specialty rooms together, talking about tools, techniques, glass supplies, and finished pieces along the way. I always enjoy watching first-time visitors take everything in—from the colorful glass and kilns to the inspiration pieces displayed throughout the rooms. Over the years, I’ve found that starting with a studio tour really helps students relax and settle in before creating. It gives them a chance to ask questions, gather ideas, and become comfortable in the creative space before diving into their own projects. By the end of the tour, the nervousness usually fades away and the excitement starts building as they begin imagining all the possibilities they can create with glass.
- The Finished Room — is filled with completed fused glass artwork available for purchase, and it truly gives students a sense of just how versatile this art form can be. From art pieces to jewelry and functional glass, the variety always surprises them. It’s one thing for me to describe the possibilities—it’s another thing entirely to see them displayed right in front of you.
- The Finishing & Inspiration Room —is where I spend time adding those final touches to my own work. It’s a busy, creative space filled with ideas, experiments, and inspiration. There always seems to be a spark of creativity in this room, and students can feel that energy the moment they step inside.
- The Gallery Area — showcases a curated collection of finished fused glass pieces, all available for purchase. This space tends to spark the most conversation. Students begin pointing out color palettes they love, textures that catch their eye, and techniques they’re curious about trying. Before long, the creative wheels are turning and the possibilities feel endless.
Finally, it was time to head into the studio and start creating. After seeing the wide variety of fused glass projects during the tour, the nerves had completely melted away, inspiration was running high, and everyone was excited to dive in. The tables were filled with an abundance of supplies including murrine, dots, transparent and opaque glass, vitrigraph, stringer, and plenty of frit, giving them endless creative possibilities to explore. This is always the moment where the magic really begins to happen. Ideas start forming, colors are carefully chosen, and suddenly everyone is envisioning projects that are uniquely their own. One of my favorite things to watch is how quickly confidence grows once students begin arranging their glass and experimenting with different textures and designs. No two projects are ever alike, and that’s part of what makes fused glass so exciting and fun.
First up was Julie, who chose to create a beautiful fall-inspired votive full of warm autumn colors and texture. She incorporated murrine, dots, glow-in-the-dark dots, and even one of my handmade powder wafers into her design. I loved watching her piece come together layer by layer as she carefully arranged each element to create her own unique autumn scene. One of my favorite details was the little pumpkins along the bottom paired with the whimsical fall tree design. The combination of transparent glass, colorful accents, and glowing elements gave the piece so much personality and depth. Projects like this are always fun because they allow students to mix multiple techniques together while still creating something playful, seasonal, and completely their own.
Next up was Lacey, who decided to create a stunning blue-toned handkerchief vase. From the moment she started selecting her glass, it was clear she was drawn to the calming ocean-inspired shades of blue, aqua, and deep cobalt. The combination of transparent glass and layered geometric pieces gave the vase such beautiful movement and depth. What I especially love about this piece is how elegant and fluid it became after slumping. Before firing, it’s hard for students to fully imagine how dramatically the glass will transform in the kiln, and watching that reveal is always exciting. The flowing folds and soft curves turned Lacey’s project into a truly eye-catching piece that almost looks like moving water. It’s both artistic and functional, which is one of the many reasons I love creating and teaching fused glass.
Stephanie chose to create an elegant floral nightlight, and it turned out absolutely beautiful. Using soft colors, delicate flowers, and graceful flowing stems, she designed a piece that feels both cheerful and sophisticated. The little vase centerpiece paired with the floral details gave the project such a charming and artistic look. One of my favorite touches is the tiny ladybug accent, which adds just the perfect bit of whimsy and personality. The combination of flowers, greenery, and the calming blue glass at the bottom created such a balanced and eye-catching design. I can already imagine how pretty this piece will look glowing softly in the evening. Nightlights are always fun projects because they’re not only decorative, but also functional pieces of art students can enjoy every day.
Last but certainly not least was Kari, who chose to create a beautiful flowing vase filled with detail and movement. She incorporated vitrigraph, murrine, millefiori, and frit into her design, creating a piece that feels both elegant and playful at the same time. The soft greens paired with the colorful accents gave the vase such a fresh garden-inspired look. What I really love about Kari’s piece is how much depth and texture it has. Everywhere you look, there’s another little detail to discover—from the delicate strands of vitrigraph to the pops of colorful murrine and millefiori scattered throughout the glass. Once the vase was slumped, the flowing shape made all those elements come alive even more. She truly did a fabulous job, and the finished piece is both artistic and functional—one of those creations that makes you smile every time you see it. One of my favorite moments from the class was watching everyone gathered around Kari helping her with her vase. The last photo perfectly captures what I love so much about teaching fused glass—it’s not just about creating art, it’s about connection, laughter, creativity, and spending meaningful time together.
Before wrapping up class, everyone took advantage of one more fun creative opportunity. Occasionally, I offer students the chance to make a smaller fused glass piece using my cabochons and decals. These little extras are always a hit because they allow students to create something quick, personal, and completely unique. Julie chose an adorable dog-themed decal and created a magnet that perfectly reflected her love for animals. Stephanie selected one of my favorite white decals and also designed a beautiful magnet with a clean and elegant look. Lacey created a delicate dragonfly magnet that turned out absolutely gorgeous, while Kari chose a peaceful decal design and transformed it into a lovely keychain. I always enjoy seeing what students pick for these smaller projects because each one reflects a little bit of their personality and style. Even the tiniest fused glass pieces can become meaningful keepsakes, and it’s such a fun way to end a creative day in the studio.
When students create decal pieces, I always like to make a few sample projects right alongside them so they can see the process step-by-step as the pieces come together. The first photo shows some of the example decal pieces I created during class, including magnets, stirrers, and other fun fused glass designs using a variety of decals and embellishments. These examples help students see how decals can completely transform the look and personality of a project, whether they want something elegant, whimsical, inspirational, or playful. I’ve found that creating sample pieces during class really helps students feel more comfortable experimenting with their own ideas. As they watch the process unfold, inspiration starts flowing and confidence grows. It’s always fun seeing students point to different samples and then put their own creative spin on the techniques and designs.
One of the things that made me smile most during this class was seeing Julie, Stephanie, Lacey, and Kari using several of my own fused glass pieces from the second photo as inspiration for their projects. If you look closely, you can definitely spot similarities and creative ideas they pulled from my examples while still making each piece uniquely their own. As an instructor and artist, moments like that truly mean so much to me. It’s incredibly rewarding to see students inspired by my work and then take those ideas in their own creative direction. That’s one of the most fulfilling parts of teaching fused glass.
Classes like this always remind me why I love teaching fused glass so much. Watching friends and family gather around the table, encourage one another, laugh together, and create something completely unique is truly special. By the end of the day, the studio was filled with beautiful finished projects, colorful scraps of glass, creative conversations, and lots of smiles. Julie, Lacey, Stephanie, and Kari each brought their own personalities and artistic style into their pieces, and I absolutely loved seeing their ideas come to life. Thank you all for spending part of your day creating with me—it was such a fun and memorable class, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
If you’ve ever thought about trying fused glass, this is your sign—come join a class and create something uniquely your own. 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
