Beadmaking Experience

Play with hot glass in this short, introductory experience for beginners (and beyond).

Tuition Assistance and Other Policies

Meeting Times

Sat, 7/20/2024 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Sat, 7/20/2024

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About

Here's your chance to experience the wonder of making a glass bead without committing to a full bead bootcamp! A great introductory experience for beginners, it's also valuable for more practiced torchworkers who want to try something different from marbles and sculpture, want to try out soft glass, or just want a refresher on bead basics.

You'll learn basic studio safety, how to light and use the glass torch, how to prepare your workspace and how to make small basic beads. You'll learn some techniques for decorating beads, and how to clean them afterwards. You'll leave class with your own mandrels and a small amount of soft glass to practice with if you attend an open studio torch session in the future.

Project

You'll make your personalized torchworked beads to be annealed overnight in a kiln (available for pickup the next day).

Materials

A $25 materials fee of, included in the price of this class, covers the pre-dipped mandrels for practice in class and all the glass needed to create your beads.

Class Policies

Long pants and closed-toe shoes are required in the Glass Studio at all times.
For maximum protection against burns, long sleeves and all-cotton clothing are necessary when using the torch.
Ages 18 and up are welcome.

BARN Policies

View BARN's Cancellation and Refund Policy.
Tuition Assistance is available. Fill out the application before registering.
BARN is committed to accessibility. We try to make accommodations when requested; the earlier you contact us, the more likely we can help. Please email accessibility@bainbridgebarn.org to find out more or request an accommodation.
Sensory Statement: Makerspaces like BARN can be noisy and cluttered, smell strongly, and have bright or flickering lights.

Instructors or Guides

Laura Arns

Although she's a computer scientist by day, Laura Arns has been working with glass in various ways for more than 20 years during her free time. As a lampworker, she is somewhat unusual because she hasn't specialized but instead works with both borosilicate and soft glass to create beads, marbles, blown ornaments, sculptures, goblets, and more. She particularly enjoys collaborative projects with artists and artisans who work in other mediums. Over the years, she's had the opportunity to learn from numerous well-known lampworkers. A former college professor, she's looking forward to more teaching in BARN's Glass Arts Studio.