About

Make several torchworked pumpkins to decorate for fall, or for Thanksgiving, or to give away as gifts. And while you're making these cute little glass gourds, you'll be learning and practicing shaping techniques with and without tools, encasing, cold seals, hot seals, and transferring to a punty (a metal rod used to make small gathers or provide a handle for an object while it's being made).

Lampwork and torchwork both refer to the same process in which a torch or lamp is used to melt glass. Once molten, the glass is shaped by blowing, with tools, or with hand movements. It was more commonly called lampwork when oil lamps were used. You'll use borosilicate glass as it's easier to work with for beginners, but the techniques you'll learn can transfer to soft glass, and any variations needed for soft glass will be discussed.

Details

• Skill level: While advanced students are welcome, this class is designed for beginners who have taken at least one introductory class. You should know the basics of safely lighting the torch, turning it off, and melting small gathers to make beads or marbles.

Details

• A $27 materials fee, included in the cost of the class, covers the cost of orange, green, and clear borosilicate rods to make several pumpkins.

Prerequisites

Introduction to Torchwork or equivalent experience.

Class Policies

• Ages 14 and up are welcome.
• Wear close-toed shoes and long pants in the Glass Studio at all times.
• Avoid wearing synthetic fibers (they melt), long loose sleeves (they dangle), shirts with open pockets or pants with cuffs (they can trap hot glass).