FEBRUARY CALENDAR & WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

Here's what you've been waiting for: the MARTIN'S GLASS HOUSE

FEBRUARY 2009 CALENDAR!

Click on the calendar to enlarge it.

Following are short descriptions of what to expect from workshops and open studio times, as well as an invitation for you to form small groups of your own for special projects of your choice.

Please remember to contact me at least one day in advance to make reservations for all classes and open studio times:

Phone: 307-399-6441

Email: dts@martinsglasshouse.com

Looking forward to seeing you in February!

A NOTE ABOUT WORKSHOPS

Want to learn more about glass fusing? A group setting helps a lot - you can gain new ideas from other students working with you, and their questions might help you answer some of your own. Techniques are taught and/or demonstrated for students to learn about glass fusing at a drastically reduced fee. Workshop topics vary from month to month, oftenplanned with seasonal projects in mind. Workshop class size is limited to a maximum of 10 students per class.

A NOTE ABOUT OPEN STUDIO

Open studio times are provided for students who have already taken the Fusing Basics workshop, or who already have fusing experience and have learned appropriate safety, glass cutting and fusing procedures. Students may use the studuio workspace, tools and other educational materials to select and produce projects of their own choosing. The instructor is present to answer questions, as well as to provide guidance and offer suggestions so that the student can continue to learn about glass fusing while creating their projects.

There is a per visit studio fee which covers use of tools, some supplies and kiln firing. An additional fee is charged for all glass used and other materials that may be needed for special projects. The only glass that may be used for projects at open studio times will be that which is made available for purchase through the Martin's Glass House studio.

Please make arrangements to come to Open Studio times at least one day in advance to be sure there is room available for you to work and adequate tool supply.

A NOTE ABOUT PRIVATE PARTIES AND GROUP WORKSHOPS

We love parties - and FUN! Birthdays, graduations, bridal parties or other celebrations... Just give us a call to put together something special for your special occasion. Or, if you see an advertised workshop that doesn't fit your schedule, just round up a minimum of 4 people and reschedule for a time that works for you.

FEBRUARY 2009 - WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

FUSING BASICS

Don't know anything about fusin or cutting glass, or just want to see what it's all about before you get too involved? This class is for you - and it is required if you want to attend Open Studio times, too! This workshop is an introduction to glass fusing basics offered once a month. Designed for beginners. What you will learn:

• Safety procedures for glass fusing.
• Types of glass used for fusing.
• What happens to glass in the kiln at different temperatures.
• Fundamental techniques for glass cutting.
• How to use all glass cutting tools in the studio.
• How to layer glass to achieve a finished project.

PROJECT: One 8-inch square piece that can be used to hang in a windor, or which can be shaped in to a bowl, plate or vase.

FEE: $45, includes cost for all glass materials, supplies and kiln firing.

FRUIT OF THE MONTH CLUB

Make a new fruit-shaped dish or plate each month. By the end of the year, you'll have a fruit salad - or salsa! New members will learn the techniques, past participants get a discount!

February's suggested PROJECT is the PAPAYA - and we will be serving Kiwi Papaya Salsa! AND... we will also have a demonstration (with some student participation) on how to make vitrigraph!

Did you know that if you cut a papaya across the middle, you'll see stars? Come check it out at this workshop! You are invited to turn this delicious fruit into a 6-inch fused glass plate or bowl. If time permits, you may make more than one (an extra fee for each additional dish applies). Should you wish to create a large piece, cost will be determined by size.

PROJECT: 6-inch round fused glass plate or bowl.

FEE: $40.00 for new Club members; $30.00 for repeat Club fusers. Each additional plate, $12.50.

Techniques/Knowledge Base:

• Cutting circles.
• Making and using glass frit.
• Combining frit with scrap glass to create a fusing layer.
• Using dots, stringers and/or vitrigraph as design elements.
• Making vitrigraph.

PUTTIN' ON THE GLITZ

Dichroic Glass Jewelry, that is! Plenty of time to make lots of jewelry for Valentine's Day! We'll teach you the basic techniques - then you can go wild! For example - for just the price of the workshop, if you work quickly during this TWO HOUR workshop, you can make cabachons for:

• UP TO SIX pendants, or THREE pendants with matching earrings for each one

Other projects that you might want to consider making with your cabachons include:

• Belt buckles
• Wine bottle stoppers
• Money clips
• Bookmarks
• Key rings
• Letter openers
• Bolo ties
• Remembrance tins

FEE: $45.00 includes all glass materials, supplies and kiln firing. Extra fees for findings such as pendant bails, ear wires, barrette and buckle backs, tins, letter openers and key rings.

Techniques/Knowledge Base:

• Scoring and breaking glass.
• Cutting circles.
• Layering glass for fusing.
• Making channels in pendants for hanging them on cords/chains.
• Sizing cabachons for specific sized project pieces.

SUN CHIMES WORKSHOP

Are you ready to see some color when you look out your window? You can bring some beautiful colors into your home by making these incredible beaded fused glass window hangins! Don't have any beading experience? We'll teach you how to do that, too, and all materials are included in this one price workshop! Choose from a variety of patterns that will be supplied, or create a design of your own.

FEE: $45.00 includes cost for all glass, supplies, beads, wire for hanging, and kiln firing.

Techniques/Knowledge base:

• Scoring and breaking glass.
• Using the ring saw (depending on design).
• Drilling holes in glass.
• Working with beading wire, planning a bead design and stringing beads.

FUSING OUTSIDE THE LINES

Do you sometimes feel like coloring outside the lines? Ready for a challenge? Want to try something new? We're going to break all those rules that you learned long ago about having to stay within the lines! We're going to aim for approximately an 8-inch x 8-inch free-form (maybe with an evident design) finished piece... NOT a CIRCLE, NOT a SQUARE. If you want to have some fun, let's give this a try!

PROJECT: 8-inch non-circular, non-square fused glass piece that can be slumped into a form, draped over a form, made to hang in a window, or maybe even turned into a lamp shade!

FEE: $45.00 includes cost for all glass materials and kiln firing. Chain for window hanging is extra, as are any other parts for making a lamp if you choose to make a lamp shade.

Techniques/Knowledge Base:

• Using glass scraps.
• Scoring and breaking glass.
• Breaking or cutting curves in glass.
• Overlaying glass colors.
• Using the color wheel.
• Drilling holes in glass (depending on project).
• Using high temperature wire (for window hangings).

Fruit of the Month: KIWI - Success!

Yes! We have KIWI! Quite a variety, actually... some saucers, some bowls and a drop vase!

I thought you might enjoy seeing the KIWI pieces that were done at Martin's Glass House this past week. So, here they are!


Clockwise, starting with Katie's drop vase (top right at 1 o'clock), Sara's fluted bowl (3 o'clcok), Dorothy's plate (6 o'clock), Sherry's two fluted bowls (8 and 9 o'clock), Dorothy's second plate (11 o'clock), and Cat's plate (in the center).

All of these pieces started out as a 6-inch clear circle. Everyone applied frit and/or solid pieces of scrap glass to turn their pieces into these FUN designs and shapes!

Katie decided she wanted to have her KIWI piece turned into a drop vase. It came out beautifully! See it below...

You won't want to miss the February Fruit of the Month workshop - We'll be making PAPAYA dishes... AND, we will be serving KIWI PAPAYA SALSA!

All those who attended the first Fruit of the Month Workshop will also receive a special discount now that they have become Fruit of the Month Club members!

So, be sure to watch for February's calendar coming out soon, and sign up as soon as you can for the workshops before they fill!

MIRROR AND FRAME WORKSHOP SAMPLES

The Mirror and Frame Workshop is scheduled for:

Saturday, January 31, 1 PM - 4 PM

Be sure to invite your friends! You'll all have a great time! It isn't fair for me to be the only one having all this fun!

This "Four Pots" project (above) is not part of the workshop, but I thought you might like to see something else that can be created using the same techniques that you can learn at the Mirror and Frame Workshop.


The photos below, however, ARE a sampling of the possibilities you CAN create if you attend the Mirror and Frame Workshop! It was a LOT of fun to create these samples for you to see. I think you will really enjoy the results of your endeavors when you create your own with your own designs!

The square mirror frames below are 6" x 6". You will be able to make one of each - a mirror, and a photo frame - at the workshop.

The black frame is made with strips of glass adorned with corner flower arrangements made from dots, squiggles (vitrigraph) and frit (ground glass), and it has an easel type back. Isn't it just simply delicate and romantic? What a sweet gift to give, or to keep for yourself. :-)



















The pink and white mirror frame (6" x 6") below is made from 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" squares, each topped with a daisy-type flower made by cutting strips of glass with a wheel cutter, then placing dots in the centers. Then the squares were sprinkled with coarse and fine frit. Green vitrigraph was used to represent flower stems. High temperature wire loops were inserted in the frame before firing it in the kiln; then ribbon was strung through the loops after firing to create a frame hanger, with a bow in the corner.


















The heart-shaped photo frame below is designed on a 6" glass heart, and will accommodate a wallet size photo in the clear glass "pocket." Be sure to bring a photo with you that you want to put into your frame so that we can create it to fit! What a GREAT Valentine's Day gift! The photo I used was from our wedding. It sure makes me smile. :-) Think of the smiles you will bring to whoever receives this kind of gift from you!


I'm looking forward to seeing you here on the 31st! Remember - these are just some of the projects for January! Keep checking the blog (I'll also send out announcements) to see more projects that you can create this month!

c@

JANUARY 2009 - CALENDAR & WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

I hope everyone had wonder-filled holidays and that you are not having as hard a time as I am trying to get back to work! I had a few weeks off trying to slow down the momentum of entertaining frenzy by relaxing - that is, doing nothing (!), reading, playing board games with my husband... But then I got all these creative ideas in mind and now have to get the studio back into shape so that we can all start glass fusing again!

I am looking forward to seeing many of you again this year - and getting to know more of you who I met at the craft shows in town! I have planned some fun projects for January and will be taking more classes myself in the near future, so keep in touch and watch for more exciting things to learn this year with me!

Please remember to call at least one day in advance to make reservations for all workshops and open studio times! 307-399-6441

Here is the latest info for January, together with the calendar! Just click on the calendar to make it larger!

Cat

TECHNIQUE WORKSHOPS

Want to learn more about glass fusing? A group setting helps a lot – you can gain new ideas from other students working with you, and their questions might help you answer some of your own! Technique Workshops are offered to students so that they may learn glass fusing techniques and make projects at a drastically reduced cost in a group setting. Workshop topics will vary from month to month, and are often planned with seasonal projects in mind. These workshops are currently limited in size to a maximum of ten students per class. If you have a specific project in mind that you would like to do, and a group of friends who you’d like to invite to join you, you may arrange a private party to take advantage of special group rates. The minimum group size for a private party is four students; the maximum is ten students, unless special arrangements are discussed in advance.

OPEN STUDIO

Have a lot of creative ideas buzzing around in your head and eager to work on them? Open studio times are provided for students who have already taken the fusing basics workshop, or who already have fusing experience and have learned appropriate fusing procedures, glass cutting and safety basics. Students may use the studio workspace, tools and other educational materials to select and produce projects of their own choosing. The instructor is present to answer questions, as well as to provide guidance and offer helpful suggestions so that the student can continue to learn about glass fusing while creating their projects. There is a $10 per visit studio fee which covers materials, supplies and expenses for kiln firing, as well as additional charges for all glass products used. Please make arrangements to come to open studio times at least a day in advance to make sure there will be room for you to work and adequate tools to use.

PRIVATE PARTIES & GROUP WORKSHOPS

We love parties at Martin’s Glass House! Birthdays, graduations, bridal parties or other celebrations – give us a call to put together something special for your special occasion! Or, if you see an advertised workshop that doesn’t fit your schedule, or have an idea for a different workshop of your own, you may pick a different day/time for the same class or another class of your own design. You must have a minimum of four people (maximum of ten) who would like to attend the special workshop or private party. Give us a call to help you make arrangements!


FUSING BASICS
Saturday, January 17
1 PM - 4 PM

Don’t know anything about fusing or cutting glass, or just want to see what it’s all about before you get too involved? This class is for you!

1. 
   This workshop is an introduction to glass fusing basics, and is offered on a monthly basis unless other arrangements are made for a special group class. It is designed for beginners who would like to gain better insight into glass fusing processes and techniques, and would like to attend open studio times to create projects of their own choosing.
   
   Students will learn about and gain experience in:

1. Safety procedures for the glass fusing studio


2. Types of glass used in fusing


3. What happens to glass in the kiln at different temperatures


4. Fundamental techniques for glass cutting


5. Using all glass cutting tools in the studio


6. The process of layering pieces of glass to achieve a finished project

PROJECT: Each student will make one 8" square piece that can be used as a sun catcher, or kiln-formed into a bowl or plate. FEE: $45


FRIT ART AND LACE

Whether you prefer abstract, impressionistic, or realistic art – or even if it doesn’t matter to you, you can find many ways to express the glass fusing visions within you by using glass frit in your projects. Come find out what it’s all about!

This workshop is designed to provide students with practice in three techniques:

1. Making glass frit


2. Turning glass frit into “lace” designs that are first fused, and then applied to a future glass project


3. Using frit as a medium for “painting” designs that will be fused into the glass project

PROJECT: Each student will make one 6” fused frit design to be applied to a future project, as well as making a “painted” project that will be turned into a kiln-formed 6” plate, bowl, or votive candle holder. FEE: $45





MIRRORS AND PHOTO FRAMES

Say, “CHEESE!” Great timing - to give you plenty of time to learn how to make these great projects, make more during Open Studio, and just in time to prepare for lots of Valentine gifts for your loved ones!

This workshop is designed to provide students with practice in several techniques:

1. Cutting glass mirror


2. Making glass strips and squares of equal size


3. Making a pocket in glass to hold a photo


4. Using wheel cutters to make small, fine pieces of glass for decoration


5. Using the ring saw to create a heart-shaped frame (or if you wish, you may make a square frame)


6. Using dots, frit and vitrigraph in design

PROJECTS: TWO!! Students will create a 6”x6” mirror, and design and create a square or heart-shaped frame with a glass pocket to insert a wallet-sized photo. FEE: $45


FRUIT OF THE MONTH CLUB

Something new at Martin’s Glass House – the Fruit of the Month Club! Make a new fruit-shaped dish or plate each month and by the end of the year you will have a full set! Or, double up each month, making two different dishes or plates, and you’ll have your set completed by summer time! Come to open studio and you can make as many as you would like!

PROJECT: January’s suggested project is the KIWI in this workshop (not the watermelon, as shown, but we can work up to that!). You can fuse this delicious fruit into a 5"-6" small dish - and turn it into a spoon rest, if you want, saucer, plate, or bowl… If time permits, you can make two different projects in one night. Come test out your glass “gardening” skills and see how you can create a bountiful collection of glass fruit dishes faster than you can by planting seeds! Think of the possibilities… slices of strawberry, watermelon, orange, papaya, pineapple (does anyone know where pineapple seeds are in the pineapple?), pumpkins… You will be limited only by your imagination! FEE: $40 ($10 each for additional bowls), $6 additional for a spoon rest stand)

Techniques you will use for kiwi:

1. Cutting circles


2. Making glass frit


3. Using a combination of glass scrap and frit to create one of your fusing layers


4. Using dots, stringers, and/or vitrigraph