[SF] Class in making dichroic glass

I’m looking for beginning to advanced classes in creating cabochons
or other shapes in dichroic glass. Would anyone on this forum know
of such a place within, say, 100 miles of San Francisco?

ThanksMB

Hello MB,

Look up Arrowsprings.com to see if they have what you are looking
for. Also, The Crucible in Oakland may have classes for you,
thecrucible.org

Marta

Sorry you’re not closer to Colorado as I teach multi-levels of
dichroic glass & offer two day seminars for those out of
towners…

You’ll love working with dichroic & find it to be addictive…

Best Wishes,
Audie Beller of Audie’s Images-

Hi MB. While there certainly are skills that a person may need to
take classes to learn, I don’t believe that fused glass is one of
them. I’ve been making dichroic glass cabochons for jewelry
manufacturers for about 4 years now. My cabochons have a look that
is quite different from other dichroic glass that I have seen around
and it is quite easy for me to recognize it instantly as my own even
though I produce many thousands of pieces.

I say this because I truly believe that had I taken a class in how
to fuse glass and how to work with dichroic glass, my cabochons
wouldn’t have the unique look that they do today. Instructors will
teach you how THEY fuse dichroic glass and they often want to sell
you supplies at an inflated price. Books will give a bit more well
rounded instruction because they are able to include more information
but most are still full of rules. There are a few rules that I have
read in several of the “newest, latest, greatest” books on the
subject that say quite plainly, “Don’t do it, don’t try it, it
doesn’t work.” Well it does, because I’m doing it. If I listened to
the “experts,” my glass would probably look much like the status quo.
Therefore, I determined that some rules are meant to be broken and
that sometimes the greatest things happen entirely by accident.

Glass fusing is not something that you necessarily need a teacher to
learn from. You can do what I did. Buy “Contemporary Warm Glass: A
Guide to Fusing, Slumping & Kiln-Forming Techniques” by Brad Walker
(ISBN 0970093349) which is an excellent book for beginners,
intermediates and advanced fusers. Buy a small kiln, I used a small
kiln (8" square inside) that I got a garage sale for $50. Then go to
your local glass store and buy some sheets of compatible glass and
some tools. Because dichroic glass can be expensive, I’d stick with
regular glass until you’ve got the fusing technique down. After
you’ve done a couple of fusings, just go for it and have fun! Sure,
you’ll make some mistakes along the way, but that’s how we learn.
Who knows, maybe you’ll make a new discovery and become truly great.

Best Wishes,
Nancy Stinnett, Owner
Geosoul Arts
www.geosoul.com
(702) 436-7685

There is a Tuesday night fused glass class at Studio One in Oakland
taught by Jim Wixon (and also a Tuesday morning fused glass class
taught by Janet Hiebert). Very hard to get into, though. You MUST
apply the day the flyer arrives or forget about getting in.

You can easily make color bars of layered glass including dichroic
glass, frit, stringers, metal inclusions. Studio One has a limit of
three layers, but Jim will take color bars home with more layers and
fire them in his own kiln.

Jim brings his glass saw to class so that you can cut your color bar
into pieces and shape them into whatever size or shape cabochons you
want using the Studio One grinders. Janet does not supply a
glass/tile saw, but you can buy one at Home Depot for about $130.

Both are good instructors, each with their own areas of expertise.

Studio One is in the phone book.

Castle stained glass in San Luis Obispo does offer classes and might
know of someone closer # is 805 544-5005