Learn Sculptural Bead Makingwith Lampworker Kim Fields

We're thrilled that lampworker extraordinaire Kim Fields will be leading a two-day class at BeadFX! Kim will be teaching Sculptural Bird Beads.

Throughout her corporate career, Kim continued to explore numerous outlets for expressing her passion for the arts. In 1999, Kim took a beginner’s lampworking class. Just a year later she found that working with glass was so fulfilling, she decided to leave her 20-year corporate career behind and devote herself completely to the art of glass beadmaking and jewelry design.
 
Among her achievements are the 2005 Glasscraft Emerging Artist Award from the Flow Magazine; 2008 Commemorative Bead Artist at the Bead and Button Show; the 2009 Hans Gobo Frabel Novice Award; the International Society of Glass Beadmakers 'Presidents Award'; and the cover of "The Flow" magazine's Winter 2011 Women in Glass issue.
 
Kim has taught at many glass studios throughout the U.S. and internationally. Her recent work can be seen on her website www.northfiredesigns.com and at shows, galleries, and in numerous publications.

 

Sculptural Bird Beads
Saturday, April 9
Sunday, April 10
10:00am - 6:00pm both days

Learn to make beautiful bird beads using a variety of sculptural techniques. Demonstrations will include making simple birds to perfect shape and expanding to include realistic details. We’ll use a variety of reference materials for form and color accuracy. Techniques will include assembling canes, color mixing and overlays, heat control, and controlled application and manipulation of stringers and dots. This workshop is intermediate to advanced level.

Special Offer: Register on or before Tuesday, March 1
and pay only $440 + HST.  
Registrations after March 2 will be at the full price of $475 + HST.

Call the store at (416) 751-1911 to register with credit card payment/deposit.

Please note our Cancellation Policy for classes with Visiting /International Instructors:  
No refunds, credits or cancellations will be permitted for these classes. Student substitutions may be made at the time of cancellation as long as prerequisite requirements are met, otherwise students on existing waiting lists will be contacted.
 

Back to School

Parents partying in the street - the kids are going back, the kiiids are goingggg baaaack! Kids moansing and groansing. Parents also chewing their nails off in anxiety. Will they be ok? Will they find their classes, will there be bullies? Oh yes - it's a double-edged sword.

So, once they've been back awhile and you can catch your breath, what about you? Planning any back-to-school for yourself? Learning keeps you young - apparently, all that stuff we learned about the brain being fixed in development at a young age was absolute rot. The more you learn, the better you get at it, and the more flexible your brain is. And learning absolutely new things is the best for staying young. Learning something that you have not done anything remotely like it before is the absolute best way to keep your brain flexible like a 13 year old gymnast.

And let me tell you - when it comes to finding something that is not like anything you've ever done before - making glass beads at a torch is waaaaay out there. This is an activity that will create new pathways in your neural network like nobody's business. Whoa nelly - feel those neurons growing! (I was going to say - "feel the burn" - but given the whole hot glass and torch thing - maybe we'll just avoid that for now.)

Why is flameworking so very different from anything you've ever done? Well - it's easier to try it and find out than to explain - but here's a few items.

Top Ten Reasons Why Flameworking is Not Like Anything Else.

• Flying insects in your workspace self-destruct
• The number of times you've judged the temperature of something by looking at it's colour is Zero
• People will be incredulous and impressed when you tell them what you do for fun
• You'll finally know how they get those flowers inside the bead
• Since when did blue and cream make black?
• Secret insider colour names like Rubino and Evil Purple
• Able to toss around technical terms like "flame atmosphere" and "Co-efficient of Expansion"
• Permission to play with fire
• A complete and total understanding of why a single bead would cost $60.00.
  
  and the number one reason why flameworking is NOT like anything else you've tried
  
  
• People won't ask you to do things for them when you have molten glass balanced on a steel stick.

Intro classes, weekend classes and an 8 week class, all coming up soon!

Summer Sizzles @ BeadFX

I can’t quite explain it, but every summer, the hotter it gets the more people want to lampwork!

Maybe, it’s because they can’t wait to make fun and summery beads.

Maybe, they use it as reverse air-conditioning (because after sitting at a torch and reaching into a 950°F kiln for a few hours, even the summer heat feels cool!).

Or, maybe it stems from a deep-seated desire to roast marshmallows on a campfire!

Whatever the reason, why not join in on all the fun!

Drop by our studio and check out the glass, mandrels, torches and kilns used to create beautiful handmade glass beads. And while you’re at it, why not sign up for a class!

Coming in August, Dwyn Tomlinson (aka DragonJools) will be teaching her famous 4-Hour Introduction to Lampwork class and 10-Hour Learn to Make Glass Beads Weekend. Students flock to Dwyn's classes - coming from great distances (Brazil, Spain) or just down the street. Her enthusiasm and passion for glass spills over onto the students and gives them permission to delight in the wonder of this new found obsession. Her sense of humor, patience and background in technical writing and adult education serve her well in teaching beginners.

The 4-hour Introduction to Lampworking is an excellent class for "getting your feet wet." If you are curious about working with glass, making beads or just want to try something different - then this is a good introduction. Of course, in four hours, it's impossible to cover everything - but you will get a sense of just how addictive this pastime can be!

During the class you will touch on a wide range of techniques, discuss safety, setting up a home studio, sources, and re-sources. The class is all hands-on, with a Minor™ torch for each student. Students usually make 6-12 beads during the class and will practice creating basic round beads, shaped beads and dotted and bumpy beads. If time permits, you may also get to work with frit or silver foil or try your hand at a floral design.

The Learn to Make Glass Beads Weekend is a 10-hour weekend class designed to introduce you to making glass beads by hand! More in-depth than the 4-hour intro - this class is excellent for those who are complete beginners or who have taken a short introduction. Techniques are covered in more detail, and there is more practice time. You will also get to pull stringers and twisties or attempt a hollow bead as time permits.

The beads you make in these classes will be kiln-annealed and will be available for pick-up the following day. If you are from out of town, we are happy to mail them to you at no extra charge.

Please wear cotton fabric or other non-flammable clothing; long, tight-fitting sleeves and closable collars; old jeans, and if you have long hair, please tie it back. Safety glasses are provided.

And if coffee makes your hands shake, you may want to refrain before the class. ;-)