Bring on the Luster: Mastering Specialty Glass with Tara Traister

Specialty glass, such as Double Helix and dichroic glass, offers unparalleled beauty and luster to beadwork and glass art. However, many artists hesitate to use these precious materials, either from fear of making mistakes or concern about wasting expensive glass rods. This class will help you overcome those fears and teach you how to confidently use specialty glass to create stunning, colorful, and lustrous beads.

Double Helix glass is known for its reactive properties, producing shimmering metallic effects and vibrant colors when exposed to certain flame chemistries. Dichroic glass incorporates thin layers of metal oxides, reflecting and transmitting light in unique ways, resulting in dazzling color shifts and sparkle. Both types require specific handling and techniques to unlock their full potential.

With practice and understanding, you will gain confidence in using specialty glass. By the end of this class, you’ll stop worrying about wasting materials and start enjoying the process of creating lustrous, colorful beads that highlight your artistry. Unleash the full potential of Double Helix and dichroic glass, creating beads that shimmer and glow. Bring on the luster—your next masterpiece awaits!

 This workshop may be best suited for more advanced students who are already comfortable creating well‑rounded beads. That said, beginners could still benefit by spending the beginning of class practicing with Effetre before moving on to Double Helix and dichroic glass. 

What to Expect: Beadmaking requires a little practice at heat control with the torch to create successful beads. Students can anticipate making 2-6 successful pieces in this class, along with some failures. Clean-up time is included in the duration of class, and usually the last 20 minutes of class are dedicated to cleaning your workstation. Read more about how to prepare for class on our Registration Info page. 

While beadmaking, participants primarily engage in seated activities such as working with glass rods and torches. The environment can be bright and loud at times. Handling glass and tools may require a certain level of dexterity. To learn more about accessibility the Accessibility page on our website.

Eligibility: No previous experience required. Open to ages 12 and up.

Pick-up: The glass needs to cool down overnight then be carefully removed from the mandrels, so the students will have to return to UrbanGlass once notified to pick up their work. 

This is an in-person class taking place on-site at UrbanGlass. Health and safety guidelines will be emailed to you upon registration

We recommend registering for classes early to reserve your spot! We base materials, and teacher needs off of student enrollment. Early registration not only guarantees your spot in class, but also helps to ensure the class will run. Classes with low enrollment may be cancelled within two weeks of the start date of class. Contact our Registrar of Education, Ari Eshoo, at [email protected] if you have questions about the class or would like to arrange a payment plan.

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