Middle School Camp! Fire & Fun: Glass Beadmaking

Get ready for a flame-filled adventure! Using heat, gravity, and a few simple hand tools, students will learn how to bring their ideas to life in glass as wearable beads, charms and portable sculptures. From cute animals and colorful flora inspired by nature, to creatures and characters pulled from your wildest imagination, we’ll learn how to pinch, poke, weld and stretch glass into 3D forms that showcase your unique style. As we build confidence at the table torch, we’ll also explore tips and tricks for adding textures and details like dots, stripes and twists to take your designs to the next level. Studio safety and proper tool use will all be covered in a fun and exciting environment, with plenty of practice time and demonstrations. 

What to Expect: Class size is limited to 10 students with 3 expert instructors for an excellent student:teacher ratio. Students will break at midday for lunch, but will not leave the building. On the final day, family and friends are invited to a showing of students' experiments and finished work. Read more about how to prepare for class on our Registration Info page.

Beadmaking requires a little practice at heat control with the torch (2,000°F) to create successful beads and sculptures. This is primarily a seated activity. The environment can be bright and loud at times. Handling glass and tools may require a certain level of dexterity. Learn more on our Accessibility page.

Eligibility: No previous experience required. This class is designed for beginners, but students with experience are welcome to join and level up their skills by working on more advanced projects with tailored guidance from instructors. Open to all rising and current middle school students (grades 6-8).

Sliding-scale Pricing: We offer sliding-scale pricing in an effort to provide greater access to glass education for our growing community of young creatives. Families who are able to should select the higher tiers to help us ensure our programs remain accessible to families with more limited finances. This works on an honor system and will not ask you for any documentation. Please select the pricing tier that fits your financial situation best.

Tier 1 | Full Price: Paying full price supports all the costs of this program, including ample staffing of expert teaching artists, top quality tools and materials in our state-of-the-art studios and our team of dedicated administrators. When you register at this tier, you help cover the difference for families who cannot afford to pay full price.

Tier 2 | $100 subsidy: This tier reflects a modest reduction in tuition for families who benefit from some financial flexibility.

Tier 3 | $200 subsidy: This tier is intended for families who need more substantial tuition support in order to participate.

We recommend registering early to reserve your spot! Early registration helps guarantee the camp will run, as enrollment minimums must be met two weeks before the first day of camp. Once you register, you’ll receive enrollment confirmation, additional information about the camp and reminders via email. For questions or to arrange a payment plan, please contact our Youth & Outreach Manager at [email protected].

5 Sessions, Monday - Friday, August 10th- 14th, 10am-3pm each day

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