Toronto Art Glass - Glass Art Studio, Exhibition, Instruction, Equipment and Supplies!

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CLASSES

We offer a variety of beginner classes as well as more advanced options.
Toronto Art Glass provides the following at our studios:
- Ample space to create.
- Basic tools - graphite, eyewear, pliers, tweezers, claw grabbers, mandrels, and tungsten.
- Torches - we currently use the Nortel series of Major/Minor burners.
- Kiln to properly anneal the work you create.
- Proper ventilation hoods over each station.
- Support and an open and creative environment!

You must provide:
- Common sense! You must be able to think not only for your well-being, but for the well-being of others as well!
- Motivation and desire to learn - be attentive! It's not an efficient use of your time or money if you don't really want to learn.
- Creativity - ideas about colours, shapes, textures. Not mandatory but very helpful!
- Glass and fuel for your creations - available for purchase through our studio. (SUPPLY)
- Specialty tools - call for selection.

The following is mandatory:
- To sign our WAIVER
- To wear natural fibres such as cotton or hemp. We do not provide smocks.
- The workspace is slightly weather dependant as we constantly introduce fresh air from outside. We recommend bringing a sweater, although you may not need it.
- Please tie your hair back, or wear a hat.
- Please come with a full stomach, or if you are taking a long class, you may bring a prepared lunch. We have a fridge but do not sell food here. The location is close to many different eateries.

Reserving a class
Classes must be reserved with a 25% deposit a minimum of 10 days before your scheduled class. You may book a class before the 10 days but until a deposit is left the spot will remain open to the first student with their deposit ready. We can accept money orders, cash, debit and credit cards. We are able to process credit card orders over the phone. We require 7 days notice for lessons changed. Any cancelled or changed lessons 36 hours before your scheduled class results in a lost deposit.

Beginner Lessons:
1. Safety and Spinning - Glass safety 101.
This is a general walkthrough and question period. We cover safety, proper torch setup, ventilation, eyewear, kilns, measuring glass, and cutting glass. The teacher will demonstrate how to spin a piece of glass to form a ball on the end of a rod, and will create a glass rain drop. We will then assist you in spinning a rod to replicate the rain drop. This is a 2 hour course. 45$ is the total cost of this introduction course.

2. Glass Animal Class
This can be a supplement course or an introductory course. Learn the basics of sculpting molten borosilicate into a variety of delightful glass animals. These little items make perfect gifts or are great for starting your own little zoo. Choose from a assortment of animals such as bears, penguins, dolphins, fish, caterpillars, dragonflies, lizards, and birds. Practice in clear glass for the initial shaping, and when you feel comfortable enough, switch to coloured rod to create more detail and interest. Animals will be 1-3 inches tall. Learn how to create a ball of glass on the end of a rod that will be used for the animal's body. Learn how to use tungsten and other tools to create small details such as eyes, wings, claws, and noses. Learn about hot and cold punty seals. This is a 5 hour course. 275$ is the total cost of this course.

3. Bead Classes
We cover safety and setting up for beads. We will talk about the various frits and glass rods we will be using. Dipping mandrels will be the first foray into beadmaking. We will show you how to use bead-release efficiently, and how to dry the mandrels. You will then practice melting the rods into a gather and pulling them into strings to decorate the beads. You will use solid colours, and exotics. You will also practice making lattichino cane. When you are satisfied with your preparation, you will start laying on clear glass onto the mandrels and shaping and decorating the beads. You will practice orbs, barrels, and diamond shapes. You will decorate will dots and spirals. You will roll the beads in various powdered glass to create different colours. Towards the end of the class you will be experimenting with laying exotics on the mandrel and applying clear to bring out the different metallic hues. The last half hour or so of the class will be removing and cleaning the beads. Due to the beads needing to be annealed, you will be unable to take home your creations that day. You can come back the next day or we can ship them to you for 5$. This course is 5 hours. 275$.

4. Marble Class
Learn how to use a mold to create a round marble in this 4 hour course. You will learn hot and cold punty seals, gathering glass and spinning it. Practice using gravity to even out any irregularities in your marble. Learn about 'reading the heat base'. You will be working with clear glass for the first half of the class, and coloured rod in the second half. Emphasis is placed on shaping. Clear, full colour, and two colour marbles will be taught in this course. 215$.

Marble class 2.0
An extension for those who have completed the basic marble course. Here you learn to encase colours and spin them to create a spiral marble. We will also practice raking dots. We will also be working with large rod to create a 'vortex' marble. Emphasis in this class is focused on shaping and colour use. You will learn how to create a magnifier in glass to highlight effects. This is a 5 hour course. 290$.

5. Mushroom Class
Learn how to spin molten glass to create a ball, and plunge coloured rod into them to create amazing mushrooms in glass. It makes a perfect class for beginners and older teens. You will work with different colours to create thick stringers. You will also practice making loops to create a pendant out of your mushroom! This is a 2.5 hour course. 125$ total cost.

6. Implosion Class
This is a 2 hour course on creating bursts of colour in glass. We will be spinning a ball, flattening it, applying dots and frit, and allowing the clear glass to collapse over the colour. Different patterns can be created. Depending on how quickly you learn, we can advance to drawing letters and writing names. 100$ for this two hour course.

7. Bracelet Class
We will be using flat and half rod for this 2 hour course. You will create several beautiful bracelets using a variety of colours. You will use a mandrel to size the bracelets and will be applying colour and melting it in. The clear rod acts as a striking magnifier for the colour choices you select. Emphasis is placed on proper and even heating to create fluid shapes. 110$ for this two hour course.

8. Ring Class
In this two hour course, you will learn to size and shape coloured glass into wearable rings of various sizes and shapes. You will be using a mandrel for size, and focusing on an even shape and pulling the glass consistently. You will be using 6 different colours of your choosing. 110$ for this two hour course.

9. Pipe Course
This is a 5 hour introduction course into pipemaking. We will be working with hollow tubing. You will learn how to select correct tubing for the job, and also learn how to break down the tube into useable material. Pulling points will be covered. You will also learn how to straighten any irregular points. You will learn about spinning the glass evenly in both hands. Noticing and paying attention to reading the heat base is emphasized in this class. Evenly heating and stretching the glass without stressing it will be taught. We will be focusing on the 'spoon' and 'sherlock' shapes in this course. Only clear glass is used in this course as a feel for the glass and how it melts is introduced. It's much easier to acquire a feel for the glass when colour is taken out of the equation. You will also learn how to pop a hole in a selected spot. We will help you create an even dent with the hole centered for the bowl. Two different mouthpiece shapings will be taught, the standard round, and the flat beaver tail. We will cover proper annealing of your pieces. 280$ for this five hour course.

Supplemental Courses
These courses are available after 8 hours of lessons, or a teacher-approved equivalent.

Frit and stringer Class
Learn about different grades of frit and how to achieve different effects with frits. Learn about effective stringer pulling, twisty cane, and lattichino. We also cover flat and ribbon cane. 140$ for this two hour course.

Working with Fume
Learn about using the precious metals gold and silver in your glasswork. Fuming, or basically vaporizing the metals onto your glass, is a fun and effective way to add colour and amazing effect to your pieces. We cover patterns like 'honeycomb' and fume implosions. 3 hour course for 180$.

All prospective students must sign our WAIVER

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