Session Nine/August 4-8

Doug Powell
Glass Bead Making

All levels
Studio
5 Day class (9am-4pm)
Tuition: $275
Materials: $30

This class will focus on hot glass bead-making. This is the process where colored glass is heated by a torch until molten, and while flowing is wound around a steel mandrel (stiff wire), which creates the hole in the bead. This process can be used to create beads of all sizes for jewelry, earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, etc. A large color pallet will be available to the students and many design techniques will be taught. This is a 'hands on' class where students will be making usable beads the first day of class to the last. For those students who wish, there will be instruction on assembly to create finished products with their newly created beads.

Doug has worked with his hands all of his life in many different media including blacksmithing, woodworking and making percussion instruments. However, it was his longtime love of pottery that led him to glass-blowing and bead-making. In 1996, he began to teach himself bead-making and shortly afterwards, began teaching the craft. By 2002, he had studied with world-renowned bead-makers, Tom and Sage Holland. He has taught at Inspiration Point Art Camp and at ESSA (Eureka Springs School of the Arts) for six years. His use of beadwork in jewelry design has been to simply highlight the 'focal' bead using sterling silver and gold filled findings, and Swarovski crystals to accent the colors in the beads. His work is available at only a few selected galleries in Arkansas and by contacting the artist directly.