Classes in Stained Glass

Adult evening and day Stained Glass classes

Caroline teaches regular adult education classes in Stained Glass 10 times a week at Kingshill House in Dursley. She recently moved from the Subscription Rooms in Stroud due to uncertainty over the future of the building. These popular classes will quickly have you designing, cutting and assembling your own stained glass creation in a friendly and supportive environment.

Based on individual needs, the courses provide an opportunity to work on personal projects and cover a range of traditional and more contemporary stained and decorative glass methods. Unlike many other tutors, Caroline provides each student with a full set of tools and equipment, and uses her extensive teaching experience to ensure every student gets the best out of their time with her. 

You will learn all the basic techniques of pattern preparation, glass cutting, leading, foiling, soldering and finishing and the basic decorative processes such as painting and fusing. Caroline has an extensive stock of glass, tools and specialist equipment, including a range of electric glass fusing kilns, band-saws and hole cutting equipment and she is widely regarded as THE stained glass expert in the area.

Fusing classes

Although you are able to try glass fusing during any of the classes I can run a specific class just for fusing if the demand is there.

Specialist courses focus on the remarkable process of kiln-firing and mould work. We cover all the basics of fusing, learn how glass behaves when heated and cooled, why some glasses are not compatible with others, kiln preparation and firing schedules.

Working with accessories such as frits and stringers, the use of enamels and metal inclusions, and slumping into moulds. We also look at things to avoid and trouble shooting.

Caroline makes this a very practical stained glass course that will build your knowledge and skill throughout the term. 

Tools & equipment

Caroline provides a comprehensive selection of tools for each student individually, and these are regularly updated and well maintained. She also provides the larger ancillary items such as soldering irons and grinders.

A good range of glass and other materials can also be bought from Caroline and she is always happy to order anything special you may require.

All abilities welcome!

All are welcome to come along to Caroline's practical, social and creative Stained Glass classes as they are designed for all experience levels and are suitable both for complete beginners and those who already have some experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over view of Techniques

Copper Foiling

The copper foil technique, made famous by Tiffany, is ideal for both 2D and 3D projects such as sun catchers, mirrors and Tea-light holders.

It involves wrapping the edges of each section of glass with a self-adhesive copper tape. These pieces are then soldered together to create the finished project.

Copper foiling is a great way to start off in stained glass, as you need less specialist equipment than for leading or fusing, and it is easy to set up and continue at home.

Fused Glass 

This remarkable process involves layering and fusing together colourful pieces of glass which are then heated in a high-temperature kiln so that they fuse together. There is something almost magical about the way the kiln turns a collection of glass pieces into a shiny, glistening, fabulous piece of glass art.

Although the technology is complex, Caroline takes care of almost all of the really technical stuff, leaving you to turn your ideas into a thing of beauty!

You can go on to add a selection of ‘inclusions’ such as metals, powders, frits and stringers to create stunning panels, sun-catchers, coasters and jewellery, while a second kiln-firing will turn virtually any flat project into a bowl or other 3D object.

Leaded glass 

Leaded glass has been around for more than a thousand years and involves cutting coloured and textured glass and framing it in lead. There is something deeply satisfying about designing and producing an art-work that uses techniques that have changed little since the Middle Ages and which will still be admired long after your grand-children are grown up with children of their own!

This the most technically demanding of the three disciplines, as well as the most time consuming, but the results are always worth the time and effort.

After cutting the glass pieces, individual sections of lead are then shaped around the glass before each joint is soldered together to create a solid framework.

The finished panel is then cemented to make it weather resistant, before being polished to give the lead its distinctive gun-metal finish.

If you wish to read around the subject before you come these are a few books I would recommend

Introducing the Art of Stained Glass.  Randy Wardel & Judy Huffman

Basic Stained Glass Making: all the skills and tools you need to get started.  Eric Ebeling.

Stained Glass Step by Step.  Patricia Ann Daley

The Complete Stained Glass Course.  Lynette Wrigley and Marc Gerstein

Inspirations in Kiln-Formed Glass. Gillian Hulse

The Stained Glass Garden: Projects & Patterns by George W. Shannon, Pat Torlen

Stained Glass for Dummies.  Vicki Payne