Yes, another amazing and fun fused glass class — but this one was extra special! I had been asked to teach a parent and child class, something I had been a little nervous about for quite some time.
Because glass can cut, I’ve always been very cautious about teaching children. Safety is my top priority, and I wanted to make sure that any class involving young students would be handled with care. After giving it a lot of thought, I decided it was time to take the leap — and I’m so glad I did! This special class included Tina and her absolutely adorable daughter, Meadow. As always, I had my liability forms ready to sign (a must when working with glass), and of course, I had a selection of free gifts ready for my students as a little extra thank-you for joining me.
Before we got started, I gave Tina and Meadow a quick tour of my studio spaces — something I always love to do to spark a little extra inspiration! As always, my Finished Room, Finishing Room, and Gallery Area were ready and waiting. Each space offers its own special glimpse into the world of fused glass — from completed pieces, to works in progress, to a gallery full of colorful, creative possibilities.
Special Preparations for a Special Student. Since this class included a child, I put in a lot of extra preparation to make sure Meadow would have everything she needed to create safely and confidently. I pre-fused small pieces into dots, prepared plenty of murrine and millefiori, and even fused small chips of glass to smooth any sharp edges. Additionally, I tumbled pieces of glass to make them even safer for her to handle. All of this gave Meadow a wide variety of beautiful, colorful supplies — and plenty of opportunities to use her creativity and imagination to build her masterpiece! It was important to me that she could fully enjoy the experience without worrying about safety — and it was such a joy to see her excitement as she explored all the different materials!
Ready to Create! I also made sure the workspace was all set up and ready for Tina and Meadow before they arrived. Their table was filled with plenty of supplies — from colorful dots and murrine to tumbled glass pieces and pre-fused accents — everything they needed to dive right in and start creating!
Tina decided to create two beautiful dichroic pendants during class. To help inspire her, I had lots of colorful glass and sample pieces laid out, so she could see all the possibilities. For those who may not know, dichroic glass means “two colors” — and it actually shifts and changes color depending on how you tilt the glass. It creates such a magical, shimmering effect that’s truly mesmerizing!
Here are the stunning pendants Tina made — she did a fabulous job bringing her designs to life!
Each piece captured the sparkle, movement, and beauty that makes dichroic glass so special.
Meadow was an absolute pleasure to have in class! I’ll admit — I’m not around young children very often (my daughter is now 25 and my son is 39), so I was a little surprised at just how many questions she asked. But honestly, that curiosity and eagerness to learn made the experience even more special.
Meadow created two gorgeous pendants during our class. Her first piece used one of the fused glass eggs I had prepared for an earlier Easter class — she turned it into a beautiful and colorful pendant.
For her second piece, she chose a blue piece of glass and built a charming little aquarium scene on it, filled with tiny details that showed off her creativity and imagination. It was already shaping up to be a class full of creativity, learning, and lots of smiles — and Meadow’s joyful energy made it even more memorable!
This mother and child class was actually held right after the class with Laurie, Cathy, and Sylvia, so I invited Cindy to stay a little longer and continue working on her beautiful fused glass flower. 🌸
She made great progress during this extra time, carefully building the next stages of her design!
If you’d like to see Cindy’s finished flower, feel free to check it out here — it turned out absolutely stunning!
There’s something truly special about watching a parent and child create side by side — sharing laughter, learning new techniques, and encouraging each other’s creativity. This class was such a wonderful reminder that art isn’t just about the final piece — it’s about the memories made along the way.
I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to share fused glass with Tina and Meadow, and I hope to host many more parent and child classes in the future. Creating together builds more than just beautiful artwork — it builds lasting bonds and joyful memories.
If you’re interested in taking a parent and child fused glass class or learning more about my upcoming sessions, please feel free to reach out! I would love to create something special with you, too.
If you’d like to see more of my fused glass work, please visit my website: Elegant Fused Glass by Karen.
While you’re there, be sure to explore the full site — and don’t forget to check out my Elegant Fused Glass by Karen YouTube for even more inspiration! If you’d like to stay up-to-date with my latest projects, classes, and special offerings, you can also sign up for my monthly newsletter, published on the information on my site. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a private class, feel free to email me at elegantfusedglass@gmail.com. I’d love to help you create something beautiful!
Keeping my kilns warm,
Karen
