Make a Glass Bead with Tara Parker

Reservations available between 10am-2pm
$40.00  •  Supplies included

This experience introduces you to the basics of flameworking and offers a focused experience with hot glass. Tara Parker demonstrates how to work with molten glass at the torch, and guides you through the process of making one of your very own glass beads.

You’ll start by turning a mandrel – a metal rod used in beadmaking – in the flame.

Melting colored glass rods in the flame and applying the molten glass to your mandrel will create your bead design. How you wind the glass onto the mandrel makes patterns and beautiful unique glassy designs.

Students should expect to spend one hour in the workshop as Tara makes her way to your turn the actual time spent making a bead is a fairly swift process and usually takes about 20- minutes.

Pieces must cool overnight and can be picked up the next day, or shipped within the US and Canada at no additional cost.

Age requirements- 18 and over

Call 207-664-0222 to make a reservation

Private lessons with Tara are also available upon request, Tuesday–Saturday for $60 an hour with a two hour minimum. If you’ve taken a workshop with Tara before, this is a great opportunity to get more hands on experience and guidance. It is also a great option for beginners looking for a better schedule fit. Call 207-664-0222 to schedule your private lesson.

Saturday, March 4th  •  5 p.m.
Free  •  Donations accepted

Written and Directed by Sophie Cameron, Home in Time for Suppah is sure to be a treat:

Ms Maxine, an eccentrically endearing music teacher, is missing and it’s up to her students to find her.  Along the way they run into creatures, spirits, witches, and even a princess! Based on an interwoven collection of Downeast tall tales, scout songs, and the work of Maine’s Queen Poet: Edna St. Vincent Millay,  and featuring talented actors aged 8-22, Home in Time for Suppah ensures that the legends of this coast shall be as immortal as any ghost.  Come enjoy warmth, comedy, and adventure!

This event is free to the public, although we will be accepting much appreciated donations to Artsworth and the YWCA; suggested donation: $10. Donations from all three performances will be split between the two organizations, who have partnered with Sophie to provide practice and performance space for this production.

Sophie Cameron, a Senior at the College of the Atlantic, developed this production as her senior thesis. It is a culmination of several years of work and academic study in theatre and childhood education.

Open Valentine Making Studio

10am-2pm
$5.00 • Supplies included

Everybody has a special person in their life that deserves a handmade valentine. Join us on February 11th to make something unique for someone special during our open valentine making studio.

For $5, we’ll provide a variety of materials (paper, paint, stamps, stencils, and more) for participants to make up to 3 valentines. There will no formal instruction, although staff members will be around to help orient you and be a creative resource.

Our glass studio will also be fired up for our Heart of Glass workshop, so the space is sure to be warm and full of creative energy! The valentine studio will be open from 10-2. Drop in at your leisure!

Additional valentines can be made for an additional donation, depending on materials.

Make a Heart of Glass with Atlantic Art Glass

Saturdays, February 4th & 11th
$40.00  •  Reservations available after 10 a.m

Make something really special – a gift from the heart! You will transform molten glass into a small solid heart shaped paperweight with our expert help. This experience allows you to work with hot glass up close, with help from our glassblowers.

You’ll start by choosing the glass colors you want to use in your solid glass heart, and then partner with our professional glassblowers to create it. After applying and heating the colors you will sit at the glassblowing bench and learn how to use the “pucinellas” to shape and swirl the molten glass. When the interior design is complete, the glass will be cased in clear crystal, and shaped into its final heart form. Although this is a swift exercise it reveals ancient glass techniques, that are a true wonder to experience.

Age Restriction -14 years or older, under 18 accompanied by an  adult.

Call 207.664.0222 to reserve a spot.

Warping Weaving Workshop

Freestyle Hand Weaving with Master Weaver Susan Perrine

10 a.m.- 3 p.m.
$60.00 • Supplies included

This workshop is designed for beginners or anyone wanting a warping refresher. All levels are welcome.

Students will choose yarns from our supply to create a one of a kind textile, such as a scarf, table runner or hanging fiber art by combining yarns of different weights and colors. Weave fabric to adorn your home or body while learning how to thread your loom, or ours.

You will have access to a warping board and warping mill, and will learn how to use your tabletop to make a warp. Next a large variety of yarn and fiber of all types, colors and weights will be made available to you to use in your “scarf”. Susan Perrine will show you fun and useful new techniques like creating a buttonhole, tapestry weaving, and lace insertion.

Think of this workshop as a kind of weaving sampler, where you can explore different techniques and traditions that speak to you with Susan’s expert guidance.

You may not finish your piece during the workshop. But we plan to have our weaving studio open for students to continue during the following 3 weeks. More information on open studio time will be discussed during the workshop.

Students will make small warps with about 100 warp threads/ends. (about 3-3 1/2 yards by 9 inches wide).

All materials needed to make a complete piece will be provided. Although, specialty yarns (cashmere, silk, hand spun yarn, etc…) will be available for an additional cost.

Call 207-664-0222 to reserve a spot on our wait list.

Make a Glass Bead with Tara Parker

Reservations available between 10am-2pm
$40.00

This experience introduces you to the basics of flameworking and offers a focused experience with hot glass. Tara Parker demonstrates how to work with molten glass at the torch, and guides you through the process of making one of your very own glass beads.

You’ll start by turning a mandrel – a metal rod used in beadmaking – in the flame.

Melting colored glass rods in the flame and applying the molten glass to your mandrel will create your bead design. How you wind the glass onto the mandrel makes patterns and beautiful unique glassy designs.

Students should expect to spend one hour in the workshop as Tara makes her way to your turn the actual time spent making a bead is a fairly swift process and usually takes about 20- minutes.

Pieces must cool overnight and can be picked up the next day, or shipped within the US and Canada at no additional cost.

Call 207-664-0222 to make a reservation 

HeartFelt Valentines with Heidi Jai

Looking to make unique valentines this year? Trade in your paper and scissors for wool and felting needles! Come join Heidi Jai and make woolly felted valentines while you learn the basics of needle felting. Needle felting is an easy to learn, inexpensive craft that requires no sewing, no counting and no measuring. After one beginner class you’ll be ready to stock up on wool and spend the rest of winter making fuzzy creations. All materials are included for several felted hearts. (This class uses very sharp needles.)

Minimum age 12. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Call 207-664-0222 to reserve a spot or click the button below to sign up online!

Beginner Glassblowing with Atlantic Art Glass

Saturdays  •  February 18th- March 11th  • 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
$375.00

This course is designed for beginners. Emphasis is placed on learning the basic skills necessary to complete simple blown vessels. Class time is divided between demonstrations and supervised work time with individual attention for each student. No glass working experience is required. This is a four week course meeting once each week for four hours. Registration is on a first come first served basis, as class sizes are limited. You must be 14 years of age or older, under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Full payment is expected by the first session.

Call 207-664-0222 to sign up!

For the second year in a row our annual Fire Gathering will feature a pop-up marketplace. Local artisans will sell handmade fine arts and crafts and specialty foods from 10 to 5. This is a great opportunity to get last minute Holiday gifts for a loved one, or something for yourself.

Featuring….

Jeanne Seronde Perkins   •   Julie Havener & Jon Ho   •   Leslie Jones

Jessica L. Harris Designs   •   Island Soap   •   A Stones Throw to Health

Sierra Henries, Birch Bark Artist   •   Roberta Sprague   •   Jenny King

River Wind Woolies   •   Sage Moon Apothecary   •   Cute Knits   •   Tara Parker

Katia Ancona   •   Salt Run Farm Crafts   •   Michelle Levesque

Debbie Sitterly   •   Kristen McNulty

$40    •    10am-2pm by appointment
Availability December 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd

Age Restriction: 14 years or older, under 18 accompanied by an adult.

This experience allows you to work with hot glass up close, while staying on the cool end of the glassblowing equipment at all times. You’ll start by choosing the glass colors you want to use in your ornament, and then partner with our professional glassblowers to create it. You will shape the ornament by blowing air through the moving blowpipe as the glassblower guides the glass with special tools. After you and the glassblower have shaped your ornament, it is removed from the blowpipe, a glass loop is added and it is placed in an oven to begin an overnight slow cooling process. Ornaments are ready for pick up the following week or may be shipped for an additional fee within the US and Canada.

Call 207-664-0222 to register. You will be scheduled to arrive during a one hour time slot.

When you get to our hot shop, please check in at the front counter. There you will receive some information on color choices and we will verify any payment info you may have given us to reserve your spot.

You can expect to spend about an hour in the shop, as we give you a safety orientation and make our way to your turn. Making a blown glass ornament  is a swift process (only about 15 to 20 minutes). The glass maker must work with the blower (you) to both expand the glass to its largest and thinnest capacity while also squeezing it to create the very smallest of openings at the crack off point of the blow pipe. By its very nature, making an ornament happens quickly but it is so memorable and dramatic! It’s the perfect introduction to how hot glass works.