Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed

Monday February 16, 6-8:30pm (1 session)

Ages 18+ (Please contact us at dsegerstrom@paramountarts.org if you have a younger student interested in participating)

Explore the exciting world of fused glass as you create a fun and whimsical bird!

Beatriz Lauer and Kristina Oregon will guide you step by step to create this beautiful decorative bird, showing you how to safely cut and work with glass using tools and equipment!

We'll fire your work in the kiln to melt/fuse the glass together, after which you can proudly display your work!

All materials to create one bird are included in the cost of tuition

*Please note that the work created in this class will need to be fired in a kiln and collected at another date. The Paramount will send an email when work is ready to be collected!

Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed

Saturday March 7, 10am-3pm (1 session)

Ages 18+ (Please contact us at dsegerstrom@paramountarts.org if you have a younger student interested in participating) 

Explore the exciting world of fused glass, as Ruth shows you how to create a simple, yet beautiful, tabletop sun catcher. Explore the basic steps of safely cutting and arranging glass into your own unique designs and patterns!

All materials to create one suncatcher included.

Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed

Tuesdays March 10-April 14, 6-8:00pm (6 sessions)

Ages 18+ (Please contact us at dsegerstrom@paramountarts.org if you have a younger student interested in participating)

Learn fundamental lapidary equipment, tools, & processes from expert and author Jim Magnuson. Learn to safely use basic lapidary equipment and operations to shape, polish, and set to jewelry.

It is recommended, but not required, that participants acquire and review Gemstone Tumbling, Cutting, Drilling & Cabochon Making. This book can be purchased online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble websites, and they may be available at your local bookseller.

What to Bring For Lapidary Workshop:

Working type clothes – i.e. jeans & work-shirt, ball-cap or other lightweight hat, (you will get a light amount of oil or water spray from some of the machines – but it washes out easily)

Agates or other gemstones at home you want to polish or make jewelry with.

Masks and Protective Eyewear, the instructor will have some K-95 masks and protective eye goggles/ glasses available.

Instructor Provided Gemstones

· Lake Superior Agates

· African Botswana Agates

· Teepee Canyon Agates

· Crazy Lace Agate Slabs

· Plume Agate Slabs

· Miscellaneous other Rocks & Slabs

Prohibited Gemstones:

Toxicity:Malachite, …

·Value and Hardness/ Softness: Turquoise, …

Places for Students to Acquire Gemstones

· Minnesota Lapidary Supply – Store in Princeton, Minnesota

· Kingsley North – online

· The Gem Shop - online

Jim Magnuson Biography
For author Jim Magnuson—rock hounding is a serious and rewarding avocation that helps him connect with nature. He has been an avid hunter and student of various gems, minerals and fossils since his childhood. In addition, Jim enjoys sharing his passion through showing and gifting some of his finds, and through writing, another lifelong interest. And, Jim enjoys making and selling jewelry, and both rough and polished stones.

Throughout Jim’s career as a computer professional, he developed technical writing skills while creating new processes that reduce complexity and improve efficiency. These skills proved to be invaluable when writing guidebooks for beginning agate hunters, and beginner-to intermediate lapidary hobbyists. Jim is a member of several rock and mineral clubs that help him to further his knowledge about agates, gemstones and geology.

To date Jim has authored the following publications: The Storied Agate; The Fairburn Agate of the Black Hills; Agate Hunting Made Easy; Lake Superior Agates – Identify Agates & Imposters (Laminated Field Guide); Emma’s First Agate; Gemstone Tumbling, Cutting, Drilling, & Cabochon Making, Rockhounding & Prospecting – Upper Midwest

Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed

Saturday March 28, 10am-3pm (1 session)

Ages 18+ (Please contact us at dsegerstrom@paramountarts.org if you have a younger student interested in participating)

Create eye-catching ornaments for your yard and garden in this extremely popular, one-day workshop for beginners! Choose your colors and designs as you make a beautiful glass piece that will glow in the sunshine to liven up your garden space!

All materials to create one garden stake plus metal stake are included in the cost of tuition

*Please note that the work created in this class will need to be fired in a kiln and collected at another date. The Paramount will send an email when work is ready to be collected!

Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed

Mondays April 6-April 20, 6-8:30pm (3 sessions)

Ages 18+ (Please contact us at dsegerstrom@paramountarts.org if you have a younger student interested in participating)

Create a beautiful copper foil stained glass sun catcher, in this class for the complete beginner, using our design or one of your own!

Students can choose  a pattern and will learn how to safely cut and shape your glass using tools and glass equipment such as the grinder. Once you have your shapes set, you will apply copper foil, and solder!

Kristina will help guide you to success so that you have a piece to proudly display in your space!

All materials to create an (approximate) 8"x 8" piece included in the cost of tuition.

Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed

Monday April 13, 6-8pm & Tuesday April 14, 6-7pm (2 sessions)

Ages 18+ (Please contact us at dsegerstrom@paramountarts.org if you have a younger student interested in participating) 

Explore the exciting process of creating beads with polymer clay! Similar in texture to kid’s clay dough, this medium allows a great deal of flexibility in creativity! These beads are perfect for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings and can be as unique as you!

Once created on day one, your instructor will fire the beads outside of class and will have them ready for the next day when we assemble your pieces!

All materials to create beads included

Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed

Saturday April 25, 10am-3pm (1 session)

Ages 18+ (Please contact us at dsegerstrom@paramountarts.org if you have a younger student interested in participating)  

Create eye-catching ornaments for your yard and garden in this extremely popular, one-day workshop for beginners! Choose your colors and designs as you make a beautiful glass piece that will glow in the sunshine to liven up your garden space!

All materials to create one garden stake plus metal stake are included in the cost of tuition

*Please note that the work created in this class will need to be fired in a kiln and collected at another date. The Paramount will send an email when work is ready to be collected!

Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed

Tuesday May 19, 6-9pm (1 session)

Ages 18+ (Please contact us at dsegerstrom@paramountarts.org if you have a younger student interested in participating) 

Create beautiful one of a kind jewelry using the small pieces of glass set into designs of your choosing, a process called mosaic!

Terri will guide through the process of safely cutting and assembling glass into the jewelry bezel. Once you are happy with your design you will learn how to grout your piece! Once dried, you will have a piece as unique as you, perfect for yourself or as a gift for a loved one!

Please note that students will need to allow their glue to dry and then grout at home. Don't worry! We will show you how to grout, send the materials, and instructions for success!

All materials to create one piece are included in the cost of tuition