offers a variety of classes taught by world famous instructors.
New classes are scheduled all the time. Be sure to check back frequently.

May 16/17 '09 Beginning Glass Beadmaking - Craig Milliron
Sep 11/12/13, '09 Floral Gardens & Special Techniques - Leah Fairbanks
Sep 26/27/28, '09 Creative Sculptural Beadmaking - Sharon Peters
Oct 3/4, '09 Sculptural Glass Birds - Kim Fields
Oct 10/11, '09 Vessels and Pots... Stoppers and Tops - Pam Wolfersberger
Oct 17/18, '09 Borosilicate Pendants and Color Layering - Brent Graber
Oct 31/Nov 1/2, '09 Techniques for Enhancing Your Style - Michael Barley
Nov 14/15, '09 From Florals to Frogs to Canes - Cynthia Tilker
Dec 5/6, '09 Explore the Magic of Silver Glass with Hayley - Hayley Tsang
Registration, etc.
Area Hotels

Beginning Glass Beadmaking
Instructor: Craig Milliron
In this exciting two day class you will learn: how to work glass in a torch, making shapes, designs, adding gold, silver and palladium leaf, glass powders and mica powders. No previous lampworking experience necessary! You will go home with lots of wonderful beads!

This class is continuously added to the teaching schedule. Current scheduled dates are listed below. It is always a two day class held on weekends.

Two day class. Hours are 9 to 5, lunch included.
Cost is $275 and includes all materials.

Dates:
May 16 & 17, 2009

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Floral Gardens & Special Techniques
Instructor: Leah Fairbanks
 

 
In this workshop, Leah will increase your skill level and expand your knowledge of beadmaking. Some of the techniques that will be covered will include floral and cased canes, surface decorations, feathering, several different types of latticino canes and clear casing. There will be an emphasis placed on design, color blending, and precise application of surface decorations with a focus on florals, perfecting your bead shapes and refining ends.

You will be using Effetre glass rods from Italy, Bullseye glass from the USA and Satake glass from Japan. A variety of materials will be provided to experiment with, including palladium and gold leaf, fine silver wire, silver foil, glass powers, multi-colored handmade frit, and dichroic glass.

Leah's style of teaching balances demonstration with one-on-one attention. Throughout the workshop, students will be assisted with their individual needs.

Students should be intermediate to advanced level, comfortable working on a propane/oxygen mix torch, and have good working control of their glass.

See Leah's website.

Three day class. Class hours are 10 to 6, lunch included.
Cost is $700 and includes all materials used in the class.

Dates:
September 11, 12 & 13, 2009

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Creative Sculptural Beadmaking 1: Bringing Your Silly Stuff To Life
Instructor: Sharon Peters
         

         
Photos by Janice Peacock
Sharon is a nationally renowned sculptural glass beadmaker known for her great sense of humor as well as for her very humorous glass bead designs.

In this three day, intermediate class, you will learn how to visualize and design sculptural beads from the inside out, how to diagram your designs, and how to create the design by working from largest to smallest detail. You'll learn how to turn dead beads into great fish, and  where to go for inspiration and design ideas, and how to find your own creative voice. You'll practice new techniques while making an assortment of strange creatures! You'll learn to control the flame while making dessert! Fun guaranteed, and you'll learn tons.

See Sharon's website.

Three day class. Class hours are 9 to 5, lunch included.
Cost is $600 and includes all materials.

Dates:
September 26, 27 & 28, 2009

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Sculptural Glass Birds
Instructor: Kim Fields

 
This 2 day class will focus on creating sculptural bird beads using a variety of techniques. Demonstrations will include forming simple sculptural birds and moving to more complex forms. Techniques will include color mixing and overlays, encasing, assembling canes, precise dot and stringer placement, and subtle use of heat to control form and pattern.

Students should be intermediate level, comfortable working on a propane/oxygen mix torch, and have good working control of their glass.

See Kim's web site.

Two day class. Class hours are 10 to 6, lunch included.
Cost is $475 and includes all materials.

Dates:
October 3 & 4, 2009

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Vessels and Pots... Stoppers and Tops
Instructor: Pam Wolfersberger
 

 
This class explores many aspects of vessel shape, form and decoration. Special attention will be made to a variety of body shapes and the smooth transition from neck to body. You will learn the technique for creating balanced, matched and precisely proportioned handles, as well as the best method for ensuring secure attachment. A variety of surface decoration techniques will be utilized to personalize your work, including precision dotting, stringers, use of frits, foils and "painted" flowers. You will learn off mandrel techniques and utilize many types of latticino for developing appropriate stoppers for your unique vessel creations. The ultimate focus is to endow you with the tools and knowledge to create your own unique pieces, no matter which direction you choose to take. Control and technique make it possible; simply bring your questions and enthusiasm!

Students should be intermediate level, comfortable working on a propane/oxygen mix torch, and have good working control of their glass.

See Pam's website.

Two day class. Class hours are 9 to 5, lunch included.

Cost is $550 and includes all materials.
Dates:
October 10 & 11, 2009

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Borosilicate Pendants and Color Layering
Instructor: Brent Graber
 

 
Brent (AKA: Mr. Smiley) will be instructing off mandrel basics using heat and gravity to shape. Focus is on how to read the heat base in the glass, so you will learn how to anticipate it's movement and not just be reacting to it. You will learn how to cover encase and layer boro color to achieve bright beautiful results, every time - without fail! Covered are hearts and several different implosions, along with many other pendants. If you are interested in off mandrel boro pendants or getting beautiful results from boro color, this class is for you.

Students should be intermediate level, comfortable working on a propane/oxygen mix torch, and have good working control of their glass.

See Brent's website.

Two day class. Class hours are 9 to 5, lunch included.

Cost is $495 and includes all materials.

Dates:
October 17 &18, 2009

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Techniques for Enhancing your Style
Instructor: Michael Barley
 

The focus of the class will be on learning through experimentation. The goal for the class is to help the students learn techniques that will enhance their own style of beadmaking. This class is designed for intermediate students who have experience with propane and oxygen torches. You'll be working with Effetre (Moretti) glass. Michael will be demonstrating several techniques for blending colors to develop unique colors. You'll be working with silver leaf to achieve a variety of effects and to use it in ways to alter the colors of the glass. You'll be making canes using an optic mold and learn ways to apply the cane to achieve different designs. Michael will be showing ways to make custom molds for shaping your beads and demonstrating his method for clear casing, pulling twisted canes, shaping beads as well as how to use the custom molds that the students can make. The class is divided about equally between demonstrations and time for the students to practice on the torch.

See Michael's website.

Three day class. Class hours are 9 to 5, lunch included.
Cost is $750 and includes all materials.

Dates:
October 31 & November 1 & 2, 2009

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From Florals to Frogs with Canes
Instructor: Cynthia Tilker
 

 
Students should be intermediate level, comfortable working on a propane/oxygen mix torch, and have good working control of their glass.

Cynthia will be teaching many different types of cane for the use and application in large focal beads. How to create and apply leaf, branch, goldstone and flower cane to a bead under thick encasements. Cynthia  will show how to create depth as well as perfecting the basic bead shape and making perfect ends. Many different shapes of beads will be taught with the applications of Dichroic glasses, placement of flowers both encased and raised, pleated backgrounds, frogs and many, many ways to create floral beads and all of their elements and components.

See Cynthia's Ebay listings.

Two day class. Class hours are 10 to 6 on Saturday and 9 to 5 on Sunday, lunch included.
Cost is $395 and includes all materials.

Dates:
November 14 & 15, 2009

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Explore the Magic of Silver Glass with Hayley
Instructor: Hayley Tsang

In this two-day workshop, you will explore the many facets of working with silver glass.  For reducing silver glass you will learn how to work with different reduction flames, varying length of reducing time, and changing placements and positions of the bead in the flame, to achieve various results. For striking silver glass you will learn how to achieve and recognize the "first strike," thus enabling you to duplicate the striking sequence on your own.

Once the basic technique of working with silver glass is achieved, you will learn the different ways of using silver glass to expand your repetoire. Some of the techniques we will cover include encasing silver glass, surface decoration with silver glass – stringers, shards and twisties, and using silver glass in gravity swirls. In addition to how to achieve the best results with this mysterious glass, special emphasis will be placed on design and perfect bead shaping. With the exception of the initial instruction on how to strike and reduce spacer beads, you will be making large bicone/tubular shaped beads.

Students should be at an intermediate skill level and comfortable working on a propane/oxygen mix torch.

See Hayley's website.

Two day class. Class hours are 9 to 5, lunch included.
Cost is $425 and includes all materials.

Dates:
December 5 & 6, 2009

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All classes are held at:

4301 A Product Drive
Shingle Springs, CA 95682
Phone: 1(800) 899-0689
Local Phone: 1(530) 677-1400
Fax: 1(530) 677-1600
E-mail: flameon@ArrowSprings.com

How to get to Arrow Springs and area attractions.

Class Registration and
Cancellation Policy
Please call or e-mail for class space availability, registration and any additional details not listed here.

Arrow Springs Staff Taught Classes
A deposit of $75.00 is required at time of sign-up.
The balance of the class fee is due 2 weeks prior to the class.
A full refund will be given if you cancel at least 14 days before the class.
The $75.00 deposit will NOT be refunded if cancellation is made within 14 days before the class, but any payments made over the deposit amount will be refunded.

Arrow Springs Guest Instructor Classes
A deposit of $150.00 or $200.00, depending upon the class, is required at time of sign-up.
The balance of the class fee is due 2 weeks prior to the class.
A full refund will be given if you cancel at least 30 days before the class.
The $150.00 or $200.00 deposit will NOT be refunded if cancellation is made within 30 days before the class, but any payments made over the deposit amount will be refunded.

If you cancel a class within the nonrefundable period, you can still receive a refund if either we or you can fill the spot with a qualified alternate at the posted class price.

If we cancel a class, we will inform you as soon as possible. It is very important that you give us as many contact phone numbers as possible, such as home, work and cellular, at time of registration. If you will be traveling for a period before the scheduled class, it is recommended that you keep in contact with us. If a scheduled class does not have the minimum required students to hold the class, it may be canceled. We will give you at least a one week notice. If an instructor is unable to teach the class, the class may be canceled, even at the last minute. In all situations, we will make every effort to assure that the scheduled class is taught. Arrow Springs will not be held liable for any cost incurred by you, other than the amount paid towards the class fee charged by Arrow Springs. This includes, but is not limited to, airline tickets, hotel accommodations and lost work.

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Area Hotels
We have arranged for discounts at several area hotels. Discounts are not always available throughout the year. You will need to call for the current rates. We suggest calling them all to find the best price available at the time. To receive the discounts, all you need to do is call the hotel, not the national reservations line, and say that Arrow Springs has arranged for discounts for our customers. You may need to spell out Arrow Springs. It is often misspelled as Aero. The Folsom and El Dorado Hills hotels are newer and upscale. Customer feedback tells us that the least expensive Motel is so for a reason.

Holiday Inn Express
4630 Town Center Blvd.
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Ph: 1(866) 833-8773
ElDoradoHoliday.com
About 10 minutes away.

Courtyard by Marriott
2575 Iron Point Road
Folsom, CA 95630
Marriott.com
Ph: 1(916) 984-7624
About 12 minutes away.

Cameron Park Inns and Suites
3361 Coach Lane
Cameron Park, CA 95682
Ph: 1(530) 677-2203
CameronParkInns.com
About 2 minutes away.

Cameron Park Motel
3444 Coach Lane
Cameron Park, CA 95682
Ph: 1(530) 677-7177
Motel6.com Enter Cameron Park and California in the Find a Location area.
About 2 minutes away.

Placerville KOA Campground
4655 Rock Barn Road
Shingle Springs, CA 95682
Ph: 1(530) 676-CAMP(2267)
Ph: 1(800) 562-4197 Reservations Only
KOA@KOA-Placerville.com
KOA-Placerville.com
About 4 miles away.

Our location, how to find us with MapQuest and regional attractions.

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