Class Descriptions

Roger combines a method of teaching that uses a lecture portion featuring slideshow examples from his own work as well as a hands-on approach. The workshops below are listed in order of difficulty. Please contact the venue if you have questions about your qualifications.

Images in Glass

This course focuses on design and process for landscape in fused glass, as Roger Thomas shares his techniques and philosophy of his Glass Paintings. Roger is known to students of glass for his varied and unusual glass fusing techniques with which he creates his art. During this class the student will complete four landscape samples, as Roger discusses and demonstrates how he creates color, depth and translucency in his work.

Typically a four day class, this can also be taught in three days using three samples.

A Philosophy for Fused Glass Imagery

For over 30 yrs Roger Thomas has been developing design and functional techniques for creating his glass art works. In this new lecture and lab class you will build a piece with Roger as he shares with you how he uses these procedures to design and execute his art. Topics will include:  selection of design and scaling, graphics and line, collage and mosaic, enriched materials, glass brushstrokes, pointillism and abstraction–all as applied to fused glass imagery. Prerequisites: courage to try new concepts, willingness to fail and a good sense of humor.

Typically a three or four day class.

Thinking Painting, Using Fusing

This course explores how glass fusing technology relates to traditional painting by examining each for common elements. Students will learn through designing a composition of their choice (with input from Roger), testing glass technique and palette for individual elements so that they will be able to execute a large, complicated landscape.

This is an ideal class for the accomplished fuser looking to expand into a more pictorial medium as well as the accomplished painter or draughtsman wishing to expand into fused glass. Roger’s class “Images in Glass” is an excellent precursor; however, other prerequisites are either good fusing skills or good painting skills combined with basic fusing experience.

Typically a four or five day class.

The Projects Class

Roger Thomas is a world renowned glass artist whose techniques and style are instantly recognizable. Now he is going to share his experience and unique vision to help you cultivate your own personal artwork.

In this class, students will benefit from group discussions and critiques as they each work to create original art pieces. From conceptualization and design to business practices and marketing, this is an exciting opportunity to develop your style and receive peer feedback under the guidance of an extremely talented professional artist. Previous advanced fusing experience is a prerequisite, and the “Images in Glass” class is recommended.

Typically a four or five day class, and taught at Pacific ArtGlass.

Project Class: Roll Ups

Pacific ArtGlass has the combined facilities necessary to create exciting vessels of blown fused glass, called roll ups, and Roger offers a 5-day Projects class with a focus on making these works. Students explore design considerations for roll ups as and learn to make fused blanks in the kiln forming studio and then observe and participate in the process of rolling the panels into blown glass forms with a glass blowing artist. Each student will make several blown glass forms out of their own work during the class.

Previous advanced fusing experience is a prerequisite.