A flameworking class for 6 people at GlassRoots, located in the Halsey Arts Village in downtown Newark, NJ.

Flameworking is the glassmaking technique of making glass beads, small animals such as fish, or other small objects out of rods of Venetian glass. It entails melting the glass rod over a gas burner, then wrapping the glass around a steel rod until the basic bead is created. Then using other colors one can add dots, lines, initials-- whatever one wants. Similarly one can freely design small animals, flowers, etc. Our students from age 10 up are able to enjoy flameworking. Although there is some inherent danger of the heat, we teach safety first, then glassmaking. It is fun and creative! So experience it with 5 of your friends in the GlassRoots hotshop.

GlassRoots provides multiple opportunities for at-risk youth, ages 10-18, to realize their potential through the creation of glass art. As the only non profit "hot shop" for young people in the greater New York metropolitan area, GlassRoots provides a nurturing environment in which otherwise underserved children can achieve self-esteem and creative expression while also learning basic business skills and valuable life lessons through the exploration of the unique art forms of glass making.