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For Tanara Ryden, fused glass making started as a creative experiment. Armed with YouTube tutorials, determination and a willingness to learn through trial and error, she taught herself the craft and eventually turned a hobby into The Glassy Nut, a cottage business featuring her handcrafted glass art.
This fall, Ryden will share her passion for glass with others through a series of community education classes at Olney Central College.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to discuss fused glass making and its possibilities,” she said. “There are so many things you can do. I really like the idea of being able to create art, that is not only beautiful, but functional.”
Fused glass is the art of layering compatible pieces of glass and melting them together in a kiln to create colorful, one-of-a-kind designs. In these hands-on, beginner-friendly classes, students will learn the fundamentals of glass cutting, design and kiln firing while completing their own projects.
“You don’t need to be a master at art to create fused glass. It is very forgiving,” Ryden said. “You can start at a basic level. You don’t need to know everything, and you don’t need to be intimidated. If I can teach myself and others, anyone who is interested can make it happen.”
Classes are tentatively scheduled to begin in September, with month-long sessions offered throughout the fall and spring semesters. All classes will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Each month-long session is designed to build students’ confidence and creativity as they explore color, texture and form under Ryden’s guidance. Participants will begin with simple projects, such as mosaic suncatchers, before progressing to plates, bowls and more detailed artistic pieces. Students are encouraged to enroll in additional sessions to continue developing their skills.
“We’ll explore different processes and examples that they can do, but ultimately, they can figure out what is unique to them,” Ryden said. “We’ll do different forms of fused glass and then they can use their creativity to branch off. I am going to show them the process, and they can use their creativity to make it their own.”
While Ryden enjoys displaying and selling her work at venues such as the Olney Arts Council’s Fall Festival and local art shows, her passion has always been creating — not selling. She first began offering her pieces for sale simply because she needed space to continue making new ones.
“I’m not making them for the money,” she said. “I do it because I enjoy the creative outlet. If someone buys one, it means I can make something else.”
Ryden’s passion for creativity has been a constant throughout her life. She earned a bachelor’s degree in photography with a minor in art history. Before taking up fused glass four years ago, she created stained glass for a cabinet company. While she enjoyed the work, concerns about the materials used in the process inspired her to pursue fused glass instead.
For the past two years, Ryden has shared her love of fused glass by teaching classes at Create 618 in Olney and leading hands-on fused glass experiences for children’s parties and private events. After joining Olney Central College as the TRIO Student Support Services Academic Advisor, she saw an opportunity to share her knowledge through Community Education classes at OCC.
“Everyone I talked to seemed excited about the idea,” she said. “All of the feedback I’ve received has been very positive.”
Turning the idea into reality required one key piece of equipment for the OCC ceramics studio — a specialized kiln. The purchase was made possible through community support, including a $1,000 grant from First National Bank in Olney.
“We are extremely grateful for the generous support of individuals and organizations throughout our community,” said Curtis Miller, Director of Enrollment and Community Outreach for Illinois Eastern Community Colleges. “Through their support, we can expand IECC’s Community Education program and offer fun, unique classes for learners of all ages, fostering a love of lifelong learning.”
Class sizes for Beginning Fused Glass Art are limited, and early registration is encouraged. For class dates and additional information, visit www.iecc.edu/communityed or call 618-395-7777.
