Contact Name: Eleanor Watson
This craft course provider has been awarded Gold status for receiving 10 or more 5 star ratings from previous students.
The Students' Choice award ensures that course providers get recognised for their efforts in the teaching and practice of UK craft.
They also allow tutors to gain valuable feedback on their courses and for new students to find the course that's right for them.
I'm Eleanor, I'm a jeweller and glass maker and I love colour, texture, design and pattern. I work across all of these in a variety of media including fused glass, enamel, silver, copper, anodised aluminium creating my one-off jewellery and glass pieces. I retrained as a jeweller in 2012, and I work with my husband at Rainbow Glass Studios where I thoroughly enjoy teaching weekend courses in glass and enamelling. I believe everyone has creativity and I want to encourage you to explore yours!
The fused glass class was excellent! It was a bit nerve wracking to begin with learning a new skill and being a complete novice with glass. Eleanor, the teacher was fantastic. Good demonstrations as she explained how to cut the glass, combine things, how to make 'sandwiches' of all the glass and how to use the various types of glass, frits, threads and more!
Eleanor was very supportive and totally encouraging everyone to explore all the different ways to use the various types of glass, frits, threads and get creative and have fun!
There was lots of sample pieces available to show the different techniques and how things came together after they'd be in the kiln overnight.
It was just great fun and so engrossing! I leaned a lot and am planning on doing the Advance Fusing weekend course in November. Wonderful class and highly recommended.
I really enjoyed the fused glass weekend course.
Eleanor's beginners' fused jewellery class was excellent. She was very good at giving instructions, and explaining and showing us how to cut glass, and telling us which different techniques and materials can be used. I have been to a fused glass course before but Eleanor helped to explain things in a different way which helped me understand better. I liked that she had spent time preparing selections of different colours of glass and bags of jewellery fastenings which gave me ideas about what I could make. This course was very helpful and made me wish to continue to use glass.
Thank you very much!
I spent a delightful day on my first (of many, I hope) fused glass jewellery workshop, led by Eleanor. Eleanor's preparation was evident, since she had all the resources ready for us, so we were able to maximise our time designing and making. Her step-by-step tutorial was pitched perfectly and she was on hand to advise when needed. Moreover, as there were only six participants in the workshop, there was a very industrious, supportive atmosphere, and we were able to bounce ideas off each other. I came away at the end of the day feeling totally relaxed and secretly chuffed with my achievements. A few days later, I felt like a child opening her Christmas stocking when I unwrapped my jewellery, which had now been fired and expertly packaged - to avoid damage - and the enclosed personal note of encouragement from Eleanor was a lovely touch. I can't wait till next time!
A well structured course with an excellent level of teaching and guidance. The work space was small but sufficient for a small group and therefore good for individual guidance. Good facilities and equipment. Lots of opportunities to be creative. Ideal for beginners.