Graceful Customs Lampwork Glass & Jewelry Studio

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Open House with Joy Munshower, Friday, May 1, 2015

Come meet the artist, talented and world-traveled Joy Munshower, who makes ~ "lampworked glass sculptures inspired by nature" will be here for a 2 day lampworking glass sculpting class on May 2 & 3, 2015. She will also be here to demonstrate some of her unique techniques on Friday, May 1, between the hours of 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. at Graceful Customs Studio in Gilroy, Ca. e-Mail Grace@GracefulCustoms.com for details. If you are interested in the class, let me know! Her work can be seen at: www.joymunshower.com

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Silver soldering class April 25, 2015, Sat.

This is a beginning soldering class, no experience needed, a material fee will be determined, (usually about $20-$25 ) Class fee is $125.00. You will learn from Carmen Martinez, the basics of soldering different types of metals. You will make and take home a silver bezeled stone of your choice from our collection or your own and learn to use an oxygen and propane torch and a hand-held torch that does not require special equipment at home. Hours: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. e-mail us at

grace@gracefulcutoms.com for more info! ! www.Gracefulstudios.blogspot.com, e-mail Carmen for more details: cram67@yahoo.com, www.visionsbyron.com is the website (her husband Ron is a gem carver and will also be here working on his stones, he loves to share his work!
Some finished students projects:

Thursday, February 26, 2015

"Just Encase" Class with Jelveh Jaferian. March 28, 2015

Jelveh will be teaching 5 different techniques for encasing glass beads. Student must have basic lampworking experience. More info to follow, e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com; see Jelveh's work at http://www.jelvehdesigns.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Lampwork Marble Class- Sat. April 11, 2015

Ever wonder how handmade marbles are made?

Tim Siemon will be teaching his unique marble making process with soft glass in this day long class. It is designed for intermediate soft glass flameworkers with a good grasp on heat control. Tim will demonstrate how to make a marble, then coach you through making a clear marble. You will continue to develop your marble making skills as you learn and practice marbles with surface stripes, surface spirals and encased spirals.

This will be a one-day class. e-mail Grace@GracefulCustoms.com for more info!

Monday, February 9, 2015

Schedule changed: Open House to "Meet the Artist," Wes Fleming, Mar. 20, 2015

We changed the time of the open house: Come meet or greet again, the sculptural glass artist Wes Fleming, on Friday, March 20, 2015, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm! Wes will be here to teach a soft glass sculpture glass class on March 21 & 22, however, he would also like to meet our local community interested in the arts! e-mail Grace for directions: Grace@GracefulCustoms.com,
see Wes' art at http://wesleyfleming.com

Friday, October 31, 2014

5TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE

Join us for our annual Holiday Boutique show and sell at Graceful Customs Studio, in Gilroy, from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Dec. 6, Saturday, 2014! A variety of vendors will have home-made, hand-made, jewelry, blown glass and other arts. We will have lampworking glass bead making demonstrations as well as rock carving. Free raffle gifts drawn every hour. e-mail Grace@GracefulCustoms.com for details. Vendors welcomed, no charge.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

DOTS, DOTS AND MORE DOTS

Come join us for a one day session learning various techniques in dot placement on Sat., Oct. 25, 2014. Jelveh of Jelveh Designs will be here to share with us some of her innovative and varied techniques in making beads with Dots! This class is for beginners to medium experience, but have taken a beginners class already. e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com Lunch included.

OPEN TORCH DAYS IN STUDIO

Fridays, are open torch days, free use of our torches, fuel and kiln. If you have taken a beginners lampworking class, or have experience to work on your own, you are invited to join us to practice, network, and share techniques, hours are 9:00am to 1 pm, other hours with arrangement with Grace. Bring your own supplies and tools, our torches are Nortel Minors and Mega, with oxygen and propane. You must be able to work independently, only general safety instruction is provided, if you are planning to join us e-mail me at Grace@GracefulCustoms.com. There may be some Fridays we will be closed due to vacations or other commitments, and days available may be subject to change. E-mail us for address and directions

Jennifer Le to teach wire-wrapping here!

Who is Jennifer, you ask? Jennifer lives in Santa Clara, CA, the heart of the Silicon Valley. Her long, successful career in high tech was creative, but not very artistic. Although Jennifer is proficient in many skills, such as cooking & gardening, she never applied herself to art until about four years ago. At that time Jennifer & her husband Jim immersed themselves in rockhounding.

Gems, minerals, specimens and the lapidary arts soon became their passion. After some introduction to the lapidary arts with the help of friends and the local club, they were soon creating cabachons, free-forms, flats and even an attempt at faceting! Those pieces looked just great in a display box, but they needed to be seen more often. Jennifer quickly saw the potential for jewelry! Here was the opportunity to create and enjoy something wonderful. Wire wrap was the best way to bring those bright shiny stones out of the box.

Her favorite subjects are pendants, earrings, bracelets and rings of many varieties, sizes, & colors. One needs only to examine Jennifer's work, her showcase and the jewelry she is wearing to see that this is distinctive art. Jennifer learned the fine art & skill of wire-wrap from her mother only four years ago. Since then she has refined her skill into a signature style that is very clean, elegant & striking. She teaches her skill to others in a straightforward and clear manner. Her teaching style & her patience makes her class a valuable experience!