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2026 Visiting Artist Workshop with Kim Thomas: Adaptability and Narrative in Flameworking
$750/person. All materials are provided.
5 day workshop, October7-11,2026, Wednesday-Sunday, 9am-5pm with a one hour lunch break
Registration Deadline: 9/23/2026
Prerequisite: Open to all levels. Open to ages 14 years and older.
Course Description: In this workshop, students will develop technical proficiency and material fluency through the sculptural possibilities of borosilicate glass. Students will move from foundational techniques into more complex constructions, learning to shape and assemble components with precision and intent. Alongside technical refinement, the class integrates storytelling, guiding participants to build a personal sculptural language and articulate narrative through form, structure, and detail. Instruction includes both group and individual demonstrations, with an emphasis on process, craftsmanship, and the steady expansion of creative voice.
This workshop is being co-hosted with Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center. Wednesday-Thursday at CAFAC, Friday-Sunday at Foci MCGA
Artist Biography: Kimberly Thomas is a biracial interdisciplinary sculptor and flameworker. She is a current artist in residence at Penland School of Crafts in Bakersville, NC. and is known for her work’s intentionally flawed and unusual motifs as well as her intricate sculptural inventions. A self-taught glass artist, Thomas earned a BFA in Ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design and spent six years as a special effects make-up artist before she began flameworking in 2009.
Thomas’s work is often autobiographical and conveys her unique perception of the world. Drawing her influence from concepts, questions, and theories about human nature, she combines realism and fantasy. She imparts her truth into dark, yet entertaining, narratives. Recurring themes in her work include the undesirable facets of life and human nature, freedom from the corruption imposed by society, and expansion of self-knowledge. Thomas challenges viewers to face what makes them uncomfortable in order to invite opportunities for fresh perspectives and personal development. Artist’s Website