Lillstreet Art Center: Making Glass Beads with a Torch

Saturday May 5
10:00am
2532 N. Clark St.
Leslie Speicher demonstrates glass bead making using a unique selection of colored glass rods and a hot head torch. Be riveted as she melts the glass in order to create different kinds of beads; each with colorful and original designs. Leslie's glass jewelry, fusing, and a selection of student and instructor work will be on display to inspire your own creativity.

Leslie Speicher, Glass Department Head at Lillstreet Art Center
After receiving her BFA from Alfred University in 1992, Leslie settled in Seattle, WA. There she focused on her glasswork, teaching at Pratt Fine Arts Center and assisting and studying with local and international glass artists. She then decided to return to school to get her MFA from the University of Illinois in 2004. She began her teaching career at the University of Miami where she taught 3D design, then at the Cleveland Institute of Art as an adjunct in the glass department. She moved to Chicago after her solo show at the Museum of Surgical Science in 2006. Leslie is currently the head of the glass department at Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago, where she also teaches and creates. She is also a teaching artist in residence at GCE High School and has exhibited her work nationally in galleries, museums and art centers and is currently selling her work to individuals, in galleries and on Etsy.

No matter what she is making, her aspiration is to create pieces with unique character, which are thought provoking and visually pleasing. Leslie’s interest in exploring materials leads her to create narratives between design, texture, form and color. Every piece is one-of-a-kind, designed and handcrafted by the artist.

About Lillstreet Art Center
Founded in 1975, Lillstreet Art Center is a large community of artists and students working side-by-side in a friendly environment which encourages and inspires artistic growth in the individual. Lillstreet Art Center supports the arts through an artist residency program, gallery, studio space, education, and an outreach program.

In 2003, we relocated from a converted horse barn on Lillstreet to a former gear factory on Ravenswood. Our new facility is a beautiful, spacious center, boasting state-of-the-art equipment and expanded course offerings, not to mention plenty of natural light, air-conditioning, storage lockers, and a cafe!

We offer adult classes and workshops for all skill levels in seven different departments: ceramics, metalsmithing & jewelery, painting & drawing, printmaking, textiles, glass, and digital arts & photography. Each department offers First-Time Artist classes that help beginners to explore a new medium in a relaxed environment. Our Kidstreet program has classes, camps, and family workshops for children age 2 and up.