Teenagers will learn to make glass jewelry Select

The changing colors of autumn, both earthy and brilliant, are something to admire. The darkening of green and flashes of color in the leaves are pleasing to the eye. The quality of sunsets has also changed. The lower angle of the sun plus less humidity allows our eyes to reach more colors than in the summer, resulting in brighter sunsets.

This beauty is magnified through the lens of Michael Fluent’s sculpture The Face of Inti. Named after the Inca sun god, the Face of Inti, located at the roundabout at 18th Street and Passewalk Avenue, is a tribute to the sun itself. When sunlight illuminates its multi-colored glass center, the colors deepen and seem to flash.

Middle school students in and around Norfolk have the opportunity to create their own colorful works under the guidance of Fluent. Fluent will be teaching glass jewelry making in the Norfolk Arts Center’s ArtistsDriven program in November. Students will experience creating 3D art by designing and making a glass pendant for jewelry. If you like Fluent’s metal and glass sculptures, you will surely enjoy the uniqueness of his jewelry in the same medium. Fluent jewelry can be found for sale at many locations, including NAC.

The ArtistsDriven program involves professional artists who stimulate the development of aspiring artists. The program is aimed at high school students and, thanks to the generosity of donors, is free. Each month of the school year features a different artist who runs two sessions. This is for students of all art levels.

Fluent glass jewelery making sessions will be held on Sunday 6th November and Sunday 20th November at 2.15pm. Registration forms and permission forms are required to participate in the program. Students only need to register once to attend sessions during the academic year.

The current session of the ArtistsDriven program started this fall. So far, students have been learning drawing and painting with Lon Atwood, and mixed media and collage with Carolyn Albracht. This is the third year of the program. I can’t stress enough what an incredible opportunity it is for teenagers to express their creativity and try out new mediums and techniques while learning from professionals at zero cost.

To enroll your high school student in ArtistsDriven or learn more about the program, call or visit the NAC to get started. Registration forms are available on the NAC website at www.norfolkartscenter.org.