Arizona Fine Art EXPO Offers Interactive Glass-Blowing Classes for Beginners.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Fine Art EXPO, a production of Thunderbird Artists of Fountain Hills, Ariz., the leading provider of fine art festivals and wine tasting events in the Southwest, today announced the availability of hands-on classes for beginners interested in learning the techniques of glass blowing.

The eight-hour sessions take place at the EXPO on Saturdays through March 27, or by appointment, and feature instruction by California glass blowers Marcus Thesing and Adam Kahn. For $250, students receive a short history on glass blowing, information about furnace equipment and hand tools, as well as a discussion on the principles of glass blowing. Following a lunch break, the remainder of the class is hands-on, with participants learning how to gather glass from the furnace. Each student has the opportunity to create their own completed piece to take home.

Thesing and Kahn have each been blowing glass for 11 years. Their hand-blown glasswork is currently on exhibit at the Arizona Fine Art EXPO, which features an on-site furnace for live glass-blowing demonstrations.

"Rarely do people get a chance to view the art of glass blowing outside of an artist's studio," said Judi Combs, CEO of the Arizona Fine Art EXPO. "Not only are we offering people a chance to view demonstrations in person at the EXPO, but we're also making available the unique opportunity of learning glass-blowing techniques from two accomplished artists."

A Laguna Beach, Calif., resident, Thesing uses a variety of forms, including painting and sculpture, to create glass in a contemporary style that incorporates the use of negative space. His newest piece, "Purple and Green Fusion" is on display at the EXPO and features a hole passing directly through the vessel. Thesing's work has been featured at the Gallery Barjur in Mammoth, Calif. Kahn, who lives in San Diego, combines an interest in ceramics, leather and wood, as well as a 15-year construction career, to create glasswork rich in variety. His designs have been displayed at the Trios Gallery in Solana Beach, Calif., and the Gallery of Functional Art in Santa Monica, Calif.

For more information or to register for a glass-blowing class, please contact the Arizona Fine Art EXPO at 480-837-5637.

About the Arizona Fine Art EXPO

The Arizona Fine Art EXPO, a production of Thunderbird Artists of Fountain Hills, Ariz., the leading provider of fine art festivals and wine tasting events in the Southwest, is a unique 10-week event that showcases a variety of juried artists applying their artistic talents in a working studio environment. The event combines the aspects of a juried fine art festival, the elements of a gallery and the inner-workings of an artist's studio. The result is a unique celebration of art that functions as an educational tool for children and art enthusiasts. The EXPO takes place on the south lot of Rawhide on the northwest corner of Scottsdale and Williams roads in Scottsdale, Ariz. Admission is $7 ($1 goes to Phoenix Children's Hospital) and parking is free. More information is available by visiting http://www.arizonafineartexpo.com.