History

Kaleidoscope Making Workshop

For ages 6 to adult
Saturday afternoons, 1pm to 3pm
March 6th, 13th and 20th
Class size is limited

$125 for all three sessions, includes materials.
Build our own high quality kaleidoscope with step-by-step instruction and assistance, utilizing optically superior front-surface mirrors, durable, long lasting construction materials; with a vast array of fascinating, colorful and reflective small objects (beads, glass, trinkets, feathers, stars and other unusual natural and manmade objects) especially designed or selected to create compelling, captivating kaleidoscope imagery. The endless patterns are intricate, yet the the making of these kaleidoscopes will be easy and fun.
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Jeffrey Helwig, long-time kaleidoscope collector, enthusiast and multi-genre artist leads a comprehensive, exciting tour through the wondrous world of kaleidoscopes, culminating in your own hand-built creation.
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Each kaleidoscope will be unique, based on your choice of front-lit or side-lit object chamber, the specific objects you choose to use inside, plus the outer finish, which you can choose from a large selection of distinctive and colorful wraps, including nature abstract, light motion, fractal images, beguiling geometric designs, fantasy illustration and bright oriental patterns among others.
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You'll also have the option to create your own design for the outer finish; as well as bring any special objects you may want to include among the selected objects that create your own personal vision.
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Besides the actual building of your own kaleidoscope, the workshop will include:
• a brief history of the kaleidoscope
• illustrated discussion on how kaleidoscopes work
• a commentary on the many different types of kaleidoscopes
• hands-on viewing with several different artisan made kaleidoscopes and demonstrations on how to achieve various effects.
• viewing the world (trees, buildings, hands, faces...) in kaleidoscopic patterns with a teleidoscope.
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Awaken the inner creative fires through shaping your own personal kaleidoscopic vision in this dynamic and engaging workshop series! Three 2 hour sessions.
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Jeffrey Helwig has worked in many fields of art. He is an internationally published photographer, graphic designer and illustrator who has also worked in ceramics, collage, calligraphy and computer art. He has a long-held fascination with kaleidoscopes with his own collection of hand crafted scopes. This includes a large treasury of interchangeable items of glass, gems, plastics, foils, mylar, reflective and transparent tidbits collected from the everyday world that interact to create endlessly changing kaleidoscopic visions.

Jeffrey has also written numerous articles, published over 20 years on many subjects, including kaleidoscopes. Years spent selling world-class kaleidoscopes, meeting with many of the top scope makers and numerous avid collectors has increased his knowledge, passion and love affair with the kaleidoscope. He has worked in Monterey California with art-groups of all ages, but primarily youth, in various hands-on art projects and workshops.