Worcester Center for Crafts

The Worcester Craft Center is part of what makes Worcester great. They have a ton of great and interesting classes, they do a lot for the community, and it’s just a great place!

ARGH! I do love the Holiday Fair that they hold each year, BUT today’s experience was just a royal PITA!
After getting an email about a reception featuring staff work (so cool! so much talent!), I wondered if there were a fee. I called the number on the website. I tried the extension for the store, no answer. I tried the extension for the school, no answer. I tried the extension for the interim director, yep, you guessed it, no answer. WTH? I WAS calling during hours listed for their availablity… So I tried one more time, they had an extension for the financial director, I tried it… and someone answered!!!
WCC: Hello?
Me: Is this WCC?
WCC: yes.
Me: Oh, great! I tried every extension and did not get a human. This may not be the right department, but I was wondering if the reception tonight required a fee for entry?
WCC: No. No fee.
Me: Tha–
WCC: –click–
Me: nks
Wow. I am so unimpressed.

The Worcester Center for Crafts has an annual holiday craft fair, which is world-​class. This year it was held the weekend after Thanksgiving. Rather than wasting time and money in the mall, it feels so much better to support regional artists and being able to purchase beautiful and unique handmade presents for the holidays. There is everything from hand blown glass, to hammered metal jewelry, to original etchings and sketches, to handmade furniture.
Year-​round, the Craft Center offers a variety of classes. There is also a gift shop offering jewelry, glassware, cards, and other small items. This is a wonderful place and a real asset for Worcester. Not to be missed!

I discovered this place last year and am so glad I did. This isn’t crappity ass crafts. It is a place to learn artistic crafts.
I took glassblowing and flame work.
Glassblowing was very interesting but too hard for me. I’m really glad I took it for the experience and I would probably do it over again just to try it out. It requires a lot of coordination, so if you are as klutzy as me, you might find it too difficult too.
As described in their catalog, flamework is:
Tthe process of shaping glass rods and tubes into small objects over the flame of a torch. Begin by making beads, pendants and marbles to establish a foundation of technique. As the class progresses, projects will advance to include the creation of solid sculpture and hollow forms such as flowers, holiday ornaments, and perfume bottles. Small class sizes and one-​on-​one instruction allow students to work at their own pace.
I love this class and the instructor, Jake Vincent, is patient and a great teacher. You don’t have to be quite as coordinated to do flamework.
In addition to glass classes, they have classes in clay, metal, fiber, photography, wood, and design and multimedia.
They have a gallery too. I haven’t been yet, because the glass studio is in a separate area of Worcester. I’ve heard its great and intend to go soon. I’ll update this post when I get there.
Oh, and it isn’t as far from Boston as you think. Check out their catalog on their Website.