Kissell-Nair makes fused-glass jewelry, with hearts being one of her beautifully fashioned themes.

She recently taught a class at WaterWorks Art Studio, 1710 Charles Page Blvd., valentines gifts her students learned to make Valentine’s gifts using fused glass.

Even though cupid’s arrows have already flung, you can still learn how to make fused glass jewelry at two upcoming WaterWorks classes — either during four 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday sessions March 2-23; or four 10 a.m.-noon Tuesday sessions April 7-28.

Before we rhapsodize on how pretty these pieces can be, you don’t need any artistic expertise to make them, said Ginger Tomshany, manager of WaterWorks, a city of Tulsa facility dedicated to fine arts.

We met with her, Kissell-Nair and board member Mary Ann Harrison recently to learn more about fused glass, also called dichroic glass, Tomshany said. They had arranged several colorful pieces on a table — earrings, bracelets, pendants, necklaces, all gleaming — and, on occasion, seeming to change shades.

Dichroic means two colors. The glass has a metallic film fused to its surface, making the glass appear to be different colors when viewed from various angles or in varying degrees of light. When layered and fused together in a glass kiln, “an array of brightly colored and flashy pieces of unique jewelry can be created,” Tomshany said.

The glass, purchased with

the metallic film already fused to it, is cut into different shapes, which are then tiffany rings upon one another and placed in a specialized kiln. This process takes about 24 hours.

“It’s really kind of serendipitous,” Tomshany said. “You open the kiln, and it’s like Christmas.”

Because the jewelry is so colorful, it can be worn with anything, from denim to dressy affairs, said Tomshany, who wears hers often — “And when I do, I’m always getting compliments.”

DICHROIC JEWELRY

When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mondays, March 2-23; and 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays, April 7-28

Where: Waterworks Art Studio, 1710 Charles Page Blvd.

Cost: Four sessions is $105, which includes all supplies for six items of jewelry demonstrated in class.

Enroll: 596-2440, tulsaworld.com/waterworks

What is WaterWorks?

This city of Tulsa facility, located in historic Newblock Park, brings visual fine arts experiences, hands-on classes and quality art exhibits to the community.

The center is housed in a renovated building that once served as Tulsa’s tiffany bracelets treatment plant and was later the site of the city’s first public swimming pools — hence WaterWorks.

The center partners with such prominent organizations as the Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa City-County Library, Tulsa Zoo and Oxley Nature Center, as well as with the public and private schools, serving artists of all ages and the public at large.

India topped the list of countries contributing to this booming business, followed by China, Japan, Germany, Italy, USA, France, UK, South Korea and Switzerland, according to the organizers of the specialized twin show, the International Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Fair and International Watch & Clock Fair (IFJA & IWCF).

IFJA and IWCF, the region’s only specialized and dedicated fair for fashion jewellery, imitation silver necklaces, costume jewellery, silver Jewellery, gold plated, fashion accessories as well as all kinds of watches and clocks, is being organized by International Exposition (under Al Fajer Information & Services), from January 17 to 19, 2010, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Satish Khanna, General Manager of Al Fajer Information & Services, said: “The Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Fair and the Watch & Clock Show have established themselves as a unified specialized event that attracted almost 100 exhibitors from 12 countries, including group pavilions from India, China, Italy, Lebanon and UAE.”

Khanna added: “The styles, trends, unique designs and competitive pricing are key drivers of the industry, with diamonds topping the list, followed by gold (yellow & white), colored gem stones, natural or cultured pearls, Imitation jewellery, silver Jewelry, fancy jewelry and others.”

The event will be open to trade visitors as well as the general public. In the earlier editions, Gulf visitors dominated the show, driven by higher purchasing power. “This twin event will showcase fashion jewellery, fashion accessories as well as watches and clocks, allowing traders, department stores and boutique buyers and buying officers to tiffany bangles a wide range of products from around the world,” said Khanna.

Exhibitors will include gold and silver-plated base metal jewellery, costume and fashion jewellery, crystal, cubic zirconia, rhinestone and enamel jewellery, semi-precious gemstone jewellery, loose polished semi-precious stones, beads, minerals and other materials, jewellery parts and components, belts and buckles, hair ornaments, scarves, shawls and gloves, handbags, wallets and purses, branded watches and clocks.