Sounds of tiny shards of colorful glass clinging together as students sorted through the many options of color, filled the rooms of the Selma Art Guild on Saturday. That sound was later accompanied by questions and comments like, “It’s beautiful; how will this look; what color will this end up, and always clean your glass.”

Glass was the star of Jo Taylor’s two-hour Fused Glass Creations class on Saturday. Students had the option of creating glass pendants, earrings, pins, necklaces, wind chimes, sun catchers and glass bugs.

Selma resident Debby Chappelle had never taken a class at the Art Guild before Saturday, but was excited to try it out, she said. Chappelle said she had been going to Montgomery to a stitching group but had never worked with glass before.

“I didn’t know we had anything going on here,” Chappelle said of the classes held at the Selma Art Guild. “My daughter told me about this class.”

Taylor said she started these classes late last year after people noticed some of her glasswork in the gallery.

“People started seeing my work and were curious as to how it’s created,” Taylor said. “So that’s when the classes started.”

Saturday’s class was the fifth class on fused glass the Art Guild has hosted.

Taylor said the Art Guild is hosting all kinds of classes this fall including painting, fused glass and more. The classes are part of the “Take pART in ART” workshops at the Art Guild.

“A lot of people want [to learn how to make] something, but don’t want to go out and spend a lot of money,” Taylor said. “These classes at the Art Guild will give you a chance to try something, and see if you’re going to like it. Then if you want more, I do [personalized] classes at my studio with people who want to do more.”

Taylor said the Art Guild is holding these classes as a way to reach out to the community.

“We’re just trying to offer educational classes to the community so they can try different things,” Taylor said. “Bigger cities have this. Birmingham, where I was taught to does this. They have classes three times a week.”

The Selma Art Guild would like to have classes once a month.

Next month’s Fused Glass Creations class will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20. Participants will learn how to create glass Christmas ornaments and a set of coasters for the holidays.

“Of course, if they come in and don’t want to make Christmas ornaments, they can do other things,” Taylor said.

For more information or to register for a class contact Taylor at 872-1500 or 412-3852 or email her at daisyraku@bellsouth.net.