Get creative with color! In this fun kiln shop experience, you’ll be guided by a skilled artist to use colorful glass granules (frit) and thin glass rods (stringers) to design your own vibrant glass suncatcher—a fun decorative way to capture sunlight and express yourself with glass. Once you design it, we’ll fire it, so all the pieces become one.

Make-It-Now experiences offer a quick, hands-on introduction to the colorful world of kilnformed glass. In the kiln shop, you’ll learn from a skilled local artist how to design and assemble your own glass creation using glass frit and stringers. In less than an hour, explore how layers of glass come together to form vibrant patterns and images of your own design. Perfect for beginners, these quick experiences let you discover the beauty of working with glass at your own pace and with no heat.

Ages 5+

Adult supervision is required for any child under 14 years old.

Due to the nature of hot glass, items cannot be taken home the same day they are created. All items made in the kiln shop must be heated and fused in the kiln, then cooled slowly. Items are available for pick-up after 5 days. Shipping can be arranged on site the day of your activity.

Fire up the torch, shape molten glass, and get colorful. In this quick and exciting flame shop experience, you’ll work closely with a skilled artist to gather and shape molten glass into a hand-crafted magnet using a 3,000°F torch. Swirl in all the colors of the rainbow to make a fun and unique work of art for your fridge.

Make-It-Now experiences offer a quick hands-on introduction to the magic of glassmaking. In the flame shop, you’ll work one-on-one with a skilled local artist at a 3,000° tabletop torch. In about 20 minutes or less, you’ll work together to heat, shape, color, and craft your glass item. Perfect for beginners, these short experiences give a taste of the excitement, skill, and artistry that goes into working with glass in a supportive, guided setting.

Ages 8+

Adult supervision is required for any child under 14 years old.

Due to the nature of hot glass, items cannot be taken home the same day they are created. All items made in the flame shop must go through an annealing process to slowly cool the glass. Items are available for pick-up after 5 days. Shipping can be arranged on site the day of your activity.

PGC 130

Create a beautiful glass home for your favorite air plants. In this introductory workshop, you will gather glass from the 2,100°F furnace and add color. Then, guided by a skilled instructor, you will blow, shape, and sculpt it into a one-of-a-kind terrarium.

This workshop is a fun introductory experience into hot glassblowing. Each participant will craft two blown glass terrariums, perfect for displaying your air plants, cuttings, or trinkets. (Air plants not included.)

Ages 14+

Due to the nature of hot glass, your items will be available for pickup 5 days after your activity.

If you've ever wanted to try glassblowing, this is the workshop for you. This 5-hour workshop offers an introduction to the art of glassblowing. Designed for beginners, you will gain hands-on experience in the hot shop, and learn essential techniques for gathering, shaping, and manipulating molten glass straight from the 2,100°F furnace.

 

After learning to gather, you'll sculpt a paperweight and then progress to additional glassblowing techniques, enabling you to craft a variety of glass objects throughout the day.

 

Instructors provide step-by-step guidance to ensure a safe and productive learning experience.

 

Warning! Hot glass is immersive and captivating. Once you start working with it, you may not want to stop.

 

Note: Class includes a 30-minute lunch break. Lunch is not provided, but a refrigerator is available for student use.

 

Ages 14+

 

Due to the nature of hot glass, your items will be available for pickup 5 days after your activity.

PGC 124

Get ready to be bowl-ed over by the magic of molten glass. In this introductory workshop, you’ll gather molten glass from the 2,100°F furnace and choose and add color. Then guided by a skilled instructor, you will blow and shape it into vibrant double-walled blown glass bowls.

 

This workshop is a fun introductory experience to glassblowing. Each participant will craft two bowls, ideal for holding small items, serving snacks, displaying jewelry, or adding a funky decorative touch to any space.

 

Ages 14+

 

Due to the nature of hot glass, your items will be available for pickup 5 days after your activity.

Explore how traditional coldworking can be utilized in non-traditional and modern applications. Learn how to operate all of the equipment to cut, grind, drill, engrave, sandblast, and polish glass in this entirely cold process class. Learn techniques to strategize the best optical placement of cuts and gain experience using special adhesives to chemically bond glass segments together. Create unique works of glass art with interesting surface textures and shapes.

Collaborate with glass blowers in the hot shop to design colorful items then manipulate them to reveal layers of color with the lathe, sandblaster, or lap wheels. Combine found objects, cement, and glass. Then cut, laminate, and coldwork new and exciting shapes.  Leave with a foundational knowledge of coldworking techniques and understanding of the lamination process. Come away with new skills, fun projects, and inspiration for more complicated works.

Evening Open Studio Studios are open until 9:30PM for students to practice. Depending on the class, process, and techniques, this time might be highly suggested by instructors for students to use. In other classes, this time might be considered optional.

 

For more information, please review Summer Intensives.

 

Learn more about Chris Ross at saburodesign.com

Learn how to embrace the unique working properties of found, recycled, and manufactured glass. In this experimental five-day class, you’ll be introduced to the creative possibilities of repurposed glass in the kiln and cold shop. Guided by demonstrations and technical lectures, we will complete a fast-paced series of kiln tests and small sculptures utilizing various types of found and collected glass.

Evening Open Studio

Studios are open until 9:30PM for students to practice. Depending on the class, process, and techniques, this time might be highly suggested by instructors for students to use. In other classes, this time might be considered optional.

For more information, please review Summer Intensives.

Learn more about Morgan Gilbreath at www.morgangilbreath.com

This intermediate-level class invites you to explore the reflective possibilities of glass through the process of creating chemically mirrored blown sculptures. Students should already be proficient in gathering and blowing a bubble, as the class will build on those core skills to develop refined, sculpted forms suited for silvering techniques.

The first three days will be spent in the hot shop, focusing on the intentional setup of a bubble designed for mirroring. You will learn how wall thickness, form, internal access, and glass cleanliness each influence the success of the silvering process. The class will experiment with transparent color applications in bar and frit, observing how different hues interact in front of a mirrored surface to create variations in tone and depth within the final chrome finish.

Through daily demonstrations and guided practice, we’ll cover foundational sculpting techniques including bitwork, simple bubble manipulation, and torch-worked surface texturing to enhance form and optical complexity.

The final two days will transition to the classroom, where you will learn the pouring chemical mirroring process. Special attention will be given to the chemistry and care of mirrored surfaces, how to achieve a clean, even silver coat, and the best methods for sealing and maintaining its brilliance over time.

By the end of the course, you will leave with a deeper understanding of how to merge hot shop form making with reflective surface treatment, creating mirrored glass objects that are visually dynamic and built to last.

Additional Class Materials

Organic vapor respirator is required for the mirroring process. Students may bring their own. Respirators can be purchased from PGC prior to the class for $80.

Evening Open Studio

Studios are open until 9:30PM for students to practice. Depending on the class, process, and techniques, this time might be highly suggested by instructors for students to use. In other classes, this time might be considered optional.

For more information, please review Summer Intensives.

Learn more about MiNHi England at www.minhi.com