Once your design is complete, we’ll fire it in the kiln to fuse all the pieces together into a one-of-a-kind work of glass art. Whether your style is festive, whimsical, modern, or classic, your finished ornament will catch the light beautifully for seasons to come. Perfect for gifting, hanging on the tree, or adding a little sparkle to your space all year long.

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

Bring warmth, light, and a little bit of magic to the longest night at Pittsburgh Glass Center. Join us for an immersive evening of hot glass demonstrations, candlelit activities, fireside snacks, and hands-on creative experiences that celebrate the turning of the season. As the night unfolds, the glow of the furnace and the warmth of shared experience invites reflection, connection, and hands-on creativity.

Make-It-Now: Fused Glass Ornament

Celebrate the season with color and creativity! In this fun fused glass experience, you’ll use colorful glass granules (frit) and thin glass rods (stringers) to design and make your own vibrant glass ornament. Whether festive, whimsical, or winter-inspired, your handmade creation will add a little sparkle to any tree, window, or holiday display. Once your design is complete, we’ll fire it in the kiln so all the pieces fuse together into a beautiful finished ornament.

Create a one-of-a-kind keepsake and bring a little extra glow to the season! Beyond the kiln shop, the evening expands into a series of playful, reflective, and sensory-rich activities designed to mark the shift into a new season.

Have your cards read and explore what the coming year might hold with Arts & Crafts: Botanica & Occult Shop. Create a custom herbal blend for bathing or burning, designed to help you release what no longer serves and invite in what’s next. Participate in a collective intention ritual: write down something you’re ready to let go of or something you hope to carry forward, then release them with the help of our hot glass artists and the power of the furnace itself.

It’s a symbolic act of change: fire, glass, and intention working together. Fireside snacks, warm light, and shared creative energy carry you through an evening that is equal parts celebration, reflection, and making.

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 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.

Ages 5+

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

Food, beverages and entertainment are available throughout the event, so arriving early or staying afterward lets you enjoy them outside your session. If you register for a later glassmaking slot, we suggest arriving early to enjoy all this event has to offer.

Take your leaded glass skills further by exploring new materials, construction methods, and decorative techniques. In this eight-week course, students will experiment with different lead sizes and profiles, pattern-making approaches, building styles, and finishing techniques while developing greater confidence with the possibilities of leaded glass.

You’ll create two medium-sized panels during the course. The first will be an instructor-led project designed to introduce new techniques and approaches. For the second, you’ll develop your own custom design, with class discussion and instructor feedback focused on how to translate specific design elements using different materials and construction methods.

Throughout the course, we’ll explore overlays, mixed media, decorative elements, and other ways to push beyond traditional leading techniques. The emphasis is on experimentation and creative problem-solving, encouraging students to test ideas, take risks, and discover that there isn’t always a “wrong way” to work with leaded glass.

Ideal for students with previous leaded glass experience who are ready to experiment beyond the basics and develop their own approach to the mediumClass tuition includes 2 sessions of open-studio time to be used during the 8-week course and will be available for scheduling between weeks 5-7 of the class session.

Prerequisite: Stained Glass 1: Introduction to Copper Foil, and one of our Stained Glass 2 classes or 48 hours of similar class experience and instructor permission, is required.

In this intermediate fusing class, you’ll refine your glass-cutting skills while diving deeper into color, pattern, and material behavior. Build confidence and precision as you practice advanced cutting techniques, including harnessing the use of the  ¼" strip.

Discover fresh ways to make your work stand out by creating custom art glass with powders and stringers. You’ll also design and fabricate a pixel-pattern bar, repeating and manipulating your motif while investigating the scientific properties that drive how glass moves, melts, and fuses.  

Prerequisite:  Kiln 1 or 24 hours of fused glass experience with instructor approval required.  

Take your stained glass skills from beginner to intermediate through repetition, experimentation, and plenty of room to try, fail, and try again. Rather than spending the entire 8-week course on one large panel, you’ll design and create a series of smaller suncatchers, using each project as an opportunity to explore new techniques and refine your skills.

Topics will include working with challenging types of glass, designing for structural integrity, incorporating found objects, decorative soldering, wire adornment, and using advanced coldworking equipment. Through a series of hands-on projects, you’ll build confidence with new processes while developing your own approach to design and problem-solving.

This course is ideal for students with some stained glass experience who are ready to experiment, expand their technical skills, and take their work to the next level.

Glass cutting basics and foiling will not be covered. Students will occasionally be expected to complete entire projects during a single class session. We ask students to be comfortable working in stained glass ahead of the first session and be prepared to take part in open studio.

Class tuition includes 2 sessions of open-studio time to be used during the 8-week course to complete your class projects.

Prerequisite: Stained Glass 1: Introduction to Copper Foil, or 24 hours of similar class experience and instructor permission, is required.

Are you curious about the kiln Shop? In Kiln 1, you will gain a broad understanding of the vast possibilities of kilnformed glass exploring both fusing and casting techniques. You will learn how to cut sheet glass and work with a variety of other materials to melt and shape your designs creating an array of functional and decorative pieces.

Then, get a bit more dimensional with an introduction to cast glass. Using a found object, you will learn how to reproduce the object in glass. You will also gain an understanding of kiln programming and the properties of glass. No experience is necessary.

Ages 14+

Ready to take your stained glass skills further? After completing Stained Glass 1 and one of our Stained Glass 2 courses, continue developing your technique and creative voice in Stained Glass 3: Open Projects.

This course gives you the opportunity to work on projects that match your interests and skill level while receiving guidance and feedback from an instructor. Choose to complete several smaller projects or take on one larger panel, up to 16×18 inches.

With an emphasis on independent making, experimentation, and skill development, this course is a chance to put your stained glass knowledge into practice while exploring new ideas and techniques. Most materials are provided, though students may need to purchase additional glass or other materials if the studio selection does not meet the specific needs of their project.

Prerequisite: Stained Glass 2 classes or 48 hours of similar class experience and instructor permission, is required.