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Hot Glassblowing
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Blown Glass Terrariums
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.
Hot Glass Blowout
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.
Blown Glass Catch-All Bowls
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.
Reflections in Glass: Mirroring the Sculpted Bubble
with MiNHi England
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
Sculpted Glass Paperweights
Turn up the heat and let your creativity take shape. In this introductory workshop, you’ll gather glowing molten glass from the 2,100°F furnace and add colors of your choice. Then guided by a skilled instructor, you will twist, pull, and sculpt it into one-of-a-kind paperweights bursting with color and personality.
This workshop is a fun introductory experience into hot glass sculpting. Each participant will make two fun and functional paperweights, perfect for your desk, shelf, or as a thoughtful gift.
Ages 14+
Due to the nature of hot glass, your items will be available for pickup 5 days after your activity.
Gather & Brew: Blown Glass Cup
Join us for an evening of hot glass making and cold beer drinking with Two Frays Brewery.
We think beer tastes better in a handmade glass. The right glass can transform every sip, letting you savor the flavors and nuances of your favorite brew. In this quick and exciting hot shop experience, you’ll work closely with a skilled artist to blow and shape molten glass from our 2,100°F furnace into a handmade cup, perfect for enjoying a beverage of your choice.
After your hands-on studio time, kick back, and talk with the brewer, enjoy the beers, relax on the patio with some snacks, wander the gallery, and watch live glassblowing demonstrations throughout the evening. If you register for a later glassmaking slot, we suggest arriving early to enjoy all this event has to offer.
Cheers to a night of craft, flavor, and fun!
Ages 21+
Make-It-Now experiences offer a quick hands-on introduction to the magic of glassmaking. In the hot shop, you’ll work one-on-one with a skilled local artist at the 2,100°F furnace. In about 15 minutes or less, you’ll work together to shape, color, and craft your glass item. Perfect for beginners, these short experiences offer a taste of the excitement, skill, and artistry that goes into working with glass in a supportive, guided setting.
Guests under 21 not permitted.
Due to the nature of hot glass, items cannot be taken home the same day they are created. All items made in the hot 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.
Building Your Tool Box
with Nate Cotterman & Adam Holtzinger
This five-day class will focus on skill building through repetition of technique. We will work through simple forms that can be used as building blocks for many complex ideas and designs. We will address everything from the arrangement of your bench and how you move through the shop, to starting and finishing your piece with accuracy and intention. We will use drawing and calipers to pre-visualize our ideas prior to going into the shop. Color techniques will be covered as skills develop, but this course will mainly focus on blowing glass accurately and efficiently and being able to repeat the process to get desired results.
This class welcomes those with some glass experience and the desire to enhance their skillset. Those interested should know how to gather and the basics of blowing 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 Nate Cotterman at www.natecotterman.com
Learn more about Adam Holtzinger at www.keepbrooklyn.com
Blown Glass Garden Floats
Create a luminous glass sphere that floats and delights. In this introductory workshop, you’ll gather molten glass from the 2,100°F furnace and add colors of your choice. Then guided by a skilled instructor, you will blow and shape it into fun and funky blown glass garden floats. This workshop is a fun introductory experience to glassblowing. Each participant will craft two garden floats, perfect to hang inside, display outside, or float in a pond or birdbath.
Ages 14+
Due to the nature of hot glass, your items will be available for pickup 5 days after your activity.