Celebrate the summer solstice at Pittsburgh Glass Center in this quick and fun cold shop experience and turn an ordinary piece of glass into beautiful one-of-a-kind work of art. With the help of a skilled artist, use a lathe and traditional cutting and glass engraving techniques to cut star or sunburst designs to create a magical suncatcher.

Capture the beauty of the summer sun with glistening glass!

Ages 14+

Make-It-Now experiences offer a quick hands-on introduction to the art of coldworking. In the cold shop, you’ll work with a skilled local artist using our specialized equipment to personalize your own glass piece through engraving. In less than an hour, you’ll experience the cool side of glassmaking. Perfect for beginners, this guided session is a fun and creative experience with no heating or cooling required.

This is one experience where you can make it and take it home on the same day.

Brunch just got a glow-up. Gather with friends for a morning of tasty brunch bites from our friends at Third Space Bakery, refreshing mimosas, and hands-on glassmaking. In this fun kiln experience, you’ll be guided by a skilled artist to use colorful glass granules (frit) and thin glass rods (stringers) to design your own glass coaster—a fun place to rest your beverage of choice and express yourself with glass. Once you design it, we’ll fire it, so all the pieces become one.

After your hands-on studio time, relax on the patio with brunch bites and a beverage, wander the gallery, and watch live glassblowing demonstrations throughout the morning. If you register for a later glassmaking slot, we suggest arriving early to enjoy all this event has to offer. Good food and a little molten magic—it’s the brunch plan you didn’t know you needed.

Ages 21+

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.

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.

Brunch just got a glow-up. Gather with friends for a morning of tasty brunch bites from our friends at Third Space Bakery, refreshing mimosas, and hands-on glassmaking. In this quick and exciting flame shop experience, you’ll work closely with a skilled artist to gather and shape molten glass into a custom bottle stopper using a 3,000°F torch, perfect for topping any bottle of choice.

After your hands-on studio time, relax on the patio with brunch bites and a beverage, wander the gallery, and watch live glassblowing demonstrations throughout the morning. If you register for a later glassmaking slot, we suggest arriving early to enjoy all this event has to offer.

Good food and a little molten magic—it’s the brunch plan you didn’t know you needed.

Ages 21+

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.

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.

Make glass during our monthly Hot Jam!

Join us on the first Friday of each month for our Hot Jam and open house with live glassblowing and flameworking demonstrations. Check out the gallery, explore the studios, shop for glass art, and now make your own glass!

Make-It-Now Fused Glass Suncatcher

Make a unique glass decoration. In this introductory experience, you'll combine colorful pieces of glass granules (frit) and thin colorful glass rods (stringers) to create a decorative glass suncatcher of your own design. Once you design it, we’ll fire it in a kiln with a hook for hanging.

Registration is suggested, but not required, for Fused Glass Suncatcher. Walk in seats are subject to availability.

Registration is not required for Hot Jam Open House.

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 children 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 dill-lighted by glass. In this quick and exciting flame shop experience, you’ll work closely with a skilled artist to gather and shape molten glass into a quirky pickle using a 3,000°F torch. Finish it with a glass loop to make it a gorgeous gherkin pendant or keep it as a tiny pickle sculpture.

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.

Fire up the torch, shape molten glass, and melt your stress away. In this quick and exciting flame shop experience, you’ll work closely with a skilled artist to gather and shape molten glass into a colorful fidget/worry stone using a 3,000°F torch. Perfect for finding your center.

 

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.

Discover how modern technology and traditional craftsmanship come together in this five-day class that blends stained glass artistry with the precision of waterjet cutting. In this hands-on class, you will learn how to digitally design, cut, and assemble your own stained glass projects using the waterjet machine.

Throughout the week, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of digital design for glass cutting, explore file preparation and machine operation, and experiment with how the waterjet can expand what’s possible in stained glass design. We’ll begin with a small group test project to familiarize everyone with the process, then move into open-form studio time where students can develop and cut their own designs.

This class encourages experimentation and discovery — whether you want to refine your cutting precision, explore complex patterns, or integrate new materials into your work. You’ll have the freedom to create something truly your own and better understand how a waterjet may expand what's possible in your studio.

By the end of the week, you will feel confident designing, preparing, and cutting your own stained glass pieces with the waterjet. You’ll understand how to integrate digital design into your creative process and walk away knowing whether a waterjet could become a valuable tool in your personal studio or artistic workflow.

Open studio hours are encouraged for extended design and cutting time.

Students are encouraged to digitally draw and transfer patterns. Please bring a Laptop or Ipad. SD card or USB for file transfer and storage beyond class.

Materials are provided, however students may wish to bring or purchase additional glass for larger or more intricate projects.

Intermediate to advanced skill levels are welcome. Basic stained glass skills (glass cutting, foiling, or assembling) are helpful but not required; comfort using a computer or Ipad for digital design is strongly recommended (Adobe Illustrator or ProCreate for the Ipad).

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 Meggy Wilm at www.coglassworks.com