SiO2 Flameworking is a hands-on, after school program specifically for students in grades 9 -12. Classes meet once a week for 10 sessions. This class does not meet on 3/3/2026.

High school-aged students will work closely with professional teaching artists to learn how to use a 3,000°F tabletop torch, the heat it generates, and gravity to shape molten glass. They will learn about borosilicate, a hard glass with a high melting point that can be used to make a variety of small sculptures, jewelry, and more. Young artists are encouraged to bring their creativity to the torch.

This program is designed with youth in mind. The course focuses on safety, confidence building with materials, and teaching foundational glassmaking skills to young artists. Sessions and content will vary and adapt to students' interests and skills. This program is often taken more than once. We encourage our students from Mixed and Mashed Up to level up to this program, but no previous experience is required.

Students who participate in SiO2 Flameworking are invited to participate in a celebration and exhibition at the end of the semester and are also invited to show their work in a rotating display on Pittsburgh Glass Center’s third floor.

PGC is committed to facilitating access for all young people. We offer full- and half-tuition scholarships for middle school and high school students based on application strength. No previous glass or art experience is required. Our only prerequisites are enthusiasm, curiosity, and eagerness to learn.

APPLY NOW for a youth scholarship at this link.

Learn flame shop essentials and a variety of creative techniques while working with borosilicate (hard) glass. Begin with a solid rod of glass and melt it into a molten ball that can be manipulated into little treasures, such as pendants, marbles, chains, and sculptures. Over the course of 8 weeks, learn color application, hand control, and annealing. The instructor will also provide one-on-one troubleshooting. No experience necessary.

 

Class tuition includes 2 hours of open-studio time to be used during the 8-week course period. This will help you become familiar with the studio and learn the process of studio rental beyond class hours. Open Studio is held on Monday Nights 5:00pm - 9:00pm.

 

Multiweek classes do not meet the week of 3/1-3/7.

 

Ages 14+

Enroll in Hot 2, build on your existing skill set and expand your creative potential. Refine and diverge from the standard cup and bowl shape in the first few weeks before moving on to more complex forms. Explore basic color application methods and learn how to troubleshoot common problems. It is recommended that all students take this class a second time in order to continue to develop and refine basic skills before moving on to advanced hot glass classes.

 

Class tuition includes 2 hours of rental time per student to be used during the 8-week course period. Open Studio is held on Monday Nights 5:00pm - 9:00pm.

Prerequisite: Hot 1 or 24 hours of hot shop experience with instructor permission is required.

 

Multiweek classes do not meet the week of 3/1-3/7.

 

Ages 14+

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 stained glass experience with instructor experience required.  

Class does not meet on 3/3

Ages 14+

Take your flameworking foundation to the next level in this fast-paced class. You will learn how to use color rods including transparent, opaque, and striking colors to their fullest potential to create glass miniatures. This class will focus on color applications, creating component parts, bridging the components together, creating solid seals and detail work.

 

Class tuition includes 2 hours of open-studio time to be used during the 8-week course period. Open Studio is held on Monday Nights 5:00pm - 9:00pm.

 

Class does not meet on 3/4.

 

Prerequisite: Flame 1: Introduction to Flameworking, or equivalent 24 hours experience with instructor permission required.

 

Ages 14+

Combine sculpting and moldmaking with the heat of the kiln to create cast glass sculptures. Begin by learning the basics of kiln cast glass by creating small 3D objects then move on to making glass replicas of found objects. Explore silicones and other moldmaking materials and learn the lost wax casting process. Finally, you'll work with body-safe life-casting alginate and take a mold of your hand (or other body part) and turn it into glass. This class will cover model construction, refractory molds, glass preparation, firing, and resolving castings into finished works of art. No experience necessary.

Class does not meet on 3/4.

Ages 14+

Working with borosilicate glass in this 8-week class, you will learn how to make tiny worlds inside spheres of glass. Each week you will learn a new color design while honing your basic flameworking skills and getting ever closer to the elusive perfect sphere. Things that you'll learn along the way might include pulling striped cane, clear or color encasement, heat control and more. This class is intended for beginners or intermediate flameworkers. Join us to advance your technical skills, consider new forms and designs, and hopefully make some friends along the way. No experience necessary.

Class tuition includes 2 hours of open-studio time to be used during the 8-week course period. Open studio is held on Monday nights from 5:00pm - 9:00pm.

Class does not meet on 3/4.

Ages 14+

Mixed and Mashed Up is a hands-on, glass making after-school program specifically for students in grades 6-8. Classes meet after school once a week for 12 sessions.

Students will spend four sessions in three studios learning foundational glassblowing, flameworking, and kilnforming from professional teaching artists.

In the hot shop, students will gather and shape glass from a 2,100°F furnace. In the flame shop, students will melt, shape, and manipulate rods of glass over a 3,000°F tabletop torch. In the kiln shop, students will explore the world of cutting and designing with flat glass and kilnforming, including casting, fusing, or stained glass.

This program is designed with youth in mind. All studios focus on safety, confidence building with materials, and teaching foundational glassmaking skills to young artists. Sessions and content will vary and adapt to students' interests and skills. This program is often taken more than once.

Students who participate in Mixed and Mashed up are invited to participate in a celebration and exhibition at the end of the semester and are also invited to show their work in a rotating display on Pittsburgh Glass Center’s third floor.

PGC is committed to facilitating access for all young people. We offer full- and half-tuition scholarships for middle school and high school students based on application strength. No previous glass or art experience is required. Our only prerequisites are enthusiasm, curiosity, and eagerness to learn.

APPLY NOW for a youth scholarship at this link.