Classes

Have a sweet tooth? Hop on a torch and create your own glass jaw breakers. Learn to sculpt small molten balls of glass into colorful hard candies like licorice twists, jolly ranchers, fire balls, peppermints, and more.  Want to make your own dish to display your candies? Check out our workshops in the Kiln Shop. 

Create iconic images of the Steel City while learning to fuse glass. We will provide templates of team logos, bridges, and the iconic skyline. Then we'll leave it to you to create a locally-themed keepsake. You can’t go wrong with anything black and gold. After you create it, we will fire and fuse it and shape it into a mold. The result will be a functional dish perfect for holding spare change, serving small snacks, or storing jewelry.

Manipulate glass rods over a tabletop torch to create your own glass beads. In this introduction to the Flame Shop, learn the basic skills of heating rods of glass, applying glass to a mandrel, and shaping it with tools. Learn important decorative techniques, such as dots and trails to create beautiful beads you'll want to wear or share. You’ll make several different kinds of beads that you can take home.

Serve your favorite crackers and cheese on your own handmade glass charcuterie plate. Learn the basics of fusing glass including how to cut sheet glass and add color and design with frit and stringers to decorate and make a unique 8"x 8" glass board that you'll want to use for years to come. Charcuterie not included. 

Transform sheets of glass into a custom handmade house number plaque or name plate. With the help of an instructor, learn how to cut colorful sheets of glass and glue individual pieces together, like a mosaic, to create a custom glass panel that can be displayed inside or out. You design and make it. We'll fire and fuse it all together into a solid work of art. 

Want to make a special gift for a family member or impress your coworkers? This paperweight workshop is an easy way to explore the potential of hot glass before committing to a longer class. Learn how to add color to clear molten glass and effectively shape it to make a small but distinctive desktop sculpture.

Have some fun while learning all of the steps of the stained glass process. You will choose from pre-determined patterns to create a decorative suncatcher or ornament that fits with the season. No experience is necessary but even those that have taken a stained glass class in the past will enjoy these seasonal creations.

Transform sheets of glass into a functional and beautiful handmade glass dish. Learn to cut sheet glass into smaller geometric shapes and use these pieces, along with frit (colored glass granules) and stringers (thin, colored glass rods), to design and decorate your design. After you create it, we fire it to fuse it all together and shape into a mold, turning it into a functional dish perfect for holding spare change, serving small snacks, storing jewelry, or is beautiful enough to just use for display.

MOLTN is a unique workshop designed specifically for teens to learn about glass art in multiple studios at Pittsburgh Glass Center. Teens have the opportunity to work closely with glass artists in the Hot Shop, Kiln Shop, and in the Flame Shop to explore making glass art through a variety of techniques and come away with some unique glass creations. Students work with molten glass out of the a 2,100°F furnace in the Hot Shop, manipulate solid glass rods on a 3,000°F torch in the Flame Shop, and prepare glass to be fired and fused together in kilns up to 1,700°F in the Kiln Shop. No experience necessary.

This workshop is designed for students in grades 6–12.

Want a more in depth glass experience for teens? Check out our afterschool SiO2 classes.

Scholarship Application: APPLY ONLINE

Sculpt an expression of love in this heart workshop. Work closely with an instructor to learn how to melt and manipulate a solid glass rod into a molten ball over a tabletop torch. Swirl your chosen colors throughout the clear glass as you sculpt it into a beautiful heart. Create a wearable pendant or magnet (or both) for yourself or a loved one.

Use sculpting techniques to create a colorful mushroom paperweight. Work with an instructor who will help you gather, add color, sculpt, and shape hot glass from the 2,100°F furnace to make a fun and unique solid glass mushroom. This one-of-a-kind fungi can be displayed inside or outside.

Bring the crystalline beauty of icicles inside your home. First, learn to use the tabletop torch to melt Borosilicate rods of glass. Then twist and pull this molten glass to create your own one-of-a-kind flamecicles. Hang them in a window to catch the light, on a tree to create a festive atmosphere, or give them as a beautiful gift.

Are you interested in trying stained glass? Learn the basics as you create a charming and unique glass dragonfly. Learn how to cut and shape glass into beautiful wings and work with traditional stained glass lead came and solder to adhere and complete your project.

Didn’t finish your bottle? Use your own elegant, flameworked handmade glass bottle stopper. Learn how to control, manipulate, and add color to a rod of glass while shaping your own unique stopper over a tabletop torch. You make the glass and we add the stopper. Use this creative piece while entertaining and impress your friends. It also makes a lovely gift.

Transform molten glass from a 2,100°F furnace into a one-of-a-kind, functional glass dish. Work with an instructor who helps you gather glass and add color to create a small, blown, double-walled glass bowl. Handmade blown catch-all bowls are perfect for holding spare change, serving small snacks, storing jewelry, or are beautiful just for display.

Make a stained glass garden stake to add style to any indoor potted plants or add a burst of creative beauty to your outdoor garden. Using glass gems, explore stained glass techniques and learn to wrap and solder glass together to create a one-of-a-kind piece.                                                                                                           

Fast Track Flameworking is a great introduction to the Flame Shop. Work on a gas powered tabletop torch that can reach up to 3,000°F and sculpt glass on a small scale. Learn to melt and manipulate borosilicate glass while learning the basics of heat, control, and safety of molten glass. In the afternoon, the instructor will demonstrate three different items that can include small sculptures, pendants, marbles, swizzle sticks, or bottle stoppers.

Class time includes a 30-minute break for lunch. Lunch is not provided but we do have a refrigerator on site if needed.

Stir things up with handmade glass swizzle sticks. Impress your friends and family by explaining how you melted glass rods over a tabletop torch to create the elegant swizzle stick that garnishes their iced tea or cocktail. A variety of available colors will allow you to design a swanky set of four. Perfect to keep for yourself or give as a gift.

Don’t put your special photo in a plain, store-bought frame. Make a customized frame using colorful stained glass and cabochons. In this 2-hour workshop, you will decorate a wooden photo frame base and choose from a wide selection of glass to bring your custom frame to life. Cabochons are optional but make a wonderful embellishment to any design. After you glue the pieces onto the frame, the instructor will have a grouting demonstration. Students will grout their frames at home using grout provided by the instructor.

Make one-of-a-kind glass magnet keepsakes. Melt and manipulate a solid glass rod on a tabletop torch and add bits of colorful glass called frit. Learn to swirl your chosen colors throughout the clear glass as you shape and manipulate material into floral glass magnets.

Upcycle your glass bottles and jars and turn them into functional drinking glasses, vases, candle holders, or decorative pieces. Bring 2–4 bottles or jars. Then cut, grind, polish, sandblast, or engrave them into decorative and useful items for your home. To ensure you get the most of your time in the Cold Shop, please remove any paper labels from your glass before class.

Make your own colorful glass marbles using solid glass rods and a table top torch. This is a great introductory workshop to gain experience on the torch. Practice basic flameworking techniques and use a graphite molds to shape the glass to ensure symmetry. With the guidance of an artist, explore decorative techniques including twisties, dots, and trails to create one-of-a-kind marvelous marbles perfect for play or display.

Make a blown glass ornament to hang on the tree, give as a special holiday gift, or display all year long! Under the guidance of a hot shop instructor, you will select and add color to molten glass from the 2,100°F furnace. You'll try out glassblowing and expand the molten material with your breath to create a unique handmade blown glass ornament! This is a great workshop to sign up with family members or a group of friends and create a holiday memory in glass.

Design and make a glass ornament to hang on the tree, give as a special holiday gift, or display all year long!  Learn how to cut and combine brilliantly colored pieces of sheet glass, glass granules and thin glass strands to create luminous ornaments. Once you design it, we’ll fire it, so that all pieces become one. 

If you have always wanted to try glassblowing, this one-day workshop is for you. Hot Glass Blowout provides a full day of introduction and hands-on time with hot glass. You will learn how to gather, shape, and manipulate molten glass. You'll start with making a paperweight. Then learn other techniques and skills to make a variety of glass objects. Hot glass is addictive. Once you’ve started working in the Hot Shop, you may not want to leave.

Class time includes a 30-minute break for lunch. Lunch is not provided but we do have a refrigerator on site if needed.  

Have twice as much fun in this unique hot shop holiday sampler! Unlike our other workshops, you'll walk away with two different handmade glass items in this special sampler. Work with an instructor who helps you gather, pull, twist, and shape molten glass, then add color to create your own sculpted festive glass tree. Then, try glassblowing and make a handmade blown glass ornament. You'll choose and add color and expand a molten glass bubble with air into a unique and festive ornament, perfect to display at the holidays or all year round.

Learn the art of stained glass while creating your very own glass snowflake. Students will work with pre-cut glass, bevels and gems wrapping each component in metal to then join them together with molten solder. Use these dazzling snowflakes to decorate your home for the winter season or catch the light in your window all year round. This workshop is designed for ages 14 +

Have some fun while learning all the steps of the stained glass process. You will choose from pre-determined patterns to create a decorative suncatcher or ornament that fits with the season. No experience is necessary but even those that have taken a stained glass class in the past will enjoy these seasonal creations for years to come.

This workshop is designed for ages 14+

Create a beautiful handmade glass pendant. Learn how to melt and manipulate a solid glass rod into a molten ball while adding bits of colorful glass called frit. Swirl your chosen colors throughout the clear glass as you shape your glass pendant. A safety talk and glass demonstration will be given at the beginning of the workshop as well as a number of different techniques for shaping.

Add a fancy twist and texture to your handmade glass ornament! Work with an instructor who will help you select and add color, blow a glass bubble and use a steel optic mold to add a unique patterned and raised texture to your hand made glass ornament. Great for anyone with an ornament collection or for those just beginning.

Sculpt your own colorful glass flower to display inside or out. Work with molten glass, frit (colored glass granules), and a variety of tools to color and shape a spectacular floral work of art.

Whether you have never touched flat glass or have your own kiln at home, all experience levels can gain knowledge from this class. Start with tool fundamentals, glass cutting, and basic fusing rules. As the day progresses, explore a variety of techniques and materials. Discussions will cover a wide range of information about kilnforming, mold materials, kiln theory, and firing schedules. You will leave this class with a variety of functional glass plates, bowls, and platters of your own creation, as well as a wealth of kilnforming knowledge. 

Class time includes a 30-minute break for lunch. Lunch is not provided but we do have a refrigerator on site if needed.

Transform molten glass into a beautiful heart you'll be proud to display all year long! Work with an instructor who will help you gather, add color, and shape hot glass from the 2,100°F furnace into a handmade glass heart. This makes a perfect gift for a loved one on a special occasion.

Create a lovely glass habitat for your air plants. An instructor will help you gather glass, add color, and then blow, shape, and manipulate a glass bubble into an elegant handmade terrarium. Air plants not included.

Design and create your own plate that will adorn your Seder table for many years to come. Learn to work with sheet glass and variety of colorful frit and stringers to create your own unique design.

April showers bring glass flowers. Create your own glass flowers to add to any plant, vase, or garden. Using borosilicate glass rods, learn to melt, manipulate, add color, and shape up to 3 flowers over a tabletop torch. Watch demonstrations to learn multiple ways to shape a flower, or imagine your own. Choose to add a 6” clear glass rod for standing in a potted plant or create loops to wear as pendants.

Make a decorative glass ball that you can hang in your home or garden or float on a pond or birdbath. Work with an instructor who will help you gather molten glass, choose and add color, and blow and shape into a one-of-a-kind piece. 

Design and create a glass platter perfect for serving your favorite foods in style.  Learn to cut and assemble colorful sheet glass, glass granules (frit), and thin glass rods (stringers) into a unique design. After designing your platter, we'll fuse it in the kiln to create a dish you'll be proud to use. Sizes vary from 7" x 12", 10" x 10", 8" x 8", or 9" round.

NEW! Get started in stained glass. Learn the basics as you create a beautiful ornament or suncatcher to display all year. You'll use pre-cut and beveled edge glass and work with traditional stained glass lead came and solder to adhere your piece.

NEW! Have twice as much fun in this unique Flame Shop sampler. You’ll create a set of 4 handmade glass swizzle sticks to stir up your favorite drink and a bottle stopper to keep your drinks fresh. Learn how to control, manipulate, and add color to rods of glass while shaping your drink set over a tabletop torch, all under the guidance of an instructor. Use your glass creations while entertaining or give them as fun gifts.

NEW! Make a set of 2 unique blown glass ornaments to hang on the tree, give as a special holiday gift, or display all year. Under the guidance of an instructor, you will select and add color to molten glass from the 2,100°F furnace. You'll try glassblowing and expand the molten material with your breath to create one round blown glass ornament and use tools to create a second flattened blown glass ornament. This is a great workshop for family members or a group of friends.

NEW! Get started in stained glass. Learn the basics as you create a beautiful ornament or suncatcher to display all year. You'll use pre-cut and beveled edge glass and work with traditional stained glass lead came and solder to adhere your piece.

Create a 3D illuminated glass box that looks like a wrapped gift. Using pre-cut class, learn how to assemble stained glass in the Tiffany style method to create a unique 3D piece. Then get a lesson on how to tie the perfect bow to adorn your creation. These make a great holiday decoration and are so adorable you may choose to leave them out year-round.

Bring the crystalline beauty of icicles inside your home with this unique flameworked ornament. In this introductory experience, work alongside a local artist to heat up rods of glass over a tabletop torch in the Flame Shop. Twist, pull, and sculpt the molten glass into a one-of-a-kind flamecicle. Hang them in a window to catch the light, on a tree to create a festive atmosphere, or give them as a beautiful gift.

$30/person

Ages 8+

In this fun holiday event, transform sheet glass into a luminous and decorative ornament. In this introductory experience, you'll combine colorful glass granules (frit) and thin glass strands (stringers) to create a unique glass ornament of your own design. Once you design it, we’ll fire it in the kiln, so that all pieces become one.

$35/person Ages 5 +

Feel the heat of the furnace in one of our hottest introductory workshops. In the Hot Shop, you'll work with a local artist to make your very own blown glass ornament. Choose your favorite colors and try glassblowing to expand the molten material with your breath.

$45/person Ages 5+

Feel the heat of the furnace in one of the hottest date nights. Get close to your date in the Hot Shop and work together with a local artist to transform molten glass into a blown ornament. Choose your favorite colors and try glassblowing to expand the molten material with your breath. This unique date night experience allows each couple to work together in one of our studios and create one work of glass art together. Because it takes teamwork to sculpt, blow, or fuse glass, this is definitely a compatibility test. After your hands-on studio time, we'll provide small bites and wine or beer. Glassblowing and flameworking demonstrations will take place throughout the night. Each "seat" registered is for one couple.

Ages 21+. $95/couple

Cozy up with some glass in the Kiln Shop for date night. Work together with your date to transform sheets, granules, and small rods of glass into one beautiful and unique glass plate to serve your favorite crackers and cheese all year round.

Join us for a private Make-It-Now evening of glass. This unique date night experience allows each couple to work together in one of our studios and create one work of glass art together. Because it takes teamwork to sculpt, blow, or fuse glass, this is definitely a compatibility test. After your hands-on studio time, we’ll provide small bites and wine or beer. Glassblowing and flameworking demonstrations will take place throughout the night. 

$95/couple ages 21+

Each registered "seat" is for one couple.

New! Sign up for sandblasting sessions to personalize a piece of glass that you have or made in another workshop. If you made a cup at one of our Gather and Brew events or a blown glass ornament previously, customize it with your own message or design. Use stickers, decals, and tape to layout the design. Then work with our artists and an industrial sandblaster to bring your custom design to fruition. You can also bring an item from home to customize. Limit 2 glass items per person per time period.

$25/person Ages 5+

Build on what you learned in Flame 1. Continue to develop hand and glass control, learn to effectively multitask, and develop greater confidence with a variety of flameworking techniques. You'll discover new skills such as working with Borosilicate tubing and color application while focusing on personal projects. Both group and one-on-one demonstrations will be provided as students work independently. Flame 1, or 24 hours of flameworking experience and instructor permission required.

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.

Class does not meet on 3/5/24.

Let your underwater creativity run wild. In this class, you’ll build your flameworking skills by melting and manipulating solid rods of Borosilicate glass, operating a torch, and learning a variety of techniques to create underwater glass wonders. The focus will be on pulling stringers, applying them to glass, and working on creating imploding designs reminiscent of beautiful coral reefs. You can combine your new skills to create marbles, pendants, and underwater creations of your dreams.

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.

Class does not meet on 3/5/2024.

In this advanced hot glass class, you are encouraged to focus on the techniques that interest you as a developing glass artist. Choose to either watch weekly technique-driven demonstrations or work on independent projects with the guidance and support of instructor. Refine basic skills and methodology as you create unique vessels and learn about a broad range of more complicated techniques including the use of solid colors, mold-blowing, and the creation of compound shapes. Content will vary by session and basic materials are provided. Advanced Hot Glass is designed so it can be taken multiple times to improve or expand upon glassblowing skills. Class tuition includes 2 hours of studio rental time to be used during the 8-week course period.

Hot 2, 72 hours of hot shop experience, or instructor permission is required.

Class does not meet on 3/5/24.

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. 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.

Class does not meet on 3/6/24.

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 necessary.

Class does not meet on 3/6/2024.

Choose from a variety of patterns and learn the traditional technique of lead came. This technique is necessary to create a window that will be exposed to outdoor elements. Understanding this technique will allow you to feel comfortable moving forward with larger, more permanent stained glass creations.

Introduction to Stained Glass or 24 hours of stained glass experience is required.

Class does not meet on 3/6/2024.

Build on what you learned in Flame 1. Continue to develop hand and glass control, learn to effectively multitask, and develop greater confidence with a variety of flameworking techniques. You'll discover new skills such as working with Borosilicate tubing and color application while focusing on personal projects. Both group and one-on-one demonstrations will be provided as students work independently. Flame 1, or 24 hours of flameworking experience and instructor permission required.

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.

Class does not meet on 3/7/24.

This introductory Borosilicate (hard glass) class will cover the basic skills needed to build a solid foundation as a flame worker. Safety, effective tool use, control of molten glass and manipulating it, and proper seal formation will be the focus. Begin with a solid rod of glass and walk away with solid glass miniature sculptures. From turtles and fish to birds and trees, create a menagerie of imaginative glass figurines. Bring your sketchpad to plan your ideas!

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 itself and learn the process of studio rental beyond class hours.

Class does not meet on 3/7/2024.

Learn the art of glass beadmaking and make an array of colorful beads.  Over the course of the 8 weeks, you’ll learn the basic skills of heating colorful rods of glass with a torch and how to use gravity and tools to form and mold it into unique beautiful beads. Once you’re practiced creating forms, learn how to add decorative color and designs with dots, frit, and trails, to create intricate designs.

This class is suitable for all levels. Experienced beadmakers will focus on more advanced decorative techniques. Class tuition includes 2 hours of open-studio time to be used during the 8-week course period.

Class does not meet on 3/7/2024.

Enroll in Hot 2 and 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.

Class tuition includes 2 hours of rental time per student 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.

Hot I, 24 hours of hot shop experience, or instructor permission is required.

Class does not meet on 3/7/24.

In this advanced hot glass class, you are encouraged to focus on the techniques that interest you as a developing glass artist. Choose to either watch weekly technique-driven demonstrations or work on independent projects with the guidance and support of instructor. Refine basic skills and methodology as you create unique vessels and learn about a broad range of more complicated techniques including the use of solid colors, mold-blowing, and the creation of compound shapes. Content will vary by session and basic materials are provided. Advanced Hot Glass is designed so it can be taken multiple times to improve or expand upon glassblowing skills. Class tuition includes 2 hours of studio rental time to be used during the 8-week course period.

Hot 2, 72 hours of hot shop experience, or instructor permission is required.

Class does not meet on 3/7/24.

In this introductory class, you will learn the basics for working with flat colorful glass such as cutting, grinding, foiling, and soldering. You'll explore the famous Tiffany method of construction and work with provided patterns to create a finished stained glass panel ready for display.

This class is designed for beginners, and is a prerequisite for Intermediate Stained Glass.

Class does not meet on 3/7/2024.

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. 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.

Class does not meet on 3/9/24.

Learn to make beautiful glass icicles and ornaments on the torch. Over the course of 8 weeks, you will learn to use both solid and hollow rods of Borosilicate glass to create a variety of glass icicle styles. Each week you'll learn a new technique and create unique and colorful designs. You can then use these techniques to create icicle ornaments or allow your imagination to run wild. Use this opportunity to hone your skills in drawing down multicolored cane and pulling points. This class is suitable for all levels.

Class tuition includes 2 hours of open-studio time to be used during the 8-week course period.

Class does not meet on 3/9/2024.

Learn how to combine clear and colorful glass into a helical wonder that can be used to make a perfect sphere. To create cane, you will focus on technique and color design as you heat up a ball of glass and draw it down into a twisted rod. Then, learn various artistic applications for the cane you create as you hone your marble skills on the torch.

Class tuition includes 2 hours of open-studio time to be used during the 8-week course period.

Class does not meet on 3/9/2024.

Learn to blow glass now. In this introductory class, learn to gather clear molten glass from the furnace and shape it into various forms, from paperweights to simple blown shapes, such as cups and bowls. Instruction focuses on a team approach to glassblowing, with an emphasis on safety, proper tool use, basic techniques, and materials. You’ll never drink from a glass again without appreciating the energy and detail that went into making it. No experience is required.

You may also wish to take this class a second time in order to continue to develop and refine basic skills before moving on to Hot Glass 2. Each time you take it, your skill level, confidence, and passion for glass will grow. 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.

Class does not meet on 3/9/24.

Learn to blow glass now. In this introductory class, learn to gather clear molten glass from the furnace and shape it into various forms, from paperweights to simple blown shapes, such as cups and bowls. Instruction focuses on a team approach to glassblowing, with an emphasis on safety, proper tool use, basic techniques, and materials. You’ll never drink from a glass again without appreciating the energy and detail that went into making it. No experience is required.

You may also wish to take this class a second time in order to continue to develop and refine basic skills before moving on to Hot Glass 2. Each time you take it, your skill level, confidence, and passion for glass will grow. 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.

Class does not meet on 3/9/24.

Enroll in Hot 2 and 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.

Class tuition includes 2 hours of rental time per student 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.

Hot I, 24 hours of hot shop experience, or instructor permission is required.

Class does not meet on 3/9/24.

In this introductory class, you will learn the basics for working with flat colorful glass such as cutting, grinding, foiling, and soldering. You'll explore the famous Tiffany method of construction and work with provided patterns to create a finished stained glass panel ready for display.

This class is designed for beginners, and is a prerequisite for Intermediate Stained Glass.

Class does not meet on 3/9/24.

Choose from a variety of patterns and learn the traditional technique of lead came. This technique is necessary to create a window that will be exposed to outdoor elements. Understanding this technique will allow you to feel comfortable moving forward with larger, more permanent stained glass creations.

Introduction to Stained Glass or 24 hours of stained glass experience is required.

Class does not meet on 3/9/2024.

Build on what you learned in Flame 1. Continue to develop hand and glass control, learn to effectively multitask, and develop greater confidence with a variety of flameworking techniques. You'll discover new skills such as working with Borosilicate tubing and color application while focusing on personal projects. Both group and one-on-one demonstrations will be provided as students work independently. Flame 1, or 24 hours of flameworking experience and instructor permission required.

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.

Class does not meet on 3/3/24.

Learn to blow glass now. In this introductory class, learn to gather clear molten glass from the furnace and shape it into various forms, from paperweights to simple blown shapes, such as cups and bowls. Instruction focuses on a team approach to glassblowing, with an emphasis on safety, proper tool use, basic techniques, and materials. You’ll never drink from a glass again without appreciating the energy and detail that went into making it. No experience is required.

You may also wish to take this class a second time in order to continue to develop and refine basic skills before moving on to Hot Glass 2. Each time you take it, your skill level, confidence, and passion for glass will grow. 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.

No class on 3/3/24.

Immerse yourself in the ancient and intricate art of glass mosaics. Arrange small pieces of sheet glass to create an image, pattern, or abstract design on a wooden or glass backing to resulting in a stunning wall or window piece. Throughout this course, you will learn the basics of making a mosaic including glass cutting, layout, design, and grouting.

Class does not meet on 3/9/2024.

SiO2 Mixed and Mashed Up is a hands-on, after-school program specifically for students in grades 6–8. Classes meet after school once a week for 12 weeks. Spend four weeks in three different studios learning glassblowing, flameworking, and kilnforming. In the Hot Shop, learn the basics of gathering, blowing, and tool handling. In the Flame Shop, use heat and gravity to shape molten glass at a stationary bench torch. In the Kiln Shop, explore the world of kilnforming, including casting, fusing, and the creation of imagery using frit and powder. You can take this class more than once until you are able to jump into our high school classes.

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 an eagerness to learn.

Winter SiO2 Scholarship Application Deadline: JANUARY 28. APPLY NOW

Feel the heat of the furnace on this hot date night. Get close to your date in the Hot Shop and work together with a local artist to transform molten glass into one glass flower. Choose your favorite colors and pull the molten material together into a beautiful flower.    

This unique date night experience allows each couple to work together in one of our studios and create one work of glass art together. Because it takes teamwork to sculpt, blow, or fuse glass, this is definitely a compatibility test. After your hands-on studio time, we’ll provide small bites and wine or beer.

Glassblowing and flameworking demonstrations will take place throughout the night.

$95/couple Ages 21+

Cozy up with some glass in the Kiln Shop for date night. Work together with your date to transform sheets, granules, and small rods of glass into one unique glass plate that you can use to serve your favorite crackers and cheese. This unique date night experience allows each couple to work together in one of our studios and create one work of glass art together. Because it takes teamwork to sculpt, blow, or fuse glass, this is definitely a compatibility test. After your hands-on studio time, we’ll provide small bites and wine or beer. Glassblowing and flameworking demonstrations will take place throughout the night.

$95/couple Ages 21+

Each "seat" of registration is for one couple. 

Create a unique, colorful glass pendant to wear or a magnet to display. In this introductory experience, work alongside a local artist to melt rods of glass over a tabletop torch in the Flame Shop. Add color, sculpt the material, and design a unique and fun piece.

$30/person Ages 8+

Join us for an opportunity to learn more about PGC’s many educational programs, artist residency opportunities, interactive tours, and hands-on activities. Educator Open Houses are not only for teachers. Principals, administrators, and PTA/PTO representatives are also welcome! The event includes a tour of the PGC facilities as well as glassblowing demonstrations. Make your own fused glass tile and earn an hour of Act 48 credit. 

We’re not snobs, but we do love the perfect glass. Join us for a night of sipping and swirling when you can try hot glassmaking and taste wine from Üsëless Umläüt Wine.  Rosé, red, or white wine, it’s all fine. Forget the formality and just enjoy the experience. Make your own flameworked bottle stopper help of our artists. Hear what the sommelier has to say. Taste several wines and make it the perfect pairing with selections from Chantal’s Cheese Shop. Glassblowing demonstrations will be ongoing throughout the night.  

This event will definitely be a crowd-pleaser. Pre-registration required.   

$60/bottle stopper

Don’t put a cork in it yet! You also have the opportunity to make your own stemless wine glass in the hot shop for an additional $105. Link to register for Fire and Wine: Stemless Wine Glass! 

We’re not snobs, but we do love the perfect glass. Join us for a night of sipping and swirling when you can try glassblowing and taste wine from Üsëless Umläüt Wine.  Rosé, red, or white wine, it’s all fine. Forget the formality and just enjoy the experience. Make your own blown stemless glass with help of our artists. Hear what the sommelier has to say. Taste several wines and make it the perfect pairing with selections from Chantal’s Cheese Shop. Glassblowing demonstrations will be ongoing throughout the night. This event will definitely be a crowd-pleaser. Pre-registration required.  

$105/stemless wine glass 

Don’t put a cork in it yet! You also have the opportunity to make your own glass bottle stopper in the flame shop for an additional $60: Link to register for Fire and Wine: Bottle Stopper!  

Transform rods of glass into mini mushrooms. Learn how to control a tabletop torch, manipulate borosilicate rods of glass, and apply color and surface embellishments to create mushroom pendants or tiny figurines to adorn your potted plants. Sculpt foraged mushrooms or create them from your mind’s magical forest.

Transform molten glass into a bright suncatcher that you'll want to display all year. Under the guidance of a Hot Shop instructor, you will select and add color to molten glass from the 2,100°F furnace. You'll blow the glass and expand the molten material with your breath and then use tools to shape it into a unique blown glass suncatcher.

Explore the ancient and intricate art of glass mosaics. Design a pattern or image with sheet glass on a wooden backing to create a stunning wall piece. You will learn the basics of mosaic design, layout, and glass cutting.

In this 10-week program, focus on skill-building and understanding hot glass. This is a great course if you have taken a PGC workshop or are just beginning your exploration of hot glass. First, instructors teach the basic skills of gathering, blowing, and tool handling. Next, focus on making functional vessels. After that, move into the sculptural world and begin creating larger vessels and learning a variety of decorative bit-work techniques.

From there, follow your imagination. A series of group projects will occur throughout the 10 weeks.

Grades 9–12. 

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 an eagerness to learn.

Winter SiO2 Scholarship Application Deadline: JANUARY 28. APPLY NOW

In this 10-week class, learn how to use the torch, the heat it generates, and gravity to shape molten glass. After a discussion of studio set-up, tools, and safety, demonstrations will alternate with working time. Learn about Borosilicate, a hard glass with a high melting point that can be used to make small sculptures, jewelry, and more. Finally, focus on the process most appealing to you.

Grades 9–12.

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 an eagerness to learn.

Winter SiO2 Scholarship Application Deadline: JANUARY 28. APPLY NOW

NEW! In this 10-week class, you'll learn how to cut, grind, foil, and solder colorful glass into a stained glass panel ready for display. Studens choose from provided patterns and learn how to create a panel from start to finish using the famous Tiffany method of construction.

Grades 9 - 12

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 an eagerness to learn.

Winter SiO2 Scholarship Application Deadline: JANUARY 28. APPLY NOW

Harness the structural power of glass and solder to create three-dimensional planter boxes and terrariums to house your small to medium-sized house plants. You will begin by learning how to construct a wall planter before choosing from a number of more intricate terrarium patterns. You will leave this course having learned stained glass techniques such as cutting glass, copper foiling, and soldering. We will also cover how to reinforce a 3D construction so it can hold its weight and last for years.

April Showers bring even more glass flowers. In this 6-hour workshop, you'll create your own personal bouquet of glass flowers. Using borosilicate glass rods, learn to melt, manipulate, add color, and create flowers and leaves using a tabletop torch.  Demonstrations will be given throughout the day on shaping, color application, sculpting leaves, and pulling out petals. Choose to add a 6” clear glass rod for standing in a potted plant or create loops to wear as pendants.

Class time includes a 30-minute break for lunch. Lunch is not provided but we do have a refrigerator on site if needed.

Think spring! Make a unique glass decoration for spring. 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.

$35/person

Beer always tastes better in a handmade glass. The glass is an important part of the enjoyment of the drinking experience. The shape of the glass can allow you to savor the taste and complexities of any beverage. Learn how to make a handmade beer glass.

Join us for an evening with Two Frays Brewery. Talk with the brewer, taste the beers, watch how the perfect glass is created, and then make your own glass. Registration required.

$95/person. Ages 21+

Start your weekend early with all the fun of an 8-week course in half the time. Explore the Tiffany method of stained glass while creating your very own stained glass panel from a variety of provided patterns. Learn the basic skills of cutting and shaping sheet glass, foiling, and soldering to create a panel you will proudly display.

Class time includes a 30-minute lunch break. 

Have you taken a fusing class with us in the past? Are you overflowing with fusing design ideas? Do you want to get into the studio and have some fun? Then this is the workshop for you. Bring your skills and ideas to create your own design for coasters, slumped dishes, or fun fused treasures. Materials are provided for a project up to 10" x 10" or 7" x 12". We'll guide you along the way.

Some experience and prior knowledge is required. At a minimum, you should have completed one 2-hour fusing workshop.

In the Hot Shop, you'll work with a local artist to transform molten glass into a stunning paperweight. Choose your favorite colors and sculpt the molten material to create a beautiful and unique swirl inside.

$45/person Ages 5+                                                                                            

Create an Easter egg paperweight that will look gorgeous on either a desk or in a basket! In this workshop, gather molten glass, add frit (colored glass granules), and work with an instructor to shape a distinctive piece of art glass you will want to display all year round.

Hot glass is a material that moves like taffy, not water. In this class, you will explore this unique property of glass with press mold making.

Press molds are unique because they allow glass to be cast into thin forms with texture and details on all surfaces. These molds will open up the possibilities of your glassmaking!

In this class, you'll learn how to build refractory press molds and kiln-cast glass into many flat and thin shapes. We will start with the basics and help you advance to cast your own objects.

No experience is required. 

These special workshops are designed with teens in mind. Students get the opportunity to learn about the PGC studios with other teens.

Use sculpting techniques to create a colorful mushroom paperweight. Work with an instructor who will help you gather, add color, sculpt, and shape hot glass from the 2,100°F furnace to make a fun and unique solid glass mushroom. This one-of-a-kind fungi can be displayed inside or outside.

Sign up as an individual and meet other teens interested in glass, or bring a friend to share in the experience. If you are interested in a more in-depth experience, check out our afterschool SiO2 classes, full day MOLTN workshop, or summer boot camp.

Life’s a beach, make some glass. In this two-part workshop, explore the vast possibilities of fused glass and create your own glassy beach or underwater scene. On day one, you’ll learn to cut glass, design and create a background, and melt it in the kiln. On day two, you’ll work with a wide array of glass materials to embellish your design. Learn how to fire your designs to retain texture and shape in your scene. Choose to slump (shape) your designs over a mold or keep them as flat works of art.

Have you taken a stained glass class with us in the past? Are you overflowing with stained glass design ideas? Do you want to get into the studio and have some fun? Then this is the workshop for you. Bring your own small pattern or choose one of ours. Materials and patterns up to 7" x 7" are provided to complete a small stained glass suncatcher. You bring the inspiration and we’ll guide you along the way.

Some experience and prior knowledge is required. At a minimum, you should have completed one 4-hour stained glass workshop or Introduction to Stained Glass.

Look what's blooming in this introductory activity. In the Hot Shop, you'll work with a local artist to transform molten glass into a unique glass flower you'll be proud to display or give to a loved one.

Ages 5+ $45/person

Beer always tastes better in a handmade glass. The glass is an important part of the enjoyment of the drinking experience. The shape of the glass can allow you to savor the taste and complexities of any beverage. Learn how to make a handmade beer glass. Join us for an evening with Two Frays Brewery. Talk with the brewer, taste the beers, watch how the perfect glass is created, and then make your own glass. Registration required.

$95/person. Ages 21+

Make the set. Register here to also make a fused glass coaster the same night! 

Don't forget the coaster for your beverage. Personalized coasters make a great addition to any home. In this addition to our Gather and Brew series, you'll learn how to make a fused glass coaster. Join us for an evening with Two Frays Brewery. Talk with the brewer, taste the beers, watch how the perfect glass is created, and make your own fused coaster to accompany any glass.

$50/person

Ages 21+

Make the set. Register here to also make your own glass!

“I never met a color I didn’t like” – Dale Chihuly

In this 2-day intensive you are invited to play with all the colors in the Hot Shop. You’ll explore different color applications, frit sizes, and layering techniques to learn how colors work together to achieve unique effects. Work with color bar to overlay, fade, or make cane and Murrine.

The class is structured like an intensive course at Pittsburgh Glass Center. On Saturday students have access to practice and work in the studio until 9:00pm. Students receive a 1-hour break for lunch each day.

Lunch is not provided. Hot 2, 72 hours of hot shop experience, or instructor permission is required.

Discover a rainbow of options and sparkle with color-shifting dichroic glass. Learn how to make sparkling fused glass pendants or earrings using a variety of techniques in this 2-part workshop. On day one, you’ll explore this shimmering material, cut, design, layer, and fuse it together in the kiln. On day two, you’ll be amazed at how the material reacts in the kiln, finish any textural firings, and turn your creations into wearable works of art.

Some experience and prior glass knowledge are helpful. At a minimum, a 2-hour fusing workshop is required.

These special workshops are designed with teens in mind. Students get the opportunity to learn about the PGC studios with other teens.

Transform rods of glass into mini mushrooms. Learn how to control a tabletop torch, manipulate borosilicate rods of glass, and apply color and surface embellishments to create mushroom pendants or tiny figurines to adorn your potted plants. Sculpt foraged mushrooms or create them from your mind’s magical forest.

Sign up as an individual and meet other teens interested in glass, or bring a friend to share in the experience. If you are interested in a more in-depth experience, check out our afterschool SiO2 classes, full day MOLTN workshop, or summer boot camp.

It has been said, "When you slow down enough to sculpt you notice things you never saw before."

In this 2-day intensive you will learn how to shape solid and blown glass into sculptures. Draw from nature or your imagination to manipulate solid glass on the surface or blown glass from inside the bubble to realize your sculptural vision. The class is structured like an intensive course at Pittsburgh Glass Center.

On Saturday students have access to practice and work in the studio until 9:00pm. Students receive a 1-hour break for lunch each day. Lunch is not provided.

Hot 2, 72 hours of hot shop experience, or instructor permission is required.

Create a unique, colorful glass pendant to wear or a magnet to display. In this introductory experience, work alongside a local artist to melt rods of glass over a tabletop torch in the Flame Shop. Add color, sculpt the material, and design a unique and fun piece.

$30/person ages 8+

Look what's blooming in this introductory activity. In the Hot Shop, you'll work with a local artist to transform molten glass into a unique glass flower you'll be proud to display or give to a loved one.

$45/person Ages 5+

Take the plunge and create some exceptional glass fish to make vignettes that rival the real thing! We’ll take two days making soft glass marine fish and then 2 days using borosilicate to make the flora. The last day we finish with small boro sea creatures, drill the bases, and complete the reef scenes. Learn from Deb’s 35 years of experience how to capture the lifelike patterns, colors, and unique shapes of the incredible world of marine flora and fauna in this week-long class.

Take your glass skills to the next level and have a lot of fun in the process! Deb patiently walks you through each project after a thorough demo. Her assistant Scott Hallam is right there with assistance and some great demos as well! It’s not as hard as it looks!

Making goblets can be a difficult and potentially frustrating process. Small mistakes that are not addressed are compounded through each step of the process. This class will focus on breaking down the process into simple and easily digestible steps, highlighting the fact that blowing nice cups is not about employing “a bunch of tricks,” but instead about doing the simple things welll.

Gathering, marvering, and bubble set up are of the utmost importance and quality will be scrutinized and emphasized throughout the course. Timing, movement through the shop, and positioning will also be addressed. We will begin by focusing on the cup or bowl and will build from there, introducing transitional bits, feet, stems, and use of the garage for assembly. Avoiding the ornate, we will focus on understanding through repetition.

This class is aimed at experimenting with and exploring non-traditional methods of working with Pâte de Verre. You will learn how to create a wide range of objects without making plaster silica molds. We shall investigate different possible results and discover how to achieve artistic and aesthetic goals using glass paste.

During this week, you will become storytellers and will learn how to transform your ideas into three-dimensional objects made with various formulas of Pâte de Verre.

We will explore different possibilities for working with this medium, both on its own and in mixed media. We will test combining other materials like metals, botanicals etc. We will also use images, text, and texture. Lastly, we will discuss firing schedules as well as finishing and coldworking.

This week will be filled with experimentation, play, and discovery.

We will be learning about the torch, studio setup, and different torches/fire styles. Then starting with marbles, building small projects off of those foundational skills, we will incorporate color and frit as we push our way to hollow bottles and cups. This will be a fun, relaxing environment of sharing.

I will have my hip slide roller bench on hand, for scientific working style exploration.

Fundamental skills are the building blocks for any artistic medium. These first steps help create your personal path in both your finished work and your creative thinking. In this fun and fiery class, we will begin with the fundamentals and expand upon our skills to explore some of the creative possibilities in the Hot Shop with the unique properties of glass. At least one full day of this week-long class will be dedicated to exploring the properties of glass in a fun, creative, and exploratory way.

You will use glass to create experimental assemblage sculptures, 2D “pyro” prints, video recordings, and to help inspire new ways of seeing and using glass as an artistic medium. In the first few days, you will be taught the basics of gathering and manipulating glass to create small sculptures and blown vessels. Once basics are introduced, we will go beyond the cup! You will be given prompts for inspiration and supplies and materials to explore creative and fun ways of working with glass as a unique artistic medium.

You are encouraged to be curious, flexible, and spontaneous where fire, heat, and cracked glass will be seen as tools and part of the artistic process!

Stained glass artists have been painting with enamels for centuries; but only recently have we begun to use frits and powders to produce similar imagery. Combining contemporary and traditional techniques, this class will examine methods of painting and drawing on fused glass. Frits, powders, and enamels allow an artist to be as expressive, or controlled, as they wish, and can even convey realism. By stacking layers of transparent sheet glass and fusing them in the kiln, the imagery will achieve a unique sense of luminosity, translucency, and depth.

The focus of this class will be drawing and painting by hand. However, we will consider both abstract and representational approaches; tracing is allowed; and formal drawing skills are not necessary. We will also discuss firing schedules, common fusing practices such as bubble control, and how to properly set up a stacked full fuse in the kiln. The instructor will provide imagery to practice the technique. However, students are welcome to incorporate their own drawings and photographs into class projects.

All levels of glass experience will benefit from this course.

Learn how to create botanical works on the torch using borosilicate glass. You will learn basic techniques for sculpting leaves, flowers, vines, and other flora. You will assemble multiple floral components using glass support techniques, with a focus on strong welds and connections.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Light and adjust a table-mounted flameworking torch, and a hand-held mini torch

2. Apply color to clear glass using glass rods

3. Form borosilicate glass rods into leaves, petals, and other botanical parts

4. Assemble parts together using bridging techniques and welding to create vines, succulents, flowers, and/or other botanicals that they have in mind.

Some previous experience working on a flameworking torch, or with glass in general, is helpful, but not required. All levels are welcome.

Students should bring:

1. Their own tools and glass color, if desired (not required). PGC will provide clear and colorful glass for student use.

2. Safety glasses for working with colorful borosilicate glass (if not provided by the studio).

3. Inspiration images, books, sketchbooks, or otherwise that could be used as reference material.

4. A positive attitude!

Explore the potential of working with hot glass as a sculptural medium. This class will focus on special techniques and approaches to solid and blown sculpting that can take your sculpture to the next level. We will bring sculptures to life using a variety of torches and sculpting techniques, which include solid sculpting, inside sculpting, bit building, color application, garage use, and most importantly teamwork. Problem solving will be emphasized, and you are encouraged to bring in images of forms you are interested in recreating. Some experience is required.

Each day will begin with an instructor demo, followed by student work time. Examples of things that the instructor may demonstrate include dragons, reptiles, birds, claws, wings, and other animal forms. We will begin with solid sculpting and progress into blown, inside sculpting later in the week. Most works created will use powdered glass color. Oxygen-propane hand torches will be used and are essential to creating the work. We will also explore a variety of surface textures to create realistic fur, scales, and other textures using texture stamps.

The best part about this style of glass sculpting is the teamwork! You will work in groups of 2-3 to create your pieces. During this course, you will have the opportunity to be the gaffer and assist others.

"I am fascinated with the richness that results from pattern making and the color variations that are possible. There is a mathematical aspect to pattern making that appeals to my interest in structure and order," says Richard Parrish.

The Tapestry and Beyond Intensive is a boot camp style class. It is a comprehensive class covering tapestry and beyond tapestry techniques and more, working with stringers and sheet glass.

Who takes this class?

• People who are new to tapestry
• People who have previously taken a tapestry class in person or online
• People who have purchased the Tapestry Master Class video from Bullseye

This class is designed to expand everyone's knowledge of a wide range of tapestry techniques and variations. On-edge assembly, cutting and reassembling, multiple firings, slumping, and coldworking expand the basic techniques. Many of the techniques in this class can be adapted and used with other patterned glass.

Prerequisite: Glass cutting experience, particularly strip cutting at 4mm thickness, and prior kilnforming experience.

Students are required to attend all days of the class.

Come together as a class to make your very own hollow sculptures. During our group experience, we will cover glassblowing methods that will enhance your ability to create naturalistic objects.

If you’ve already started a flameworking practice, but haven’t been able to fully articulate your creations yet, this is a great class for you. The process of “massaging” the glass using your breath, flame, and gravity, will give a delicate and organic aesthetic. This lends itself to the way flesh and muscles have slight variations. With the gentle help from a tool’s edge, the amount of natural detail you can achieve is quite exciting.

The beauty of these techniques is that they are applicable to any subject beyond the human or animal form. You can make anything you want! It’s just a matter of how you use your tools in alignment with seeing the glass from a critical perspective. This means that you are constantly reassessing the form and where it’s transforming while being shaped. It’s important to emphasize the patience it takes to work this way. Because the process is composed of hundreds of tiny moves, it’s important to be gentle with the glass and the time put in.

If there are specific objects you’re interested in, I will take requests from the collective group. Don’t be shy. I will show you how to approach your curiosities! In all seriousness, the possibilities are endless. Come prepared with a sketchbook to work through your concepts. Being able to see and plan your piece before making, it will help the process because you will be able to plan ahead for the appropriate moves. You don’t have to be good at drawing, simply working out general shapes is enough.

Flameworking experience is required. By this, I mean, if you can join two hollow sections, you’re at the right place!

Veil (v.) To envelop, surround, swathe, or conceal.

Lifting the Veil signifies uncovering an illusion or obscurity, contributing to a better understanding, and providing clarity, realization, and potentiality in practice. Through demonstration, collaboration, and open dialogue, this class gives dynamic instruction about producing and advancing "veiled" cane use by emphasizing traditionally inspired techniques, including stuff cups, horizontal and vertical cane pulls, and various means of fusing and utilizing patterns in the Hot Shop. You will be encouraged to think differently about working with glass cane, pushing yourself into unfamiliar modes of making. This will create a springboard to discuss decorative design elements such as layering colors, mark-making, and repetition.

You will then marry your ideas to shape and form in the Hot Shop to achieve greater visual depth and perhaps meaning in the work. In addition, we will explore alternative non-traditional modes of working with the cane we make, allowing us to consider it as a sculptural material. During the week, you will have access to the Cold Shop to investigate reductive patternmaking on the cane you create and then use the altered cane in your blow slots.

t is recommended that you have some previous experience pulling cane and using pastorale forks, plates, and kiln shelves to fuse patterns in the Hot Shop.

Finally, students are expected to arrive with open minds and a willingness to risk Lifting the Veil to learn and grow in their practice.

This class will explore making flat plasma panels from fused glass. Class time will be roughly divided between the Kiln Shop and the Neon/Plasma Shop. In the Kiln Shop, we’ll design and assemble the glass envelope, using plaster or fiber models to shape the glass. These glass parts will then be sealed using solder glass in the kiln.

Class time in the Neon/Plasma Shop will include learning to understand and operate the equipment, preparation and set up, and proper vacuum and filling techniques. We’ll discuss the effects of gas pressure, the use of phosphors for color, choosing power supplies, and possible troubleshooting.

You will learn the basic principles of plasma and new tools to explore flat panel design. This is an area of plasma design and glass sculpture that is rarely explored. Discussion may also include interesting side projects such as the design of “neon signs” made inside solid glass tiles, or flat “nixie tube” panels.

In this course, you will learn how to insert a very small fish, sea horse, or marine animal between two pieces of hot glass. We’ll begin with a round and simple shape and then move on to make them more elaborate and embellished by making animals with little fish inside. The shapes of other animals will be studied to understand how to include marine subjects. Imagine a fish with a fish in the middle, a penguin with a fish inserted in its belly, or a cat with a fish in its belly. With progress and practice, you will learn how to create and compose a small aquarium with fish and seaweed.

We will use rods with an expansion coefficient of 104. This class is aimed mainly at students who have experience with this type of glass. It is not recommended if you only have experience with glass rods with other expansion coefficients.

Be prepared to experiment with pattern design, idea generation, making sculpture, and the processes that transform object-making into art.

Let's explore the many ways to create and discover patterns and textures in the Hot Shop, with introductions to enhance sculptural processes in the Cold Shop.

We will translate ideas into sculptures. Together, we will practice pulling murrini, and cane, research ideas and techniques, and play with making meaningful concepts in our glass. We will pull vertical, square canes and combine them to make multi-generational patterns to be cut in cross-section and assembled on an object or as the structure itself. We will pull horizontal canes to be cut and combined to produce intricate and infinite pattern possibilities. Beyond the Hot Shop, we will consider Cold Shop techniques for creating texture and tactile elements to enhance our glass vocabulary.

The class will focus on exploring. It would be great if you would bring relevant ideas to share and for personal inspiration. Class discussions will be followed by a survey of techniques to build a more diverse and dynamic dialogue for your artwork.

Amanda will demonstrate her techniques for working with sheet glass and powders throughout the week and will highlight some of her own studio work as examples. We start with making samples in each medium, building a small collection to inform your work during the week and beyond. Adjusting the temperature in different firings will give many different finishes to the vessels as well as engraving into the flat blanks. You will go home with a collection of small sheet and powder vessels, plenty of notes on the technical side of making vessels plus guidance on going larger scale.

This class is suitable for beginners and those who want to advance their vessel skills.

Join us for a second week in the Kiln Shop with Amanda Simmons. Sign up for this class and Big Powder Vessels next week.

This class is an intense focus on sculpting the hollow form. You will learn how a simple bubble of glass can be carefully manipulated into anything you can imagine. There are no secret tricks but it's amazing what can be achieved with only a blow hose and a few key tools. Patience, persistence, and determination will also be needed as failure is inevitable. You will be encouraged to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Fear rarely produces good results. You control the glass, not vice versa. Let's take control and have some fun.

You will learn all the basics required for a successful sculpting experience. You will also learn how to attach handles and properly prepare a bubble. From there you will be shown all the tools and techniques necessary to achieve the final product desired.

Hand-pulled tubing is becoming highly popular in the glass and neon worlds as a perfect marriage for two distinct glass industries. This interdisciplinary class marries these worlds with students creating their own tubing to create a neon design. Hand-pulled tubing not only provides artists a way to create a distinctive artistic voice through unique tubing but also brings a level of sustainability to an industry that is shrinking by giving the power of supply to the artist.

This class will focus on making a “limited resource” of one-off patterns or student-driven tubing that wouldn’t be available elsewhere. The class structure starts in the Hot Shop and gradually moves into the Neon Shop. In the Hot Shop, the first focus will be single-color tubes and creating a stock of tubes to begin practicing with. As you begin to grasp the basics of tube pulling we will move forward to dual-tone tubing. Depending on your skill level and progress we may introduce more involved patterns like Graals and cane rollups for more intricate tubing.

Midway through the class, we will transition into the neon bending portion of the class, focusing on the nuances of bending hand-pulled tubing versus factory-ready glass. Depending on your energy level and eagerness there would be an overlap between the two segments. We will start with simple color tests of the tubes teaching you to electrode the tubes, followed by the basic bends. Once you have gained a grasp of the basic bends, designing a pattern will be introduced. The overarching goal is that you will leave this class with several color tests and one bombarded design bent with the hand-pulled tubing. This is not a limited goal but a minimum in which you should walk away from this class with.

Amanda will share her large-scale works with you and how she has developed her signature look using different aperture forms. We will focus on design elements when working with powders and how to get different surface finishes in the flat and vessel forms.

You will finish the course with a collection of sample tiles, small vessels, one large powder vessel, and your unique mold, alongside a comprehensive set of notes.

Join us for two weeks in the Kiln Shop with Amanda Simmons. Sign up for this class and Small Vessels with Powders and Sheet Glass June 17-21. 

Join us for an exciting week-long journey into “Keep Calm and Grind.” Dive into the captivating world of coldworking glass as you learn how to carve, shape, polish, and embellish glass surfaces using lathes, grit and diamond lap wheels, hand grinders, and an array of other Cold Shop equipment and tools. Gain a keen eye for detail and learn to excel in the Cold Shop.

Throughout this immersive experience, you will delve into the practice of surface texture and pattern making through demonstrations and hands-on guided practice. You’ll learn the techniques of efficient grinding and polishing, both on flat and curved surfaces. We will break down each step from a rough cut to a brilliant polished surface. The class will also cover how we can apply these practices in our own studios or at home. We will discuss the use of adhesives and take a look at examples of how they are applied to the coldworking process.

You should expect to perform repetitive tasks and be on your feet most of the class using heavy rotary tools. Some class time will be devoted to PowerPoints and short discussions. By the end of this course, you’ll leave with the solid foundation to cold work your glass like a pro!

While we encourage you to bring your own objects to work on, worry not; we’ve got you covered with blanks provided by PGC!

In this class, we will be incorporating some scientific glassblowing techniques into individual projects. We will primarily use borosilicate glass with a coefficient of expansion of 33. Other COE can be explored if time permits. Ring, blind, and side seals are a few of the scientific glassblowing techniques that will be covered and projects will be scaled to your ability.

We will start with simple projects and build up to more complex items. Some projects include musical instruments, flowers, candle operas, and solid and hollow chain. Bring your ideas, and sketchbooks and be ready to push the limits of lampworking. After taking this class, you will have an understanding of how to put tubes in tubes, use solid with hollow tubing, and feel comfortable with flame adjustments.

Beth Hylen will be our TA so we will also cover some glass history. This class is open to all levels. Come and have a blast with Sally and Beth.

Venetian traditional glassblowing is one of the most significant techniques that was developed by artisans in Murano during the medieval age which is known as the golden age of glass. Traditional technique includes the most elegant, highly decorative, symbolic, and unique designs based on phenomenal craftsmanship. It requires great patience and effort. It is maybe one of the best methods to strengthen the basics and team working. I see the traditional practice more as learning the culture and history. Especially, Venetian goblets tell the stories of timelines visually through loads of designs. They are inspirational, epic, creative, transformative, and playful. As a contemporary glass artist and glassblower, I find great potential for traditional designs to become something more than a historical replica and it is important to continue the practice to inherit and honor the legacy and appreciate the tradition at the same time.

The class will be exploring the Venetian-style glass designs, learning basic movements, and detail moves. You will break down the cups and stemware into individual components and re-construct them into a sculptural form or functional design. When you make your projects, you will focus on building up a specific plan, stronger teamwork, and developing your own skills based on traditional techniques for efficient processes. The class will work primarily in the Hot and Cold Shops. In the Hot Shop, learn how to use the garage, torching, assembling, and practice controlling the complicated forms. In the Cold Shop, learn how to cold work the thin or delicate pieces and glue the parts. There will be demonstrations, lectures, and critiques during the course. The ideal class skill level would be intermediate and advanced. No color is required.

Let’s go on a kilnforming adventure together this summer! This course will focus on learning about glass through an experimental investigation of the medium. We will run the gamut on temperatures and techniques, using the knowledge gained through each project to inform the next and deepen our understanding of what glass can do. You will create with glass using unconventional methods while drawing inspiration from other material practices, as well as from more traditional glass techniques. We will observe and utilize some of the natural physical properties of glass, in order to work collaboratively with the material, rather than force it into forms.

The class content will focus primarily on fusing techniques, but will also briefly cover some basic casting processes and rubber moldmaking. Some techniques covered will include fusing with binders, alternative mold materials, organics, and inclusions, sagging and stretching, and using recycled and found glass. Curiosity will be embraced, new ideas will be explored, and we will put some of our preconceived notions about what glass can do, to the test.

This class is for all experience levels. Experienced glassmakers will continue to ”Kiln It!” in their own studio practice with a more thorough understanding of glass as a material, but beginners are also welcome!

Starting with basic borosilicate flameworking techniques, this class will focus on building structures in solid glass (with some forays into hollow objects). Working directly from scale drawings, you will learn to construct complex forms from small motifs. We will focus on the process of kiln shelf drawing as a way to create flat images and motifs.

You can expect to learn the fundamentals of borosilicate flameworking as well as techniques more specific to this method of building. Bring grand ideas, a pencil, and a drawing compass. Expect to learn through demos, illustrated hand-outs, slide shows, and hands-on practice.

In this beginning to intermediate class, we will focus on basic blowing and sculpting skills by working on tumblers and shapes in clear and opaque colors. Working efficiently, improving heat control, and surveying basic blowing theories will be taught. We’ll use the pieces we make and apply enamel decals and paint enamels onto them. Then we will bring them up in the Hot Shop to fire and have another opportunity to add bits or change the shape. Instruction will be personalized to build on individual skills, and one-on-one time will be given to help find simple solutions to common struggles. Course content will include conversations on professional practice.

Each class will begin with a short lecture appropriate to the day’s objectives before moving into the Hot Shop/Cold Shop for demonstrations, followed by individual blow time. During individual blow slots, instruction will be personalized to build on each of your skills.

The instructor will provide the decals and the contacts and resources to make your own in the future.

Recommended items:

• Imagery wanting to put on glass
• Sketchbook/Journal
• Blow-hose
• Blowing glasses

In this one-week class, you will be led through a project-based exercise in creating a single glass object from start to finish. This object will be kilnformed using either sheet glass or ingots in a mold or over a mold. This class will have a broad scope for you to explore various outlets of what a mold can be - either for your practice or for the production of others.

The class will be front-loaded with demonstrations of moldmaking for casting as well as an exploration of refractory materials to emboss, slump, and form glass in a kiln. We will cover basic rubber molding to generate wax or plaster replicas. While you will work on one project throughout the class, we will discuss many techniques that you can employ outside the classroom.

In addition to glass work in a kiln, the course will cover surface treatment and silvering glass - making a mirrored surface - to enhance or disguise a bracket or surface. Specialty equipment and aggregates, such as waterfed grinders, air tools, hand lapping, and hand sanding, will be introduced in the back half of the week. When casting, pieces at a specific scale often require taking the tool to the work.

Making, Managing, Molding is designed to engage you to think strategically and pragmatically as you develop a work. The class will cover project management concerning the fabrication of art for yourself or others - how do you meet and keep deadlines while competing with annealing schedules and mold set times? The class will also tackle how one might scale up a project. The final component of the course will be an earnest conversation about pricing, budgets, contracts, and engaging with clients or galleries.

Students in grades 6–12 take over Pittsburgh Glass Center in this intensive class. This one-week summer program introduces the science and art of glass to teens. It gives students the rare hands-on experience of learning the many facets of glass in one of the top facilities in the country. Sessions will include glassblowing, flameworking, kilnforming, and coldworking.

Seats are available for scholarships!

Scholarship Application Deadline: June 2, 2024.  APPLY ONLINE

A micro world is a miniature environment of the natural world. In this class, we will focus on a close examination of a real-life critter, insect or otherwise, and create a context for it, a nod to the natural history diorama. This class will focus on the style of realism. Starting out with sketches as a reference, you will learn to sculpt small with borosilicate glass, while still retaining detail. Scale, proportion, anatomy, texture, color, and movement will all be important elements to consider when sculpting lifelike subject matter. You are encouraged to come with ideas and reference images to create your own little world that tells a story about your critter. What is its behavior, habitat, food source, etc?

Flameworking techniques that will be taught include precise heat control, bridging, assembly of small components, how to create sculptures that look delicate but are still structural, and basic color application. We will also go over what makes an interesting composition. This class will be for those looking to level up their small sculpting skills. Students should have some basic flameworking experience.

This short 5-day intermediate level class will focus on making and decorating classical and geometric functional forms in the Hot Shop. We will be making patterns with cane and murrini and we will be using the pastorale to pick up these patterns.

Topics covered will include color compatibility and viscosity, aesthetics in design and color, tools and shop maintenance, energy conservation and efficiency, and much more. There is a lot to talk about here in a short time so be ready to ask questions and get involved. Maybe you’ll learn something from the old folks.

Press molds have a very unique and purposeful mold design, which allows thinner objects to be cast, as well as forms containing various openings or textures on all surfaces. The two-part mold is designed with locking internal and external keys. With weights, it presses glass into a modeled void on a horizontal plane.

You will be guided through the foundational steps of fabricating press molds for glass frit, as well as sheet glass. The group will then review different methods of advancing the process through Pâte de Verre color application or utilizing fused sheet designs. The instructor and teaching assistant will also explain methods of further exploration, such as adding glass inclusions and how the mold design may be modified to allow a thin to thick cast by adding an open reservoir.

You will be able to work from found objects or modeled clay. Firing schedules will be explained and reviewed throughout the class, as well as tricks and tips for coldworking thin cast objects.

The most important function of a good roller is to center objects, but what else can they do? This approach to hollow shaping boro is an amalgamation of Hot Shop and flameworking techniques. As such, soft glass artists who are transitioning to the torch are also encouraged to enroll.

Cups, goblets, flared feet, beakers, hot-popping, double-walled vessels, bridging, function building, and encapsulation of sculptures will be covered along with whatever else we have time for. Advanced turning styles like the crawl and the walk back will be covered in depth.

Rollers will be provided for the duration of the class and will be available for purchase afterward. But if you have a roller you like, please bring it. There will be open studio time between demos Monday-Thursday and demos all Friday morning before clean up. Torches are available for students but I encourage you to bring your own if you are able. Blow hoses are also encouraged and we will discuss ways to make them less cumbersome. Bring your sketchbooks!

By heating, blowing, and shaping mostly on the roller, we can maintain better posture with less fatigue. I believe this approach can help us work larger without injury and longer into our lifetime.

The goal of this glassblowing foundations course is for every student to feel comfortable working with an assistant in any hot glass studio. You will understand how to use all the equipment in the Hot Shop, navigate all aspects of a blow slot, and to begin to work independently. Starting from gathering out of the furnace to shaping glass at the bench, we as a class will work collaboratively to execute our sketches. The class will be focusing on foundational shapes and an introduction to color applications.