Open Studios: Winter in the City

Join us for Open Studios: Winter in the City and discover the many ways glass shapes the world around us with an afternoon of art making!
About this Event

Have you ever noticed all the glass you encounter every day in the city? From mosaics in the subway to windows in skyscrapers, glass makes our city a more vibrant and exciting place.

Join us for Open Studios and discover the many ways glass shapes the world around us with an afternoon of art making and exciting demonstrations in UrbanGlass’ 17,000 sq ft studios. Sign up for one activity or try them all!

Glassblowing: Ornaments

Beadmaking: Winter Charms

Festive Fusing: Seasonal Decor

Neon: Bend Your Own

Screen Printing (FREE)

Seasonal Garland (FREE)Bead Stringing (FREE)

Glass Demonstrations (FREE)

Bead Project Market (FREE)

*Children must be accompanied by an adult caregiver*

Bead Project Market — FREE: Celebrate local artists and shop stunning handmade jewelry created by alumni of The Bead Project scholarship program at UrbanGlass.

Glass Demonstrations — FREE: Watch professional glassblowers sculpt with molten glass, see how borosilicate glass (the hi-temp glass used in science labs and pyrex bakeware) can be melted and shaped in the flame of a table torch and learn how glass tubes are bent to create a glowing neon sign. Live glassmaking provides a unique context for understanding the amazing work that is made at UrbanGlass. Learn more about the techniques and tools used by the talented teams of artists that share the studio space for their own artwork, fabrication and more! 

Bead Stringing — FREE: Use colorful beads to create fun wearables or festive holiday decorations. Drop-in activity, while supplies (all ages with chaperone).

Screen Printing — FREE:  Bring something to screen print with a mystery winter-themed design. We’ll also have $10 totes available for purchase. Drop-in activity, while supplies (all ages with chaperone).

Seasonal Garland   — FREE: With stained glass as inspiration, use everyday materials to craft your very own holiday garland! Drop-in activity, while supplies (all ages with chaperone).

Glassblowing: Ornaments — $85: Learn how to sculpt molten glass and make a colorful blown ornament for your holiday decorations. One-on-one lesson, 30 minutes (ages 12+).

Objects made during the lesson must cool slowly overnight, so please plan to return the following week for pickup.

Beadmaking: Winter Charms — $45: Play with fire at the table torch as you melt and shape glass rods into colorful beads inspired by cool wintery color palettes and the holiday season. Students can anticipate making 1-3 successful beads, along with some failures. One-on-one lesson, 30 minutes (ages 12+). 

Objects made during the lesson must cool slowly overnight, so please plan to return the following week for pickup.

Festive Fusing: Seasonal Decor — $35: Work with room-temp glass (think: sheets, strands, crushed granules) to design a wintery scene that will get melted together in the kiln, with a hook baked in for hanging. Group lesson, 30 minutes (all ages with chaperone). 1-2 pieces per person.

Objects made during the lesson must cool slowly overnight, so please plan to return the following week for pickup.

Neon: Bend Your Own — $45: Ever wondered how neon signs are made? Get a feel for the process by bending glass tubes over a standing torch and make some simple shapes like squiggles or triangles! Keep your piece as is, or have it transformed into a glowing neon sign for an additional $110 Bombarding fee per piece. Bombarding can be purchased on the day of at the front desk, and includes your choice of gas (Neon = red | Argon = violet | Argon-Mercury = blue), a neon transformer, materials and instructions for installation. One ticket covers up to 2 students, 30 minutes (ages 14+).

Please allow up to two weeks for processing work that needs to be Bombarded.