Beginner Classes & Workshops

We find that different personalities tend to be drawn to different studios. For example, the hot shop is fast-paced, spontaneous, and physical, while flameworking is slower-paced and tends to require a focus on detail and precision.

Which type are you?

As you get acquainted with our studios, you’ll probably find yourself drawn to a particular way of working with glass…or you might just fall in love with them all!

*Unless otherwise noted, you must be at least 14 years old to take a workshop or class.

2-hour Workshops

These workshops meet one time for 2 hours. This a great way to get a taste of glass making without a huge commitment.

Blown Glass Garden Floats

You have seen the Chihuly gardens and glass exhibition, now make your own beautiful glass object for your garden.
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NEW! Iridized on Iridized

Create sparkling designs in glass that almost appear to be holograms.
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NEW! Kilnformed Mosaic

Kilnformed mosaic is similar to stained glass without foiling or soldering. Create intricate patterns and imagery using sheet glass and fine frit.
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NEW! Marvelous Marbles

Marbles are a fun and interesting way to get to know glass over the torch.
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Pulled Glass Flowers

In the hot shop glass flowers are sprouting up everywhere.
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Stained Glass

Learn the historical art of stained glass.
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Paperweights at the Furnace

In this paperweight workshop you can learn how to shape and add color to molten glass to make a unique paperweight.
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Bodacious Beads

Learn the secrets of how beads are made at the torch in this introductory session.
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Fused Glass Tiles

If you're intrigued by how glass is fused into colorful flat glass patterns for coasters and other decorative objects, learn the basics.
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Fused Glass Wind Chimes

Use colorful pieces of glass and copper wire to create a one-of-a-kind wind chime for your home.
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Embossed Glasses

Try your hand at sandblasting, etching and engraving. Take home your own glass.
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Sampler Series

For those interested in trying a little bit of everything.

Garden Sampler

Green thumb or not this class will help you spruce up your garden just in time for spring.

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Make Your Own Goblet

In two nights, make a pair of unique glass goblets.
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Hot Shop Three-Pack (3 days)

If you’re intrigued by hot glass and want to experience several different hot techniques while making something cool to take home each week, this introductory class is for you.
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Jewelry Three-Pack (3 days)

Does creating your own one-of-a-kind jewelry sound like fun? Then this is the class for you.
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Fusing Three-Pack (3 days)

Have you always wanted to create your own designs in glass? Well, now you can try your hand in this three night class.
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Hot-to-Cold Sampler (Mix and Match!)

New to glass and don't know where to start? Why not try a taste of each of our four studios — hot, warm, flame, and cold.
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Extended Workshops

Sometimes two hours just isn't enough, but a multi-week session is too long. If that is the case, then our extended workshops are for you.

Hot Glass Blowout (1 day)

If you have been dying to blow glass, this one-day workshop is for you. What better way to use a lazy Saturday or Sunday than by spending a cool day in the hot shop?
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NEW! Glass Weaves (1 day)

Glass that looks like woven fabric! Loose, tight, warp, weft, - How do they do it? This workshop explores the basics of creating a fascinating woven effect.
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Stained Glass (1 day)

Many houses in Pittsburgh have stained glass windows. Your home might too. Have you ever wondered – how did they do that?
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Fast Track Flameworking (1 day)

You will be amazed at what you can make at the torch – beads, marbles, chains and pendants to name a few.
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Fuze-a-polooza (1 day)

Come and learn the ancient, beautiful and fun art of fused and slumped glass.
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Special Collaborative Workshop

Local arts organizations joining together to present a collaborative workshop.

NEW! Fused Glass Pendants & Wire Jewelry Making

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (PCA) and Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC) come together for a great new collaboration! Make beautiful fused glass pendants, then set them with silver and wire for stunning finished jewelry.
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Multiple Week (4-week)

PGC offers in-depth four-week classes for beginners who are ready to take the plunge into a longer class. Unless otherwise noted, classes meet for four weeks in three-hour sessions.

NEW! Beginning Hot Glass

This four-week beginning hot glass class will cover some of our favorite objects that can be created in the hot shop.

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NEW! Coldworking

Get introduced to all the equipment in the cold shop including belt sanders, flat grinders, dremels, lathes the sandblaster, and the diamond saw.
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NEW! Crackle

Learn the secret behind the crackle technique, which is the organic cousin to mosaic patterns.
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NEW! Hot Kiln

Ramp up the excitement by taking the kiln above 1,500 degrees. In this four-week class, you will explore four techniques that harness the heat.

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NEW! Inclusions

In this class add a little something extra to your glass by including metal and harnessing the power of the bubble.
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NEW! Introduction to Borosilicate

Learn to work with borosilicate glass over the torch.
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NEW! Introduction to Fusing & Slumping

Come and learn the ancient, beautiful, and fun art of fused and slumped glass.
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NEW! Introduction to Moretti

This four-week class will introduce students to working with moretti glass over the torch.
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NEW! Photographic Imagery in Glass

This 4-week class will experiment with high fire enamels, etching, sandblasting and photo resist techniques to capture photographic images into kilnformed flat glass.
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NEW! Stained Glass

Many homes in Pittsburgh have stained glass windows. Your home might too. Have you ever wondered – how did they do that?
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Multiple Week Classes (8-week)

PGC offers in-depth eight-week classes for beginners who are ready to take the plunge into a longer class. Unless otherwise noted, classes meet for eight weeks in three-hour sessions.

Hot Glass I

This glassblowing class is appropriate for students with limited or no hot shop experience
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Stained Glass

Students will learn the art of stained glass through pattern making, cutting, foiling and framing to create a stained glass window.

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Introduction to Fusing and Slumping

Come and learn the ancient, beautiful, and fun art of fused and slumped glass.
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Beginner Beadmaking

If you're fascinated by baubles, bangles, and beads, this is the class for you.
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Flameworking 1—FUNdamentals

If you want to learn how to explore a broader variety in flameworking, this is a great combination class.
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Introduction to Kiln Casting

Would you like to learn how to create sculptures or functional objects out of glass using molds and kiln casting techniques?
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Watch Us in Action!

See for yourself how much fun glass can be.

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