Classes
The Bloomington Creative Glass Center offers classes for students of all ages and skill levels.
Glass Blowing / Glass Casting / Intro to Kilnforming / Fused Glass Plate / Kiln Carved Plate / Glass Ornaments / Glass Fusing / Painting on glass / School workshops
To register for classes please go to our Registration Form.
Glass Blowing
We offer private and group glass blowing lessons at GRT Glass on the southeast side of Indianapolis. Please email us for updated class times, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Private Lessons
- In this one on one glass blowing class students will learn how to make a colorful glass paperweight, a flower and an ornament. All classes have a 2 hour minimum. $70/ hour.
Group Classes
- Come blow glass with a friend! Get a group together of 2-4 people and help each other make some beautiful work. In the first class students will make paperweights and flowers. Then move up to drinking glasses, ornaments and vases in subsequent lessons. $40/person per hour. 2 hour minimum.
Call for class availability. (812) 345-2470
Glass Casting
This fall BCGC will be offering glass casting classes through the John Waldron Arts Center
Tuesdays, 10/23-11/13
- Let this introductory course be your window into th
e fascinating and beautiful world of glass art! You will learn about the properties of glass and then create a plaster mold that you will fill with glass. The works will be fired between the second and third classes and the final class session will be the unveiling and finishing of your pieces.
Class limit: 12 students
Ages: 13 and up
Tuition: $149
Prerequisite: none
Instructor: Abby Gitlitz
Find our more at their website.
Introduction to Kilnforming
Session 1: Fridays, October 19 & October 26, 6-8pm
Session 2: Sundays, November 11 & 18, 3-5pm 
- In this 2 week class you will be introduced to the fundamentals of kiln formed glass. We will cover: glass safety, glass hand tools, basic glass cutting, types of glass and glass compatibility, kiln overview, arranging glass for fusing, how heat affects glass, and firing schedule fundamentals. We will focus on arranging glass for flat fusing - the first step towards many more advanced techniques. You will make a pendant and a set of 2 coasters or small dishes. Includes: 4 hours instruction and work time, Glass supplies needed to complete class projects, Use of necessary tools, and all kiln firings
Class limit: 8 students
Ages: 13 and up
Tuition: $70
Prerequisite: none
Instructor: Anne Brahaum
Fused Glass Plate
Saturday, October 27, 6-7:30pm
- Make an 8” dinner plate out of fused glass! We will start with a brief introduction to kiln formed glass and the ways in which heat and glass volume affect kiln formed glass. Students will then learn how to arrange glass for fusing and lay out a design in glass. We will fuse and slump it for you and it will be ready to pick up in about a week. Includes: 2.5 hours instruction and work time Glass supplies needed to complete class projects Use of necessary tools All kiln firings
Class limit: 8 students
Ages: 13 and up
Tuition: $65
Prerequisite: none
Instructor: Anne Brahaum
Kiln Carved Plate
Sunday, December 9th, 3-5pm
- “Kilncarving” is a process used in kiln formed glass that produces glass with a 3 dimensional relief, textured, or sculpted appearance. To produce kiln carved glass a design is carved into ceramic fiber paper, glass is stacked on top, and the piece is fired in a kiln. The result of kiln heat and glass viscosity produces a glass piece with a “carved” underside that takes on the pattern and relief of the ceramic fiber paper. During this 1 day class you will learn basic kilncarving techniques, how temperature and glass types affect kiln carved outcomes, and design your own 8” kiln carved plate. We will fuse and slump it for you and it will be ready to pick up in about a week.
Class limit: 8 students
Ages: 13 and up
Tuition: $65
Prerequisite: none
Instructor: Anne Brahaum
Glass Ornaments
December 9, 12,15,19
Half hour slots available from 6:00-8:00pm
- Create your own colorful blown glass ornament to hang on a tree or in a window! You pick the colors and our instructors will help shape the glass while you inflate it. Then the ornament is removed from the blowpipe and a glass loop is added. Ornaments are ready for pick up the following week.
Class limit: 8 students
Ages: 13 and up
Tuition: $40/per person
Prerequisite: none
Instructors: Abby Gitlitz, Clayton Benefield
Glass Fusing Drop in Workshop
Come to one of our drop in workshop and make your own fused magnet or suncatcher. These family friendly workshops are an opportunity for anyone ages 5 and above to try glass making "on the spot" in 15 minutes or less. Check back soon for current workshop dates.
Glass-fusing is a fun creative process that involves collaging smaller bits of glass onto a larger glass surface. Your piece will be taken to a kiln offsite for firing (at a later time) and you can pick it up the week after the event. The cost for fusing is $15 for a small piece, and $25 for a 4" x 3" square.
For more information check out our events page.
Painting on Glass
offered in Spring 2018
Glass Painting Workshop 
- In this fun and accessible workshop you will learn about the properties of glass and how to create beautiful artwork on panes in the old grisaille style. This reductive process involves applying layers of paint and then scraping away layers to reveal unique textures and shades and yields pieces that are akin to stained glass but with a charcoal tinge. No previous glass working experience is necessary and all materials are included in the course fee. 3 Wednesdays
School Workshops
"The Science of Silica" program for student groups
Have a glass artist come to your classroom or organization. Perfect for groups of 10 or more students. We have one hour to half day workshops on the following topics:
- The Science of Silica
How is glass made? What does it do? In this hands-on workshop, veteran glass artist Abby Gitlitz will show how artists work molten glass using everyday kitchen objects. Explore the science of glass blowing by becoming a glass particle and doing what glass particles do. Participants will get to try blowing “glass” with a straw and bubblegum and everyone will be able to make his/her own “glass” treat out of melted lifesavers. For ages 6-13. All materials provided. Contact BCGC for more details. - Stained Glass
We have all seen stained glass windows in churches and public buildings, but how is it made? In this interactive workshop students will get to try their hands at cutting glass just like the professionals do! Each participant will make a faux stained glass window out of paper and then help make a REAL stained glass window to keep for their classroom. All materials provided. Students will NOT work with sharp glass or any dangerous materials. For ages 8-14. Contact BCGC for more details. - The History of Glass
In the United States we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the studio glass movement when glass went from being a craft to being an art, but worldwide people have been working glass since the beginning of written history. Learn how the Egyptians used glass in their tomb art and how Romans discovered glass blowing. Medieval stained glass windows, decadent French luxury ware, German drinking glasses! Learn how glass got to where it is today. Access to a digital projector is required. For ages 15+. Contact BCGC for more details.
