Individual Private Lessons - Pittsburgh Glass Center Skip to content Individual Private Lessons Individual Private Lessons Private Lessons One-on-one lessons involve private, customized instruction in any aspect of studio glass art within any of our four studios. You receive focused attention from our experienced instructors and learn at your own pace. Beginners benefit by learning basic glassmaking techniques and build a strong foundation for working with glass. Experienced artists can expand their skill set by focusing on specific techniques of their choosing. You design the program with your instructor to fit your glassmaking goals. Private lessons are available for 1 – 2 people any time during our open hours. You must be at least 14 years old to schedule a private lesson. Glassblowing 2-Hour Private Lesson $300/1 participant $450/2 participants Use gravity and heat to begin to explore the medium of molten glass. This 2-hour private lesson is a great way to get started and learn the basics of manipulating glass to create various solid shapes. Four 2-Hour Private Lessons $1,120/1 participant $1,720/2 participants Glassblowing is a team activity that takes practice to master. In this 8-hour hands-on private lesson series, you’ll learn to use various tools to gather and manipulate molten glass to make various shapes. Once you are confident with those skills, you’ll move on to using a blowpipe and blowing glass to make a bubble. Then you’ll learn to create shapes like ornaments and cups or bowls. Schedule Now Flameworking 2-Hour Private Lesson $190/1 participant $280/2 participants Learn to melt glass rods of Borosilicate (hard glass comprised of silica and boric oxide) using a tabletop stationary torch and make marbles, beads, pendants, magnets, or small-scale sculptures. Schedule Now Fusing 2-Hour Private Lesson $190/1 participant $280/2 participants Learn the basics of fusing, how to cut sheet glass, and add color and design with frit and stringers to decorate and make a unique item you’ll want to use for years to come. You will learn the basics while making either a 7” slumped dish or an 8” charcuterie board. 4-Hour Private Lesson $380/1 participant $560/2 participants Learn the basics of fusing, how to cut sheet glass, and add color and design with frit and stringers to decorate and make a unique item you’ll want to use for years to come. You will learn the basics of kilnforming while making a dish set that could include a platter, serving plate, and two side dishes. 4-Hour Teacher Training $380/1 participant $560/2 participants This lesson will delve more into the science of kilnforming so you can gain a better understanding of the fusing process, available materials, kiln firing programs, and how to teach kilnforming to others. You will learn about preparing kiln shelves, slump molds, kiln programming, and how/where to procure tools and glass. This teacher training includes a discussion on how to design a workshop, write a syllabus, and prepare materials. You will make a set of samples to help explain the basics of kilnforming. Schedule Now Intermediate/Advanced Private Lesson Please contact Becky , our Kiln Shop Coordinator or (412) 365-2145 x215. Stained Glass 2-Hour Private Lesson $190/1 participant $280/2 participants Interested in trying stained glass? Learn the basics of cutting, laying and soldering 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 piece. 4-Hour Private Lesson $380/1 participant $560/2 participants Interested in trying stained glass? Learn the basics of cutting, laying and soldering as you create a beautiful suncatcher or ornament from a variety of pre-selected patterns. Learn how to work with traditional stained glass lead came, and solder to adhere and complete your piece. Schedule Now Intermediate/Advanced Private Lesson Please contact Becky , our Kiln Shop Coordinator or (412) 365-2145 x215. Kilncasting 2-Hour Private Lesson $190/1 participant $280/2 participants Interested in trying your hand at casting glass? Learn sculpting techniques, mold making with plaster and silca, and kiln firing while using clay to create a 4” open face tile. 4-Hour Private Lesson $380/1 participant $560/2 participants Interested in trying your hand at casting glass? Learn sculpting techniques, mold making with plaster and silca, and kiln firing while using clay to create a 4” open face tile. In this lesson, you will also learn the lost wax casting technique and use it to create a three-dimensional item to be picked from PGC’s library of rubber molds. Schedule Now Intermediate/Advanced Private Lesson Please contact Becky , our Kiln Shop Coordinator or (412) 365-2145 x215. Coldworking 2-Hour Private Lesson $180/1 participant (+$75/addl hour) $260/2 participants (+$115/addl hour) Private lessons in the cold shop focus on techniques to add surface texture, make clean cuts, grind away rough edges or excess material, and otherwise add finishing touches to glass made in other studios. Individualized instruction is offered on all equipment and techniques. 4-Hour Private Lesson $330/1 participant (+$75/addl hour) $490/2 participants (+$115/addl hour) Private lessons in the cold shop focus on techniques to add surface texture, make clean cuts, grind away rough edges or excess material, and otherwise add finishing touches to glass made in other studios. Individualized instruction is offered on all equipment and techniques. In this 4-hour private lesson, you will learn how to check-in, check-out, and reset equipment to be able to rent our cold shop for personal projects. ** **Please note, some students may require more than 4 hours of training to be able to rent time in our Cold Shop. Rental at the Pittsburgh Glass Center requires sign-off by one of our studio technicians and is dependent on your skill level and comfort around the equipment. Schedule Now Neon 4, 2-Hour Private Lessons $720/1 participant ($300/each additional person) Learn the basics of neon tube bending: right angles, double backs, and curves, and combining bends. You’ll learn how to create and read patterns for basic shapes depending on the student’s progress. The filling of tubes will be at a separate cost and will be determined by the instructor. Schedule Now Plasma 4, 2-Hour Private Lessons $720/1 participant ($300/each additional person) Get personal guidance on creating plasma sculptures: be it the Hot Shop, Kiln Shop, or Flame Shop. Learn about basic structures for plasma, while navigating your designs for illuminated glass! The filling of sculptures for plasma will be at a separate cost and will be determined by the instructor. Schedule Now Hot Shop Activities With the help of an instructor, participants will learn how to transform 2,000°F molten glass into a unique glass artwork. Sculpted items will be manipulated and shaped with various metal hand tools. Blown items will be inflated via a flexible tube attached to a blow pipe. The Hot Shop, as the name might suggest, can get warm at times, particularly during summer months. That being said, the activity will only take about 10-15 minutes per person so you won’t be warm for long. We encourage our guests to wear lighter, natural material clothing for safety and comfort. Visitors are welcome to bring water bottles and a water fountain/filling station is available. These activities will involves sitting, standing, and walking around. Suitable for ages 5 and up. Kiln Shop Fusing Activities Combine brilliantly colored pieces of glass granules and thin glass strands to create a one-of-a-kind luminous fused glass artwork. Once you design it, we’ll fire it, so that all pieces become one. Participants will work seated in our climate-controlled Classroom and with room temperature pieces of glass. You will begin with a glass tile that acts as your “canvas,” then arrange the colorful glass granules and thin glass strands into a design of your choosing. Once the designs are complete, suncatchers are placed in a kiln overnight to melt (fuse) together forever. Suitable for ages 5 and up. Flame Shop Activities With the help of an instructor, participants will learn how to use tools and a tabletop torch to melt and manipulate glass rods and transform them into truly one-of-a-kind objects. These activities take place in our climate controlled Flame Shop, which involves working with a flame, but is not nearly as warm as our Hot Shop. Participants will be sitting at a workstation, making this option slightly more accessible and less physically demanding. Suitable for ages 8 and up. ARTISTS EDUCATORS SHOP JOIN & GIVE DONATE NOW