If you are a woman of a certain age, and you suffer from hot flashes, I'm not sure that this is the place for you! Aside from the extreme heat required to sculpt and blow glass, my experience here was amazing! Lauren (I'm not sure if that is how she spells her name) lead our class and she was a great teacher. She smiled the entire time and didn't mind repeating the instructions for each and every student in the class as she lead us through the process of making our very own, uniquely designed, glass paperweight. I can't wait to see how ours turned out when I pick them up in two days. I'm already looking forward to taking another class, for glass blowing this time. Hopefully, Lauren will be there again. She had great energy, which made the process feel less intimidating and very fun. read more

We came out to GRT for the first time for a Phoenix Theatre fundraiser in honor of our friend Keith Norwalk and what a great event! We got to tour the facility, watch Emily make an entire vase live, and even created our own little Indiana shaped ornaments The space is really, really cool, filled with tons of amazing pieces. After watching a live glass blowing demonstration, I have a new appreciation for the skill and effort it takes to make glass. Apparently they also teach lots of classes, so you can learn to blow glass too! During the event we got to mingle with the staff and owners. Greg and Cynthia are super sweet people who made us feel warm and welcome I really can't say enough good things about this place. If you're interested in glass art or even just appreciate art in general, you won't be disappointed by what you find at GRT. read more

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GRT Hot Glass Studios - The Best Way to Play with Fire (Safely!) If you've ever wanted to wield molten lava like a wizard but also not burn your eyebrows off, GRT Hot Glass Studios is the place for you! We took a two-hour class and made glass hearts, and let me tell you--watching a blob of fiery goo transform into something beautiful (and not just a puddle on the floor) was magic. Our two instructors were phenomenal--equal parts patient, skilled, and probably part-time firefighters just in case. They walked us through every step, from gathering the glass to shaping it like pros (or at least convincing us we looked like pros). At one point, I was so focused I almost started referring to myself as a glassblowing master, but then I remembered I had to be reminded not to touch the glowing red-hot end of the rod. Highly recommend this experience! Whether you're an artist, a thrill-seeker, or just someone who wants to impress your friends by saying, "Yeah, I totally made this heart out of 2,000-degree molten glass," this class is for you. We had an absolute blast and will be back! read more

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You could miss the studio if you're not watching closely, but you enter into a store/ showroom area and then to the studio. I attended as part of a private fused glass event and had a blast. The owners (husband and wife team) were super nice and helpful. Cindy carried my piece to the kiln because I am a klutz and terrified to destroy my piece en route. They texted me a sneak peek of my piece and I'm super excited to pick it up after the holiday weekend. They hold classes for blown glass and fused glass - I want to come back and learn how to blow glass next!!! read more

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Such an amazing experience!! So...I had my first opportunity to do a glass making class. This has been a dream of mine since childhood. A quick backstory...When I was a kid I loved spending time watching the local glass blower in Nashville, IN work his magic with glass ...turning glass into beautiful ornaments or shelf decorations. Fast forward to last week and I found myself at the GRT glass studio, nervously excited to make my own creation. The environment When you arrive, very clean and organized studio. There are several samples of what has and can be created through their various class offerings. Once you get past the display...you notice a heat oven, a heat oven with melted glass, scoopers full of what looks like various colors of what I call glass sprinkles. The staff There is one person who is teaching the class. Once it starts, you are educated about what everything is and how it will be used...all while working with the glass. When it is time for the hands on part...the instructor takes one student at a time and proceeds to guide and help with each step. Once it is all completed. You are informed to come back in a week to pick up your creation. This is so it can do a controlled cool down in their cool down ovens. If you have ever wanted to do glass work...I definitely recommend signing up for a class! read more

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Had an awesome experience glass blowing here with Rob leading the class!! My class made pumpkins - there were around 10 of us and we went one by one with Rob to create our pumpkin. We were walked through the process fully + given a demo on how to make a pumpkin. The class was super worth it - I would recommend it to anyone in the area. There is no skill level needed for this particular class. The studio itself was cool in temperature, which was a good surprise because I read the horrors of how hot glass blowing studios can be. There was a set of bleachers for everyone in the class to sit on - our group of 10 fit comfortably with space. The studio also had a water tank and a bathroom. A tip is that once you're done making your glass, you can leave the class if you want - I know most people stayed through to watch others glass blow (I recommend staying because some people pick cool color combinations), but leaving might be a great option for people with a busy day. Overall, an amazing experience! Thank you, GRT! read more

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Ok so this place was the poo! We had a blast here. We went on "making a dish" day and the pink dish is what I made. The little girl was so tiny but she was mighty smart. We got to work with the hot glass, mold it into the shape we wanted and pick the color too. They offer different classes too. I wouldn't recommend young kids, teens would probably be okay but I don't know what their age limit is. read more

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A fun class and pretty easy to learn how to make stunning pieces!:) Mine came out more beautiful than I imagined!

It is awesome, we have taken our family for a private event and made Christmas ornaments. Can't wait until we go again read more

Super fun experience. We booked a private party for a girls weekend. The instructor was friendly and knowledgeable. She walked us through everything step by step and made sure everyone ended up with a finished product we could be proud of! read more

It's holiday season and folks are looking for unique gifts and fun experiences, and GRT offers both! Last year I participated in an event that they are hosting again this year - making glass ornaments the weekend after Thanksgiving for $35 (see their Facebook page for more info). They offer other workshops as well (I think regularly $45 for ornament), and you can also purchase gift certificates for classes in the future. I made a pumpkin at a glass studio in Texas, and this experience and price was comparable. Many ornaments of this type cost just as much or more, and you don't get to make them yourself, so $35 is a great deal! I suggest arriving early so you can watch the person before you and have plenty of time to select your colors. I recall the process taking 15-30 min of actual working time. The glass is heavier than you might imagine it to be, but the staff help you out to ensure you end up with something beautiful. It takes time for the glass to cool, so you will pick your piece up another day. I gifted my ornament to someone, but it was still a "treat ma'self" as I enjoyed making it. There is a small shop in the building, so you may find some pretty glass gifts there, too. They also do a lot of larger art and architectural glass projects, if you're looking for something special for your home/business check out their website for more info - I'm guessing you've seen their work in person around town! read more

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Great family fun. Heard about making ornaments on Facebook at GRT and can't recommend this place more. Great teacher and a lot of fun. At 2,000 degree the glass furnace sounds intimidating, but not with the staff at GRT. The patience and informative staff will walk you through the process and help you design a beautiful piece of art. read more

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Have you ever blown glass??? ME. EITHER !!!!! But let me tell you, you should !!! Why ? Because it's awesome. And don't wear a turtleneck. I did that so I could learn for you! Me and the mister attended a private glass lesson here (found on groupon). Not knowing what to expect, I dressed for winter and when we arrived, we were surrounded by heat...naturally. I should have predicted that but ha, I certainly did not. Nonetheless, the spacious warehouse type building left still had a moderate amount of air flow, so despite being hot in my thick sweater and covered neck, I was still able to breathe and the doors outside are right there so if you do find yourself hot, it's easy to get in and out of the building. There are bleachers in case you need to sit down. Our class was about 10 or 12 people and our instructor had this Wayne's World sorta vibe to him and I loved it. He was way too cool for me as he explained how it wasn't as easy as it looked and gave us our necessary warnings, protocol and order of events. Nothing was too difficult to understand although it is a bit intimidating. But we were ready. There are two furnaces that you stick the pipe into to get it hot and ready to collect glass. Who knew glass needed collecting??!!!!!! Two people go at once and the instructor stays back there, toggling between students to help them know when to remove their pipes as well as open the door to collect glass, helping us form the glass and more. He was VERY attentive and helpful and nice. Our assignment was a smaller glass heart, but we had the option of manipulating it into other shapes or stuff if we really wanted to. I chose not to create the heart but I do have some sort of flat thing that I made. You learn the step by step process of blowing glass and once you actually start, your body temperature will rise quickly due to the furnaces that you heat the pipes in as well as the furnace that holds the actual glass. I have to say - it was really cool looking inside that furnace and you can't see anything - it actually looks hot and white. Idk if that's even a good description for a reader but it's certainly accurate. You lean your pipe over the edge and you pull it out once you see glass on it. It's a very cool process. THe glass collects on the hot end of the pipe and it's like hot lava in there.When you take the pipe out, it's possible that glass will spill on the floor (and yes it's hardens and breaks like glass). Once you take it to the table, you are able to roll it and keep the pipe turning so as to shape the glass. THis was sooooo freaking cool. Of course with it being a glass blowing facility, there are other examples and shapes, big and small, of glass items that have been created. Once you go through this process, you have a greater idea and respect for how glass items are created. Glass is very heavy on the pipe after you have added a couple of layers to it and some color. It takes a few days to cure your item, but your write your name down when you're done and can come pick it up from the facility in a matter of days. Me and the mister started our relationship by taking unexpected and never-done-before dates. This one goes right along that theme and I must say I had a blast!!!!! I actually blew glass. We still have yet to pick up our items, but I will post a picture of them once we go. Everyone makes an individual glass item (it was hearts for VDay I believe), so it's not like you go as a couple and make one item. Nope, you take turns making your own, mixing your own colors and working the heck out of the pipe that holds your own glass. It's really cool watching glass jump on the pipe, but even cooler is watching it melt and mold in the furnace after you have added color. It will almost melt off of the pipe (it won't tho) but it's always ready to be manipulated. Who would have thought glass blowing would be so fun? You should try it. I hope we do it again !!!!! Next time tho, no turtle neck. #splat read more

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We had a small group outing around Thanksgiving to do pumpkins. Very professional, very fun. Everybody enjoyed the experience and their projects turned out well. They were accommodating our desire for creativity. We are already talking about doing another outing. read more

A private glass lesson at GRT Hot Glass Studio made an excellent hands-on surprise birthday present. Our instructor, Matt, wowed us with his demonstrations and was very patient with each of us as we created our own paperweights. I have a whole new appreciation for this amazing craft! I hope to make time to go again in the future. read more

I bought a glass blowing class for me and my mom because she has always loved blown glass. This was seriously so much fun. The instructors are super nice and explain everything one on one. Their work around the studio looked amazing if you are thinking of commissioning them for a bigger project. Highly recommend! We plan to take another class sometime. read more