Glassblowing Demonstration Schedule

11am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm 

You may visit the Glass Studio at any time from 10am to 5pm

The Studios at WheatonArts operate to facilitate the work of artists and to educate the public on the creative process.

The Glass Studio in the T. C. Wheaton Glass Factory is a vibrant interactive public access studio, home to resident staff artists who host the CGCA Fellows and other guest artists. Visitors to the Glass Studio are afforded first-hand insights into artistic pursuits during all operating hours. Interpreters educate the visiting public with informal interaction, as well as three narrated demonstrations per day.

In recent planning work, the Glass Factory has been identified as the “heartbeat” of WheatonArts; the primary asset from which to achieve the organizational goals to put additional focus on the creative process, and contemporary glassmaking.

The Glass Studio is visited by nearly all of our 60,000 visitors per year. Hands-on opportunities through programs such as the Make Your Own Paperweight Program, continue to serve approximately 600 people per year. The Glass Studio is essential to our educational programs for students and is one of a very few glass facilities in the country to offer hands-on opportunities to approximately 1,000 elementary and high school students each year.

Initially, the Glass Studio was manned by “old time” glassblowers transferred from the Wheaton Glass Company. In 1976, the addition of interpretive staff included students coming out of college art programs. Young artists/craftspeople, costumed by day in Victorian garb, worked in the Glass Factory, while also achieving success in their individual careers. In 1978, contemporary glass artist Flora Mace, a top assistant to Dale Chihuly, was invited by the Village and welcomed by Frank Wheaton, as the first official artist-in-residence. Paul Stankard also worked with the WheatonArts staff on experimental work.

In 1982, a group of artists, educators, gallery owners and Village staff leadership approached WheatonArts Founder, Frank Wheaton, Jr., to solicit support of an ongoing artist-in-residence program for emerging contemporary glass artists. By this time the Factory staff had grown to approximately 13 people, operating seven furnaces at one point, facilitating the production of glassware in the “hand shop” tradition. Wanting to cut expenses, and encouraged by Stankard’s and Mace’s residency experiences, Mr. Wheaton committed his support to fund the Creative Glass Center of America (CGCA) Fellowship Program for the first few years. This was a turning point in the organization and a catalyst for the eventual broadening of the mission beyond its historical emphasis. It was at this point the “factory” became a year round "artist studio.”

In 2003, Hank Murta Adams accepted the position of Creative Director, and will lead the studio into a new growth stage. He is supported by a talented and dedicated staff including Don Friel, Pat Howe and Joe Mattson.

You may also find these links helpful:
Make Your Own Paperweight
Creative Glass Center of America
Rent the Studio
Education