Aquila Glass School, Portland

Breaking with the no-nonsense vibe of the shop’s warehouse exterior, Aquila Glass School’s brightly painted loading-dock door hints at the vibrant creativity that waits inside. The full-time working studio simmers with nine kilns as students create their glass into plates, beads, boxes, or Christmas tree ornaments. Students cut their teeth on introductory classes that teach fusing and studio safety, then graduate to more advanced skills such as torch work and marble making. The expansive facility also offers 68 hours of open studio time each week, where graduates of introductory classes return to further their education with more classes or create independent projects with free use of the facilities, tools, and instruction books made entirely of stained glass. For a full schedule of available classes, please click here.