Tucked behind Firefly restaurant is an art studio like none other: an art studio to play with glass!
Yes, that’s right! There is a spot where kids of all ages can come and safely cut glass, create glass art, and have their own unique glass art to use and display.
Most of you will immediately notice that I said “safe!” I was surprised, too. I wasn’t exactly sure what our experience would be or how it would work, but it was highly successful.
We made reservations to come in on a random weekday afternoon. We weren’t the only ones in the studio, but we had an entire table set up for just our family – complete with safety goggles for all!
After a tutorial, the kids went over to a wall filled with options and picked what they wanted to create (with some suggestions from their mom, of course). It is here where the pricetag of the project is determined. There are big and small pieces and there is a lot to choose from. But each option is priced separately and they run anywhere from $20-$70. My kids ultimately decided on two differently shaped small glass bowls.
We were then given a piece of flat glass and told to have fun! The teacher must have seen my concerned look when the glass snippers were immediately picked up by my 3rd grader. She talked me out of my visions of spliced fingers and assured me it was safe.
And sure enough, it was fine. While the glass clippers would certainly do a number if a finger went inside them, I ended up feeling completely comfortable with the kids using them. I daresay, cutting the glass was likely my kids’ favorite part!
They each had their own unique style and approach to their art. While we took about 30-40 minutes to create our glass pieces, the tables in the room with us took much longer. You basically have as much time as you wish!
But it is necessary to know that this is not an instant gratification outing. While we had fun cutting the glass and creating our art, you leave the lightly glued final pieces with the studio for about two weeks to allow them to heat them, melt the glass, and create the final shape.
So while we were given a flat glass plate to work on, two weeks later I went and picked up two beautiful glass bowls full of color and personality!
Overall, this was a really great experience that we all enjoyed. We’d definitely go again!
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Raising Charlottesville is a website dedicated to highlighting fun & local activities for families living in the Charlottesville, VA area.