Glass

Program of Study

During the past half century, the studio glass movement of the 1960s has bridged the gap between individual artists and craftsmen making one-of-a-kind sculptures to creating handmade functional glass objects. This melding of personal expression with the business of being a working artist has led to the exponential growth in private, artist-owned studios, community studios, and glass programs in universities including our BFA degree program at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

As a student in the Glass department, you will learn four main methodologies:

Working hot glass which comprises glass blowing and off hand, molten glass processes
Working glass cold including cutting, fabricating, grinding, sandblasting, and polishing
Fusion processes such as casting, slumping, and bending
Flame working

After you survey all basic methods during your introductory classes, you will explore various techniques and concepts before performing your own independent study and research individually tailored to your developing voice. You will do all of this under the guidance of our devoted Glass professors, whose commitment to the art form has earned them international recognition as leading contributors to the medium.