As an art form, glass appears to be equal parts chemistry and alchemy. It’s a medium that’s been around since early Roman times, but here in Asheville, North Carolina, and the surrounding region is where studio glass took off in the Southeast.
Experience Asheville’s glass art scene at a working artist studio or a curated art gallery—or select a guided experience with a glass-themed art tour.
Open Glass Artist Studios
In the 1940s downtown warehouse housing Lexington Glassworks, stone ovens roar at 2400 degrees. Visitors congregate behind the wooden railing—craft beer in hand—and watch the glassblower place a colorful globe of hot liquid glass inside one of the furnaces, then blow, shape and spin it into a whimsical form. A swirling constellation of finished glass art is suspended from the ceiling.
Studios like this one—where visitors can watch glass artists at work—are open to the public all over Asheville. Several more home studios are open by appointment.
Crucible Glassworks was among the first studios in downtown to open to the public. In 2015, glass artist Michael Hatch moved his operation north to the nearby town of Weaverville (about 10 minutes from downtown), where visitors can still see him at work and shop from the collection of whimsical sculptures and vessels.
The North Carolina Glass Center—located in the River Arts District—works with more than a dozen local artists at its non-profit, public access glass studio. In addition to daily demonstrations, instructors at the center hold regular workshops for both beginners and experienced artists, and the center’s gallery features the colorful work of its resident artists.
See Glass in Galleries, Exhibits & Shops
Asheville is teeming with art galleries and shops filled with the beauty of studio glass.
Blue Spiral 1, the Southeast’s largest art and fine craft gallery, features a variety of regional work. The artists’ collective-run Ariel Gallery showcases glass art from renowned artists William and Katherine Bernstein. Their vigorous use of color and imagery is achieved by drawing directly on hot glass using colored glass rods and a torch. Amber Marshall’s whimsical contemporary sculptural glass vessels, also at Ariel, focus on minimalist form and color.
The Southern Highland Craft Guild’s Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway showcases glass from throughout the Southern Appalachians. In North Asheville, Grovewood Village is home to Carl Powell Glass as well as the Grovewood Gallery, featuring an array of glass art and other regional craft.
Glass Art Tours
One of the best ways to experience the city’s rich landscape of glass art and design is through a curated art tour with an expert guide who can offer an insider’s view.
Experience the creative art culture of the Asheville area with Asheville Art Experience, a locally rooted guided tour company led by working artists and longtime members of the community. Tours are thoughtfully curated around guests’ interests, offering an inside look at the River Arts District and beyond. Ideal for collectors, curious creatives, and visitors seeking meaningful connection, these experiences often include studio visits, conversations with makers, and behind-the-scenes access to the creative process. It’s a personal way to navigate Asheville’s vibrant art scene and connect directly with the artists shaping it.
