Best Places For Glass Art In The Twin Cities

If you've ever been able to see glassblowing in action, you will know that it is a truly magnificent process that requires precise technique and talent. The transformation that takes place within glass art is amazing and deserves a closer look. Fortunately, Minneapolis has a diverse glass art scene where you can see some beautiful creations. Learn about the glass players and where to find them on the local scene in Minneapolis.

Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts
2010 E Hennepin Ave, Building #10
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 623-3624
www.mnglassart.org

Under the leadership of Michael Boyd, Foci promotes appreciation for glassblowing through studio-based education. The institution is highly regarded among glassblowers and the Minnesota arts community for promoting appreciation of glass art. It offers a glass art gallery, workshops, special events and a fully-equipped glassblowing studio. Learners and professionals alike can use the Foci MCGA Studio by scheduling a visit to check out its features.

Glass Endeavors
2716 E 31st St
Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 721-9553
www.glassendeavors.com

Glass Endeavors is a fused-glass and stained-glass studio and retail store. According to the website, "in addition to offering supplies and classes, Glass Endeavors also makes a wide variety of stained-glass windows, stained-glass lamps, fused jewelry, slumped bowls, mosaic tables, mosaic stepping stones and many other one-of-a-kind products to sell." Look for Glass Endeavors' Art Show every April. Information on the next show can be found on the website as early as November of the previous year.

Related: Best Local Twin Cities Arts Programs To Support

Potekglass
2205 California St NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 281-7243
www.potekglass.com

Malcom Potek offers Try-It! classes to create your own glass art. Try your hand at kiln-forming a glass piece, create a paperweight from boron glass or produce beads of Italian soft glass. If looking to tune those skills a bit more seriously, sign up for a workshop to create some items for your home or as a gift. All classes include materials so no extraneous purchases are necessary besides the price of the class. Potek has a gallery of glass art and does glass art design for commercial and residential customers. Check out his work and see if you'd be interested in a piece for yourself.

Robinson Scott Glass
(763) 213-1276
www.robinsonscottglass.com

Robinson Scott has been creating beautiful, glass-blown works in his own studio for over 30 years. His studio is open to anyone who wants to learn more about this art form or just watch the process. Scott's collection of pieces cover a range of forms. He has mastered how to create glass knives and swords, and some of his bowls and vases look galactic with their neon colors. See what Scott is working on now by checking out his current gallery schedule. He has won numerous art show awards nationwide and a visit to these galleries will be well worth it.

The Grand Hand Gallery
619 Grand Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55102
(651) 312-1122
thegrandhand.com

Ann Ruhr Pifer shows her love of fine American craft and authenticity through the "hand of the artist" at The Grand Hand Gallery. This fine-art retailer offers a wide variety of media including clay, wood, metal, fiber and jewelry as well as glass. Grand Hand features many local glassblowers such as Dick Huss, Fred Kaemmer, Nolan Prohaska, Alan Honn and Tom Maras. The Gallery has glass-fusing art by Mike Tonder and Peter Zelle. It also features stained-glass work by Josephine Geiger. Make a trip to the gallery to see what some of the best in the industry are capable of creating.

Related: Best Iconic Works Of Art In The Twin Cities

Robin Johnson was born in Annandale, Minn. and graduated from the University of Minnesota where he studied Political Science, Business and Industrial Relations. A writer for Examiner.com, he also consults with a variety of organizations and individuals helping them develop and grow. His work can be found at Examiner.com.