Schoolhouse Glass
NOTE: Schoolhouse Glass will be closed from January 16 - February 4th. February 5th we will re-open with lamp working demos. The demonstrations take place at 13:00pm and 15:00pm.
Schoolhouse Glass has a unique line of hand-blown zodiac animals which include the DRAGON!
Please be aware that one day a week there is NO glass blowing demonstration. We recommend that you do call the Glass Shop at 6162-6287 as we want to ensure you have the opportunity to view a glass blowing demo when you visit The Schoolhouse!
| Interesting Story about our Singing Wine Glasses: "We, at Schoolhouse Glass, love this story about our singing traveling wine glasses. The seed to purchase 2 sets of red Singing Wine glasses was planted by John Payne, Shelburne Selectman, while in Mutianyu during the recent April 2010 sister village visit and grew to fruition post sister village trip. John wrote to us about how he finally received the highly valued wine glasses as they took a very circuitous route to his home in Shelburne Falls! Thank you for giving the singing wine glasses so many wide world experiences. Who could ask for more than to be born in China, fly halfway around the word in a jet airplane, visit Boston and Maine, attend a great University and then retire to Shelburne Falls and have your story posted on a website located at the Great Wall. Life should be so good for all of us. --Written by John Payne describing the journey of his Schoolhouse Glass Singing Wine Glasses" |
Schoolhouse Glass is located on The Schoolhouse campus at Mutianyu Great Wall. The Schoolhouse is a formerly abandoned elementary school, newly renovated into a multi-purpose tourist destination.
Schoolhouse Glass is a first – it is the first art glass studio in Beijing to be open to the public. Artisans from around the country and abroad have been invited to make onsite visits and give live demonstrations of art glass making. Please click here to view the actual glass blowing process. As you walk in, you enter a glass gallery with one-of-a-kind hand-blown glass pieces inscribed with the artists’ signatures. Unique pieces such as vases, bowls, and plates are all blown on-site. In addition to glass blowing demonstrations Schoolhouse Glass also offers a glimpse into lamp-working - small detailed glass blown figurines, jewelry and keepsakes. Click here to read customer testimonials
Schoolhouse Glass increased the size of our facilities for the Olympics in 2008 and we also created more aesthetically pleasing additions at that time in hopes of them being enjoyed by both first-time visitors and our loyal customers. We would be honored to have you visit our glass gallery as well as the studio which includes black floor tiling, additional shelving for more glass displays and a working storage room in the back of the studio.
However, most important, we provide a customer-friendly and observer-friendly setup of the glass blowing workshop where both full blown glass blowing and lamp working occurs six days a week.
Come visit us, peruse, observe and learn about the fascinating art of glass making. Tours and groups welcome.
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Jiang Jiamei studied glass blowing at Dalian Shengdao Glass, Ltd. which has become well-known internationally as well as being a nationally famous glass producer. Since 1999 Mr. Jiang visited many glass workshops and has continued to learn different kinds of artistic glass blowing skills. Over the years, he has created not only numerous blown art glass but also molded glass and sculpture work. Not satisfied with simply pursuing the composition and matching of colors in a variety of shapes but Mr. Jiang also focuses on the innovation of the craft itself. In some of his more interesting pieces, he has combined artistry with practicability through coalescent of glass and metal. |
| Past Guest Glass Artists at Schoolhouse Glass Glass Blowers |
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Xiao-Li Liu, born in Heilongjiang Province, China in 1986, began to learn glass blowing in 2002. Because of her love for glass, she visited various glass factories and worked hard to improve her skills. She came to Schoolhouse Glass in 2009, and is committed to not only blowing glass but, at the same time, began to learn the art of lampworking. She continues to improve her technique as she works and learns. |
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Mr. Zhang Shi-jiu started learning the art of glass blowing in 1988. In the beginning, he pursued glass blowing as an interest or hobby, but then he caught the glass blowing “bug” and became enthralled by it.He then traveled to various locations around China, working and learning the trade.
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Wang Zhan-fu, with deft hands and a b desire to acquire new knowledge, began his introduction to glass blowing at the age of 17 and has continued the learning process ever since. He has worked in a variety of glass blowing factories and is committed to and adept at using what he has learned about glass blowing. |
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Tucker Litchfield has worked with glass for the last ten years. He was drawn to blown and cast glass art during High School, after apprenticing at Heath Brook Studio in 1997. Tucker received a Bachelor’s Degree with an Individual Concentration in art, culture, and glass design from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2001. During this time he became gaffer of Heath Brook Studio. Tucker is currently experimenting with the artistic properties of glass in his own designs and exploring the creative possibilities of this fascinating medium. |
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In 1999 Summer Barkoskie received a Bachelor’s in Fine Art degree from the Massachusetts College of Art, majoring in Interrelated Media. Summer began working with glass three years ago. She has been inspired by the creative potential of combining glass with her diverse artistic background. Summer has previously worked with a wide range of media, including, stonemasonry, illustration, fashion, collage, and performance art. |
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Tucker and Summer together |
| Lamp Working Glass Artists | |
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Mr. Feng has worked for more than 40 years in the Chinese Army’s Science and Research Department. However, his passion is for the creation of art glass. He has constantly increased his knowledge of and expertise in the production of glass for art’s sake. By combining the latest technology of spray painting of inorganic and organic material, his creative art glass products received 3rd place and several outstanding awards at the second “Nine Stars Cup” of National Artistic Glass Products Competition. In 2007, Mr. Feng won first prize in the National Lampworking Competition held by CCTV hosted by Schoolhouse Art Glass in Mutianyu. |
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Pang Ercai . Mr. Pang studied glass instrument crafting with Professor Feng Yongnian of Qinghua University from 1974-76. For the next 30 years he worked in the glass instrument institute of Datong Chemical Plant in Shanxi Province making laboratory glassware. In the spring of 2006 he came to Schoolhouse Glass and began to use his master lampworking skills to create delightful figurines and objects. His works are delicately made and colored and often depict traditional Chinese themes. View Mr. Pang’s resume. |
| Special Short-term Guest Glass Artists | |
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Our guest glass artist, Vergil Suciu, was born in Bucharest, Romania. He earned a degree in Silicate Chemistry in 1973 and worked at the Romanian National Institute of Glass Research from 1973-2001. He has been a member of the Union of Romanian Artists since 1982. He is in Beijing with his wife who works at the Romanian Embassy. In the spring and summer of 2011, Vergil came to Schoolhouse Glass on weekends and holidays to focus on using recycled glass by fusing silver and copper to create his special art glass pieces. |