Visiting Artists
Upcoming Visiting Artists
with grant support thanks to
Kazuki Takizawa
Free Demonstration: January 16th, 2026, 5-7pm
As an artist who lives with bipolar disorder, Kazuki Takizawa uses glass as a means to explore his inner reality and destigmatize mental illness. With an aim to give the invisible shape, Takizawa crafts elaborate vessels and installations, each with a unique story. Universally rooted in a dialogue around mental health, his series examines broad themes such as attaining minimalism among chaos as well as his personal narratives around the topic of living with Bipolar Disorder and suicide prevention. His practice offers an uncommon and inclusive space to increase awareness and start a conversation.
Takizawa is a Japanese glass artist based in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a BFA in glass art in 2010 and currently owns and runs KT Glassworks, LLC in the historic West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Learn more about his work at https://www.kazukitakizawa.com/
Hot Sculpting with Jason Christian
January 19-23rd, 2026, 9am-5pm
This 5-day workshop is designed for intermediate-to-advanced glassblowers looking to significantly deepen their hot sculpting and advanced Venetian color techniques. Students will focus on the intricate use of cane, learning methods to pull, apply, and integrate these patterned rods directly into sculptural glass forms. We will explore how to achieve high-impact visual results using Duros color and employ the focused heat of a hot torch for precise shaping, detailed surface work, and altering the glass on the bench.
Free Demonstration: January 23rd from 5-7pm
Jason Christian grew up in Coupeville, a small town situated on Whidbey Island in Washington State. After seeing a master glassblower turn a molten blob into a flower in the late 1990s, he was hooked. The Northwest glass scene was in full swing. Dale Chihuly was hanging chandeliers in Venice. Italian masters were moving to Seattle. There was plentiful work to be had, along with the strong sense of community that Jason had wanted. He dove in and has flourished.
Jason is an integral member of Dale Chihuly’s boathouse team, collaborating with international artists, including the late Pino Signoretto. He has worked with many well-known glass artists, including Lino Tagliapietra, Martin Blank, Preston Singletary, James Mongrain, and Nancy Callan. Jason also has taught at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, WA, at Urban Glass in New York City, and at the University of Texas Arlington.
Learn more about his work at www.jasonchristianglassdesigns.com
Exploring Sculpture with Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen and Jasen Johnsen
January 26-30th, 2026, 9am-5pm
This 5 day workshop will be packed full of information about hot glass sculpting. Karen and Jasen will demonstrate color applications, textures, teamwork, torchwork, garage work, and plenty of sculpting techniques. They will also discuss glass colors and provide guidance to students to develop and create their ideas during their bench time.
Free Demonstration January 30th from 5-7pm
Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen’s work is the result of countless hours of observation and dedication to the studio glass movement. After earning her BFA in sculpture from Ohio University, glass quickly became the driving force in Karen’s life. She moved to Washington State in 1987, and soon afterward she began working as an assistant to the legendary glass artist William Morris. Over the last two decades Karen has honed her artistic voice and has undeniably helped pave the way for young females in the hot shop. Raised in Ohio, the daughter of a naturalist father, Willenbrink-Johnsen is constantly inspired, revitalized, and awed by the power of nature, often trying to capture this spirit in her own work. Karen’s unique vision and passion for glass is evident, teaching sculpting classes world wide with her husband and collaborator, Jasen Johnsen. Together they have inspired hundreds of new glass artists through their love of glass.
Learn more about their work at willenbrinkjohnsenglass.com
Bead Weaving with Sue Neel
January 31st 2026, 10am-1pm
Learn how to create a brick-stitch rope, a super versatile beadweaving project that is perfect to complement flameworked beads or fused jewelry. Create a necklace or bracelet using 8/0 seed beads, with different sizes or counts of beads to achieve different looks. You do not need to have bead-stitching experience, but be able to use a needle and thread and read written instructions and charts to successfully complete the project. There is no special equipment involved! You are welcome to bring your own materials or purchase a kit at the beginning of class ($35).
Sue Neel is an internationally known beadwork designer, instructor, and artist who works mainly with seed beads to create a variety of unique projects that focus on stitch techniques and designs that combine modern elements with classic style. Since moving to Arizona, Sue has taken to the torch and learning the fabulous art of lamp work bead making. Her new patterns strive to combine the use of beadweaving techniques with handmade glass beads and focals. Sue has taught beadwork classes in local bead shops, held workshops and instructed at conventions, and is now coming to SGS!
Scientific Approaches to Artistic Flameworking with Dan Hoffman
February 25-27th, 2026 9am-5pm
This workshop will focus on applying principles and techniques from scientific glassblowing to creating artistic works using solid and hollow borosilicate glass. These techniques will include working with relatively thin clear glass and maintaining even wall weight, assembling complex molecular style sculptures out of smaller bits of solid glass, a variety of hollow seals and shaping, flame annealing, bending glass tubing, and planning larger assemblies. Several methods for incorporating sculptures inside clear glass vessels will be taught with lots of demos and torch time.
Collab Demonstration Class
February 28th, 2026 9am-5pm
SGS Flame Shop Manager Brian Jacobson will be collaborating with Dan to make a borosilicate piece. The collaboration will incorporate advanced techniques and students will be encouraged to bring a notebook to bring these skills to their torchworking practice.
This is a demonstration class where participants can observe the artists collaborating to create an artwork. Ask questions, watch the techniques, and walk away with new torchworking knowledge to take home.
Free Demonstration: February 28th, 5-7pm
Dan Hoffman is a glass artist currently living and creating in Santa Cruz, CA. He draws inspiration from his background in chemistry and scientific glass technology, which he studied at UC Santa Cruz and Salem Community College, respectively. Dan is known for creating some of the smallest borosilicate glass pieces in existence, with a focus in accurate molecular structures and other sculptures based on the geometry of nature, in an effort to promote an appreciation of chemistry and its relation to the human experience. His work is in collections around the world and he has performed demonstrations in Austria, Scotland, Germany, Italy, and throughout the US.
Sculpting Stories with Dori Settles
March 2-6, 2026, 9am-5pm
Learn the amazing pate de verre technique to take an ordinary sneaker and turn it into an extraordinary realistic glass sneaker, complete with a sole. No previous experience is required for this fully guided workshop. You will learn about mold making, pate de verre techniques, and firing schedules for your different goals.
Free Lecture: March 7th 10am-noon
A multifaceted artist, Dori embraces various mediums to convey her messages. She has thrived as an installation artist, leading the creation of two large-scale temporary fiber art installations and indoor murals. Driven by her fascination with the intricate aesthetics and technical aspects of glass art, Dori has consistently pursued workshops to refine her skills and techniques in glass fusion (since 2013), kiln-casting (since 2015), and pâte de verre (since 2018). Pâte de verre remains Dori’s preferred and primary technique in her artistic practice. Whenever possible, she incorporates salvaged glass into her creations, showcasing her commitment to sustainability.
Today, Dori draws immense inspiration from the enchanting forest surrounding her home and studio in the mountains of North Carolina.
Learn more about her work at https://dorisettles.com/
Imaginative Torchworking with Shane Fero
March 16-20th, 2026, 9am-5pm
This 5 day workshop will focus on nature and our imaginations to create forms using tubes, rods, and powders in color and clear glasses. Students will learn about cover point pulling, blowing, flaring with tubes, and solid sculpture to realize these forms. Expect many demonstrations and lots of practice. We will be using soft glasses and some borosilicate.
Free Demonstration: March 20th 5-7pm
Shane Fero was born in Chicago, IL and has been a flameworker for 50 years and maintains a studio next to Penland School in North Carolina. He participates in international symposia and conferences by lecturing and demonstrating. Fero has taught at institutions such at Penland School, Urban Glass, the Pratt Fine Arts Center, the Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, the University of Michigan, Eugene Glass School, Espace Verre, Montreal, Quebec, the Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pilchuck Glass School, and internationally in the UK, Italy, Taiwan, China, Australia, and Japan.
Learn more about his work at www.shanefero.com
Previous Visiting Artists
James Lynch - Collab Demonstration Class
November 14th, 2025 9am-5pm, Public Demonstration 5-7pm
SGS Flame Shop Manager Brian Jacobson will be collaborating with James Lynch (@hicdogg) to make a borosilicate piece. The collaboration will incorporate advanced techniques and students will be encouraged to bring a notebook to bring these skills to their torchworking practice.
James Lynch has been working with glass since 1996. At 16, he discovered flameworking and began learning in his dad’s garage. At 18, he moved to Colorado to work at Diablo Glass. Since then, he has worked independently under his business, I Blew It Glassworks, and his nickname, HicDogg.
Danny White - Glassblowing Demonstration
April 26, 2025 Public Demonstration 5-7pm
Danny White (known as @ethan_windy online) is a distinguished glass artist known for his unique, light-hearted glass sculptures. Combining torchworking with hot glass, he creates whimsical sculptures characterized by narrative and storytelling. During this lecture/demonstration, Danny will entertain us with his unique glassblowing style and demonstrate techniques that help create his painterly artworks.
Born with a passion for art, Danny has been entertaining with his creations for as long as he can remember. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Two Dimensional Studies with a dual focus in Glass from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Ohio in 2008. His artistic journey took a significant turn in 2007 when he discovered the medium of glass, which he approaches much like painting, blending different mediums into a cohesive aesthetic
Richard Royal - Glassblowing Workshop
February 10th through 14th, 2025 9am-5pm, Public Demonstration 2/14 5-7pm
This workshop will include demonstrations and instruction by world renowned artist Richard Royal. He will emphasize and focus on effective and efficient glassblowing techniques to help students realize better versions of their creative ideas. This includes color applications, gathering and clear communication with assistants.
Richard Royal, a native of the Northwest and resident of Seattle, is recognized internationally as one of the most skilled and talented glassblowers in the studio glass movement. His sensitivity and natural affinity towards the material reveal themselves within his extensive body of work. Richard’s artistic approach combines sensuality, fluidity and bold abundance to deliver gracefully attenuated pieces that speak of their own elegance and sculptural verticality.
Awaken the Beast: Sculpting Animals in Hot Glass with Grant Garmezy
March 29th through April 1st, 2022 9am-5pm
Explore the potential of working with hot glass as a sculptural medium. This class will focus on using both solid and blown sculpting techniques to create animals and animal-inspired sculptures. We will bring sculptures to life using a variety of torches and sculpting techniques, which include solid sculpting, inside sculpting, assembly of parts, color application, garage use, and – most importantly – teamwork.
Grant Garmezy grew up on a working farm outside of Nashville, Tennessee. His passion for the arts led him to pursue studying at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond. Once he wandered into the glass studio, he discovered a love for the molten material. Grant is drawn to depicting animal imagery and natural forms when sculpting. Grant has taught and demonstrated worldwide and throughout the U.S.