Class Information

Tailored private experiences, corporate team-building workshops, off-site demonstrations, and more…

our studio classes

Studio classes are offered year-round at Dickinson Glass Studio and Showroom, located in picturesque Sebastopol, California. We offer glass lampworking classes for all skill levels, in a comfortable setting with small class sizes. We are passionate about glass and dedicated to providing education encompassing an ancient art form.

Our studio is equipped with Glass Torch Technologies (GTT) torches utilizing propane and oxygen, two Paragon kilns, an array of thoughtfully designed hand tools, and an assortment of borosilicate glass.

Owner and craftsman, Michael Dickinson, has been a faculty member at both The Crucible and Bay Area Glass Institute, reaching over 1,000 students ranging in age from 12 to 65+. He has worked with organizations for team-builds including Google, Facebook, Duckhorn Vineyards, Twitter, Square, Pinterest, Slack, Salesforce, Yelp, Girl Scouts, Sonoma Academy, and has hosted live demonstrations for Stanford University, Nissan, Bay Area Glass Institute, and Maker Faire, among other organizations.

team building workshops

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or email us at hello@dickinsonglass.com to get started!

testimonials

“Michael Dickinson does such wonderful and apparently magical things with fire and glass that you may wonder why you did not choose, at thirteen, to apprentice yourself to a master craftsman in a small cabin full of tools and surrounded by fir trees, possibly in Lapland. Michael recently gave a demonstration at Stanford’s arts-themed dorm, crafting a perfect speckled white conch shell, a sphere with a trompe-l’oeil spiral uncoiling in its heart, and a wine goblet worthy of Galadriel. Our students, regardless of major, were spellbound. To watch his glass turn and bubble and be born in that cone of flame was deeply calming, a reminder of an age in which the gifted and industrious human hand—not the keyboard—mattered most.”

— Andrew Toddhunter, Stanford University

☆☆☆☆☆

“I just finished my first class with Michael at Dickinson Glass in Sebastopol and it was amazing! We created glass hearts of various colors and sizes for Valentine's Day. I had no previous experience with lamp work, but this class very quickly got me hooked! Classes begin with a few minutes of basic orientation and safety, then Michael did a demonstration of the project. After that, we worked on our own at individual workstations. All tools, equipment and glass was provided. After just a few minutes, I was amazed that we were all creating glass pieces. At the end of the class, I had four small glass hearts to take home. Michael is an excellent instructor. He's very calm and good at communicating exactly what you need to do to achieve success. His demonstrations move at a perfect pace to give you the information you need without being too fast or too slow. Once you're working, Micheal offers tips and calm guidance. At the end, I think all five participants left with several nice pieces each. The space you work in is both beautiful and functional. It's like working in a nigh end glass gallery. Spotlessly clean with very nice tools and equipment, you feel like a professional. As a local Sebastopol resident, this is the type of experience I was hoping for when the Barlow was built. Now it's finally here and I can't wait to return!” — Ted L.

“My wife & I had the pleasure of stumbling into Michael & Nicolette's recently opened glass blowing studio & gallery just off the lively main drag at the Barlow market district in Sebastopol. In the calm & tidy space, we were treated to the kind of personal interaction found in the finest wine tasting rooms in our home area of Healdsburg - cheerful & generous explanations of gorgeous individual pieces & their creation, with neither pretentious jargon nor condescension.” — Bern s.

“My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed a beginner class with Michael this past weekend. His studio/gallery in Sebastopol's lively Barlow complex is neat and calm, reflecting his friendly and patient teaching style. The session was a great reminder of the joy of the "flow" state in which one loses track of time, and of the skill and care involved in handcrafting his beautiful pieces. It's a privilege to spend time with a master artisan, & we're proud to add some of his glasses to our home. Highly recommended!” — Bern Shen

“Michael's fine glass works are uniquely beautiful and elegant, and are sure to become treasured heirlooms. Love his work!”— byron anderson

“Michael’s work demonstrates his unique talent molding and shaping glass into works of art! We have purchased wine glasses and champagne flutes for gifts and our friends have been amazed at their beauty!” — Grace Santos