Today we’re in Burnsville, NC, at a place with links to history and a major development in American Art: the Studio Glass Movement. Shaped by breath and fire, no two pieces of blown glass are exactly the same. Watching a glass artist at work is mesmerizing. And with the right instruction, you can give it a try too.

Located in a beautifully retrofitted Gulf Oil Filling station, Hearth Glass & Gallery was founded by the grandchildren of the father of the Studio Glass Movement, Harvey Littleton. They’re on a mission to carry on his legacy of experimentation and education.

Hearth’s Make-Your-Own Glass class allows individuals to channel their creativity and craft unique glass masterpieces. It’s a hands-on, guided experience in a beautiful, top-of-the-line setting. Hearth also offers private lessons and an apprenticeship program for local youth.

Here you work in a really cool production studio that also manufactures custom glassware, lighting, and sculpture… and rents space to dozens of local artists, including Terrane Glass, whose high-end barware is now sold at Williams Sonoma.

The adjoining gallery is simply magical. It’s filled with functional and artistic glass pieces that are all incredible. So, even if you don’t come for a class, Hearth is a must-stop for appreciating some amazing works of art.

And another cool thing about Hearth Glass is its batch testing facility. “Batch” is the raw material recipe that is later transformed into useful objects or works of glass art. And the batch tested here comes from right up the road.

Did you know that this area produces some of the best batches anywhere on planet earth? The clarity is literally unmatched, making this place one of the best in the world for glass arts. Eat your heart out, Venice.

Hearth Glass & Gallery is a special place where the carefully-tended legacy of Harvey Littleton can ignite a passion for glass artistry. Come give it a try… shop the gallery… and leave with beautiful art and fantastic memories.