New Orleans Glassworks & Printmaking Studio occupies a warehouse at 727 Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District. The space operates as a working studio where artists create glass pieces and prints while offering workshops for people who’ve never touched molten glass or carved a linoleum block.
The glassblowing workshops last two to three hours. You work at a bench with a torch, heating borosilicate glass rods until they glow orange and become pliable. An instructor stands next to you explaining how to control the flame temperature, rotate the glass, and shape it without burning yourself or cracking the piece. You make a pendant, a marble, or a small sculpture, depending on the workshop format.
This isn’t demonstration glassblowing, where you watch someone else work and take home their creation. You’re doing the actual work. Holding the torch, heating the glass, shaping it while it’s molten. The instructor guides your hands and tells you when to rotate or when the glass needs more heat, but you’re the one making the object.
The studio temperature climbs when multiple torches run simultaneously. Glassblowing generates serious heat even with smaller torches used for borosilicate work. Summer workshops get uncomfortable. Spring and fall offer better conditions. The warehouse has fans, but it’s still a working industrial space, not climate-controlled.
Printmaking workshops run separately. You learn relief printing, linocut, or monoprinting techniques using the studio’s presses. The process involves carving designs into linoleum blocks, inking the surface, and pressing paper onto the block to transfer the image. Printmaking moves more slowly than glassblowing. You have time to refine designs between steps.
The studio sells finished glass pieces and prints made by resident artists. Vases, bowls, jewelry, sculptures, and wall art fill the retail section. Prices range from small pendants under $20 to large sculptural pieces running hundreds of dollars. Everything is made on-site by artists who work in the studio.
Workshop schedules change monthly. The studio posts available dates on its website. Glassblowing workshops sell out quickly, especially weekend slots. Book at least two weeks ahead. Walk-ins don’t work because the studio operates by appointment with limited torch stations.
Age restrictions apply. Most glassblowing workshops require participants to be 13 or older. Printmaking workshops accept younger kids, depending on the technique. Private workshops for groups can accommodate different age ranges with advance notice.
The studio sits on Magazine Street between Andrew Higgins Boulevard and Josephine Street. Parking exists on Magazine or side streets. The streetcar runs down St. Charles Avenue two blocks away. The neighborhood is walkable from the Garden District or Lower Garden District hotels.
No prior experience required. Instructors teach complete beginners. The workshops assume you’ve never worked with glass or printing presses. People show up nervous about burning themselves or breaking expensive equipment. The instructors expect this and structure the workshop to minimize risk while keeping the experience hands-on.
You take your piece home the same day for printmaking. Glassblowing pieces need to cool slowly in a kiln overnight. You return the next day to pick up your finished work or arrange shipping if you’re leaving town. The studio holds pieces for up to two weeks before charging storage fees.
Safety equipment provided. You wear safety glasses during glassblowing. The studio supplies all tools, materials, and protective gear. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Glass dust and ink happen.
Workshop prices run $65-95 per person for glassblowing, $50-75 for printmaking. Private group workshops cost more. The studio sometimes offers discounted rates for locals or repeat participants. Check the website for current pricing and any promotional rates.
New Orleans Glassworks & Printmaking Studio doesn’t market itself as a tourist attraction. It’s a working studio that happens to offer workshops. The artists using the space are making their own work, not performing for visitors. The workshops exist because the studio needs income to stay operational, not because glassblowing makes a cute afternoon activity. That practical reality makes the experience feel less manufactured than typical tourist workshops.
New Orleans Glassworks & Printmaking Studio, 727 Magazine Street, Lower Garden District.
Glassblowing workshops $65-95, 2-3 hours, ages 13+. Printmaking workshops $50-75.
Book 2+ weeks ahead online. No walk-ins. Pickup next day for glass pieces. Closed-toe shoes required. neworleansglassworks.com
