Aurora Borealis Glassworks

NEWS & Testimonials

Glass Addicts Trailer

Please check out Art by Gayle Reinhard

Aurora Borealis Glassworks is proud to announce that, to our knowledge, our hot shop and warm glass facilities are the first and only to be 100% solar powered in the world. On Feb. 17, our 9.8 KW PV array came on line and to date we have produced 1.5 megawatt hrs of electricity. We use electricity and propane to operate our equipment. Propane is actually stored solar energy from decayed plant matter grown by the sun many moons ago. Smitty

New at ABG, all of the 120 volt electrical loads (lights, fans, grinders, etc.) in our hot shop are now powered by solar.

Fran, our bead instructor, has made some new friends.

Six APS H.S. teachers graduating from Christele's comprehensive Stained Glass Class, in February, 2015. Congratulations!

ABG is providing a variety of Glass related training to members of the :Wounded Warrior Project" at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial Building.

TESTIMONIMIALS:

Aurora Borealis Glassworks provided my staff and I with a great hands-on learning experience. The teacher made it an experience that was smooth, fun and made us feel like experts at the end! We were surprised by how much we accomplished and how easy the instructor made it for us. This is the place to learn a new craft for both novice and experienced artists.

-From the staff at ACE Leadership High School

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"A really great hands on class. Took out all the fear and mystery and replaced it with fun!"Kendall Holmes, 51

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"Great class!" I learned more than I had hoped for. Smitty is an excellent teacher of the art. He is very patient and supportive. Exceeded my expectations. Lance Hale, 51

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"If you have ever had this much fun, I need to know about it! Smitty teaches in a way that is friendly and easy to understand. This is your portal to a whole new world of beauty, science, and wonder!" Jesse Bock, 36

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"Smitty is awesome! I will be back to take his other classes" Sherry

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"I don't know if you remember me from last year, but you guys put on a class last year the three kids, Alex 13, Elissa 16, and Sophia 15. They still talk about it and have asked to do it again for their birthdays this year. I know you need time to have an assistant instructor (which was perfect last year). So I wanted to set up a day when that's possible for you. Any Saturday would be best so that Sophia's mom can attend. Again, the class was a unique experience for the kids and adults and you guys were great!" Gerard Vaglio.

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"Really a great time. Pleasantly surprised. Would definitely recommend it. Walked away with two paperweights and a lot more knowledge. Aside from the learning experience, we really appreciated Smitty's patience. We could go on for hours in praise of Smitty and this lesson!"

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"When I first stepped into this studio I forgot about everything else that troubled my mind that day. This is the place to be when you want to forget & make something that you will ponder about for years to come!" Natalie Shapiro, 19

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"Fantastic! Better than I could have imagined. Wonderful instructor and a great class! Smitty stayed with us, giving us guidance, but allowing us to have hands-on experience. It as a thrill, the best thing I have done in living social."

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"I've wanted to try this my whole life (my grandfather was a glass blower). Everyone here is a teacher and shares their techniques. This is a great experience!" Ed Thomas, 60

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"The class was fabulous. The instructor was very good, very patient, and we learned a lot and love our pieces that we made. I highly recommend it! I think the instructor (Smitty) is a good teacher and he is funny to boot! Molten glass is HOT! I had a blast and learned a lot about glass in just five hours. Thank you Aurora Borealis Glassworks. Regards Ric La Ban

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The crash course in glass making was really great. Smitty was an amazing teacher and takes the time to really show you the process and it was a lot of fun. Best instructor for this medium. Had a blast with my mom there too!