Entry No. 43 — the Boise file — filed under: hands-on
Boise Art Glass
A working hot shop downtown where, in a single session, you can pull molten glass straight from the furnace and shape a paperweight, ornament, or cup with an instructor steering your hands the whole way. Beyond the furnace they also run torch flameworking classes and a memorial ash art workshop that fuses cremated remains into glass. Finished pieces need to cool and anneal slowly overnight, so you come back the next day to collect your creation.
The story
Boise Art Glass sits at Front and 12th behind a low-key facade that houses a two-story gallery upfront and a roaring, working hot shop in the back. Founded in 2004 by Prague-born glassblower Filip Vogelpohl—who studied under Murano masters like Cesare Toffolo—the studio operates on an open-door concept. Rather than locking the furnace away behind private studio doors, the craft plays out right in front of visitors and students.
The heat source is a 2,200°F furnace. During the one-on-one hot shop sessions, an instructor stands right at your elbows, guiding your hands as you gather glowing globs of molten glass onto steel blowpipes, roll them in colored glass chips, and shape paperweights, glass floats, or drinking cups. It's a precise physical dance where the glass stays pliable only while moving, constantly threatening to succumb to gravity if you stop rotating the pipe.
Beyond furnace glassblowing, the studio runs torch flameworking classes for fine jewelry and small sculptures, as well as specialized memorial workshops that fuse cremated human or pet remains directly into solid glass art. Because shaped pieces leave the pipe resting near 1,500°F, nothing can be taken home on the spot; every item must rest overnight in an annealing oven to cool down slowly and lock in structural stability.
What it's like
Prepare for a burst of radiant heat the moment you step back toward the furnace area. After strapping on safety glasses, you'll take the pipe with an instructor physically steering your movements to prevent 2,200°F glass from drooping. Don't fight for the scarce street meters along 12th Street; pull into the parking garage across Front Street at 11th instead (the first hour is free). Remember that your creation has to undergo an overnight cure in the annealing oven, so plan on a separate trip back the next afternoon to claim your finished piece.
The move: Book the two-person hot shop session and each blow a glass float or ornament, then return the next afternoon to pick up your cooled pieces together.
📍 Before you go Hot shop classes are by reservation; pieces must cure overnight so pickup is a separate trip.
- 📍 Boise (downtown / Front St)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1124 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Freak Alley Gallery — Walk three blocks north after your studio session to trade the glow of molten glass for the open-air painted brick of Boise's massive mural alley.
- Ampersand — Once your glass is tucked into the annealing oven, walk two blocks and ask for an 'elevated cocktail' at KIN's Art Haus Bar to reach Idaho's highest drinking spot.
- Clay Collective — If pulling 2,200-degree glass leaves you craving more hands-on craft, head under a mile away to take a turn at the pottery wheels.
- Clockwise Escape Room — Pair the heat and concentration of the hot shop with an offbeat escape room scenario two blocks away, including a 1974 asylum setup.
Good to know
Do I need any prior glassblowing experience to take a class?
No experience is required. Hot shop and torch classes are structured for beginners, with instructors guiding your hands through every step of the process.
Why can't I take my glass piece home immediately after making it?
Freshly shaped glass is around 1,500°F and will crack from thermal shock if cooled rapidly. Pieces must spend the night in an annealing oven to slowly cool down to room temperature.
What kinds of items can you make in the studio?
Depending on the class type, you can craft items like glass floats, paperweights, ornaments, cups, and bowls in the hot shop, or glass beads and small sculptures in the torch flameworking sessions.
Where is the best place to park when visiting Boise Art Glass?
Metered parking along 12th Street fills up quickly, so visitors are advised to park in the garage across Front Street on 11th, where the first hour of parking is free.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · idahonews.com · ktvb.com · travelgumbo.com
last checked: 2026-06-24