Entry No. 62 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: hands-on
Elev8 Premier Glass Studio
Elev8 is a working borosilicate glass studio founded in 2004, not a casual paint-and-sip spot — it runs in production mode all week and only opens its torches to students on weekends. The four-hour beginner Liquid Arts class gives you roughly three hours of actual torch time shaping molten glass, with all tools, oxygen, fuel, and eye protection provided. They won't run a class for a single person, so it's built for pairs. You keep whatever you make.
The story
Look past the commercial industrial stretch along East Platte Avenue. Elev8 Premier isn't a relaxed paint-and-sip operation with cute aprons and wine glasses. Founded in 2004, this is a gritty, full-scale borosilicate production studio where professional glass artists spend Monday through Friday behind high-temperature torches manufacturing functional glass art, custom rigs, and intricate marbles.
On weekends, they pause production and let you sit down at an industrial torch bench. This isn't furnace glassblowing where you gather soft molten glass on a long pipe from a massive vat; this is flameworking. Using concentrated oxygen-propane flames that push past 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll heat, rotate, and manipulate solid borosilicate glass rods and tubes—the same thermal-shock-resistant glass used in laboratory pyrex and custom pipework—learning how gravity and flame control dictate the shape of hot glass before it sets.
What it's like
You'll show up by appointment at a working fabrication space that smells faintly of fuel gas and hot steel. After strapping on a pair of specialized didymium eye protection glasses to filter out the brilliant sodium flare of molten borosilicate, you're assigned to a torch station. The four-hour beginner session gives you roughly three full hours of direct torch time, with an instructor guiding you through melting, pulling, and shaping raw glass into pieces like pendants or marbles that you get to keep.
The move: Spend a Saturday at the torch together melting and shaping borosilicate glass into a piece you each take home.
📍 Before you go Weekends only; by appointment; they won't run a class for just one person, so book as a pair. ~$140/person.
- 📍 East Colorado Springs (Platte Ave)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 6331 E Platte Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Kilroy's Workshop — Double down on industrial heat and raw craft by heading just down the road to handle coal forges and anvils.
- The Control Room — Head four miles west to unwind after your torch session with retro arcade cabinets, pizza, and spiked slushies.
- The Glass Collective by Sassy Glassy — Explore the cold side of glass craft with stained glass or fusing after mastering high-heat torchwork at Elev8.
Good to know
Do I need any prior glassblowing experience?
Not at all. The four-hour beginner class is designed for total novices and covers torch safety, fuel mix adjustment, glass temperature control, and basic shaping.
Can I book a class by myself?
No. The studio has a policy against running a class for a single individual, so you must book with a partner or bring a friend along.
How much does the class cost and what is included?
Expect to pay around $140 per person. That fee covers all four hours of workshop time, raw borosilicate glass stock, oxygen and fuel gases, tools, and protective eyewear.
When are classes available?
Classes are offered on weekends only and strictly by appointment, as the floor functions as an active commercial production studio during the workweek.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Tripadvisor
last checked: 2026-06-23