Entry No. 73 — the Dallas file — filed under: hands-on
Temporary Reality
A small stained-glass shop run by a self-taught maker named Pearce who builds offbeat pieces like glowing D20 dice lamps. Their beginner intro class runs about four hours and walks you through every step of building a real stained-glass piece, from scoring and grinding glass to copper-foiling and soldering. You leave the same day with something you actually made.
The story
Stained glass has a reputation for being an art form locked behind gatekept apprenticeships or expensive home studio setups full of wet grinders and hazardous chemicals. Self-taught maker Pearce Dunlap quietly bypasses that whole barrier in Farmers Branch, crafting modern stained glass under the name Temporary Reality. Rather than sticking to traditional church transoms or Victorian floral panels, Pearce builds offbeat, geometric objects—most notably glowing 20-sided D20 dice lamps constructed out of stained glass and solder.
Instead of just selling finished pieces, the shop doubles as a workshop space that condenses the multi-step craft into a single four-hour class. Pearce walks complete novices through the mechanical realities of the medium: scoring sheets of glass with a carbide wheel, snapping them cleanly, smoothing sharp edges on a diamond-bit grinder, wrapping every outline in thin copper foil, and running a hot iron with solder along the seams to lock the whole structure together.
What it's like
Expect to get your hands dirty and work with real tools from minute one. You sit at a workstation outfitted with scoring wheels, running pliers, a wet grinder, flux, and a soldering iron. Glass cutting has a quick learning curve—you will hear that satisfying snap when a score line breaks right—followed by the hum of the grinder wheel and the metallic smell of hot solder melting over copper tape. The vibe is focused and relaxed, but spots are limited per session and sell out fast online, so do not expect to just walk in off Alpha Road without a booking.
The move: Cut, foil, and solder your own small stained-glass panel side by side in a single afternoon session and walk out with two finished pieces.
📍 Before you go Classes are listed as dated sessions on their site and sell out; register for a specific date in advance.
- 📍 Farmers Branch
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4480 Alpha Rd #100, Farmers Branch, TX 75244
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- The Stache at Renny's — Unwind after four hours of focused soldering with a quiet cocktail inside a 30-seat speakeasy just two miles away in Preston Hollow.
- Sound Bath Dallas — Pair a high-focus workshop with a restorative gong-and-crystal-bowl sound bath down the road to loosen up your shoulders after grinding glass.
- Snug Space — Keep the craft-and-art evening going by slipping into this zero-proof speakeasy hidden behind a bookcase in nearby Richardson.
Good to know
Do I need any experience with stained glass or power tools?
None at all. The four-hour intro class is built for total beginners and covers every step from cutting raw glass to final soldering.
Do I get to take my glass panel home the same day?
Yes. You complete the entire process—scoring, grinding, foiling, and soldering—in the four-hour block and leave with a finished piece.
How do I reserve a spot in a workshop?
Classes are listed as specific dated sessions on the Temporary Reality website. Because seating is intentionally kept small, sessions sell out well ahead of time and require advance registration online.
Where is the shop located?
The workshop sits in Farmers Branch at 4480 Alpha Rd #100. Always check your booking confirmation details for parking and entry notes before heading over.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Facebook · Instagram · voyagedallas.com
last checked: 2026-06-23