Entry No. 45 — the Los Angeles file — filed under: hands-on
Moonlight Glass (John Mooney)
Moonlight Glass is glassblower John Mooney's Venice studio offering private, beginner-friendly hot-glass lessons. In a one-on-one or small session you work directly at the furnace to gather and shape molten glass, making a paperweight, a stemless wine glass, or a tumbler. Because it's private instruction, the pace is tailored to you and you take home your finished pieces. It's a more intimate alternative to the bigger group studios.
The story
While most craft workshops in Los Angeles push large groups through high-volume warehouse spaces, John Mooney has been quietly manipulating molten glass in Venice since 1986. Mooney, a Pomona College graduate who opened his studio to private seven-day-a-week instruction in 2010, operates Moonlight Glass as a direct, unhurried alternative to commercial art-class chains.
There are no audience seats or assembly-line rotations here. It’s just you, Mooney, and a furnace glowing at soft-glass working temperatures. Because every session is strictly a private lesson or small intimate pairing, you spend actual bench time gathering molten material from the pot, rolling it on the marver, and controlling the blowpipe to shape a paperweight, stemless wine glass, or tumbler yourself.
What it's like
Step into an active, heat-heavy working studio where the furnace commands the room—dress exclusively in natural fibers like cotton and wear sturdy closed-toe shoes. You will be handling hot iron and molten glass under direct supervision, building up the physical rhythm of turning the pipe continuously so gravity doesn't warp your piece. Because glass requires an overnight stay in an annealing oven to cool slowly and prevent stress fractures, you won't walk out with hot artwork in hand; you will arrange to pick up your finished work once it has cooled.
The move: Book a private lesson and each blow a stemless wine glass to drink from at home.
📍 Before you go Lessons are private and by appointment, so reserve ahead; confirm exact pricing and what piece you'll make when you book.
- 📍 Venice
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Venice, Los Angeles, CA
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Mosaic Tile House — Double down on Venice's eccentric handmade artist history by visiting Cheri Pann and Gonzalo Duran's tile-covered home just down the street.
- The Museum of Jurassic Technology — Follow up an intense session working with physical molten glass by driving into Culver City for a quiet wander through a dim, twilight world of bizarre exhibits.
- Center for Land Use Interpretation — Pair the raw physical manipulation of hot silicon glass with deadpan archival exhibits examining how humans quietly alter large-scale landscapes.
Good to know
Do I need any previous glassblowing experience?
None at all. Private instruction is tailored specifically for complete beginners, with Mooney pacing the work directly to your comfort level.
What objects can beginners make during a lesson?
Depending on the session you book, students generally make functional or display pieces like a solid paperweight, a stemless wine glass, or a tumbler.
Can I take my glass home immediately after blowing it?
No. Freshly blown hot glass shatters if cooled too fast, so your piece must sit in an annealing kiln overnight before you can safely retrieve it.
How do I book a lesson?
Classes are strictly by appointment. You need to contact the studio in advance to set up a session time and confirm exact pricing for the object you plan to blow.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · coursehorse.com · Instagram
last checked: 2026-06-23