Entry No. 31 — the Portland file — filed under: glassblowing
Local Art Glass
Set inside the old Pickle Factory building in North Portland, this hot-shop glassblowing studio — founded in 2010 by artist Evan Burnette — is the answer locals give when asked where to take a glassblowing class for a date.
The story
You'll find Local Art Glass inside The Pickle Factory, a sprawling 1920s industrial complex off North Columbia Boulevard where pickled cucumber vats have long given way to artisan workshops and high-heat trades. Founded in 2010 by glass artist Evan Burnette, the studio operates out of Suite B202—a cavernous, concrete hot shop anchored by roaring 2,000-degree glass melting furnaces.
While many production glass studios keep the public behind safety glass, Burnette built Local Art Glass specifically around hands-on instruction. Rather than just watching a master craftsman from a bench, you are handed a blowpipe, guided to the glory hole, and taught how to gather molten glass, apply crushed colored frits, and shape a solid lump into a hollow vessel or sculpted glass form using traditional iron tools and damp wood jack pads.
What it's like
Finding the studio requires navigating the maze of The Pickle Factory; ignore the main Columbia Boulevard address and make your approach via the entrance on North Albina Avenue. Inside, the shop is hot, loud, and smells like scorched wood and hot metal—dress in natural cotton fibers, avoid synthetic clothes that melt, and wear sturdy closed-toe shoes. You won't leave with your creation that day: molten glass requires a slow, overnight cool-down in an annealing oven to prevent shattering, so plan to return a few days later to pick up your finished piece.
The move: Book a public glassblowing class together at the furnace and each gather, shape, and blow your own glass piece to take home.
- 📍 St. Johns / North Portland
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 866 N Columbia Blvd, Suite B202, Portland, OR 97217 (enter via N Albina Ave at The Pickle Factory)
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Bridgetown Forge — Double down on North Portland heavy industrial crafts by pairing a glass furnace session with Arnon Kartmazov's hand-forging shop just half a mile away.
- Paul Bunyan Statue — Hit Kenton's towering 31-foot roadside lumberjack icon right up the road before or after your shift at the blowpipe.
- McMenamins Chapel Pub — Cool down after the 2,000-degree furnaces with a pint inside a restored 1930s funeral mortuary chapel down the street.
Good to know
Can I take home my glass creation immediately after class?
No. Freshly blown glass must stay in an annealer overnight to cool down gradually without cracking from thermal shock. You will need to swing back by the studio a few days later to pick it up, or arrange for shipping.
What should I wear to a glassblowing workshop?
Wear natural fibers like 100% cotton T-shirts and jeans, closed-toe leather or canvas shoes, and tie back long hair. Avoid synthetic fabrics like polyester or nylon, which can melt near the intense heat of the furnace.
Where do I enter the studio at The Pickle Factory?
Although the formal postal address is on N Columbia Blvd, the actual studio access and parking entrance are located off N Albina Ave.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-20