This hardware driven design class will live in the Bot Lab, Wood and Metal studios, exploring the creative and structural possibilities of the interstitial space between glass, metal, wood, textiles, and found objects. Students will investigate joining, supporting, and displaying elements in sculptural or functional forms. Jay will act as atelier, producing designs, Jakub will pull it all together. Emphasis will be placed on material dialogue, conceptual development, and problem-solving in mixed-media construction. Through demonstrations, hands-on experimentation, and collaborative projects this class encourages innovative thinking and is ideal for design students interested in sculpture, lighting, installation, or interdisciplinary practices.

This course will focus on functional practices and material usage based on diverse production styles of glassmaking, material research, and manufacturing processes. These concepts will be studied together and with guests, through a crossover and collaboration between the torch and the furnace. The goal is to emphasize material understanding for problem-solving and innovative solutions while encouraging students to think beyond traditional studio boundaries. As a physical discussion on techniques and technology - old and new, production and studio, and welcoming them or fearing them, students will develop and bring a product line to fruition collaboratively by end of the session.

Explore the wow factor of glass as a body ornament, from the elegance of minimalist collections to one of a kind and bold statement pieces. Students will first learn various processes in glass blowing, hot shaping, cold working, kiln forming and 3D stained glass. Then each student will develop their own project while focusing on design, functionality and high-end finish. The instructor will help the students individually, and guide them through the exploration of their own aesthetic in wearable glass. All levels are welcome, from new beginners to experienced glass makers who wish to refine their practice.

This class will focus on problem solving through design. We will discuss the core principals of design and object ideation as well as the steps necessary to execute our ideas.Through daily lecture and demos we will be discussing themes such as design from formal perspective, consideration of audience and intention, as well as the importance of production processes to arrive at fully thought-out product. We will be approaching process from the lens of both designer and fabricator. Students should come with an open mind, sketch book and great attitude ready to learn and share!

This course explores glass as a vessel for collective imagination. Through techniques including warm glass (fusing, slumping, open face casting), cold shop (cutting, carving, sandblasting), and engraving, students will collaboratively transform found objects and images into layered, poetic artifacts. Inspired by surrealist methods like the exquisite corpse, the course embraces process, intuition, and transformation. Participants will work across each other’s projects, creating hybrid pieces that shift from the 2D to the 3D and back. Outcomes include conceptual glass objects, process-based installations, and collective experiments in form and meaning. Optional elements include drawing sessions, writing prompts, and performative presentations.