From 9am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday, December 7-8, The Studio will host its annual Holiday Open House and Glass Sale. Now in its 24th year, this event is a festive weekend packed with special holiday glassworking experiences and the much-anticipated Annual Studio Glass Sale, bringing together The Studio team, volunteers, and families from near and far. The celebration continues Museum-wide with live carolers and bands, crafts, and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
A majority of the artwork available at the sale is made in Corning by local artists, with additional glass donated by artists-in-residence and established glassmakers from around the world. This is a great opportunity to begin holiday shopping for unique gifts at great prices. The sale is located along the hall from The Studio and can be found by following signs from The Studio’s main entrance.
Proceeds from the Annual Studio Glass Sale benefit The Studio Scholarship and Residency Fund. This fund provides almost 100 scholarships annually, in addition to supporting The Studio Artist-in-Residence program. The Studio delights in giving artists from around the world the opportunity to pursue their glassmaking education and seeing our community grow.
Other staples of the Holiday Open House are the holiday-themed glassworking projects.
For many families, these shared experiences are an annual tradition. In addition to creating one-of-a-kind works of art, participants cherish making intergenerational memories.
Projects include blown glass baubles and flowers, flameworked icicles, fused glass ornaments, and sandblasted drinkware.
This weekend of events is a monumental effort for our entire team, and The Studio family loves to welcome home the volunteers who return year after year. Among our volunteers is Mary McEachern, who has donated her time to the Holiday Open House since 2004. Mary helps to curate the glass sale and is beloved for providing the hard-working team with delicious baked goods. She says she loves “the thrill of discovery of unwrapping all the paper parcels to unveil the glass,” and that she is grateful to be able to give a couple days of her holiday season so that students and artists can earn scholarships.
Phil and Lisa Rogerson are glass artists and patrons who donate their artwork, volunteer their time, and always purchase glass from the sale. Phil says that he and Lisa “have gotten so much from The Studio in our glass education, and it feels good to give our support.” The operation wouldn’t be a success without the help of Mary, Phil, Lisa, and so many others.
We invite you to make The Studio Holiday Open House part of your family’s season of celebration. We hope to see you there!