While guests toured the redesigned Perry Glass Studio Tuesday, Alyssa Riley weathered temperatures above 2,000 degrees, perfecting her candy dish in the reconfigured reheating chamber.
The hot shop is now separate from other class spaces, an improvement, said the Old Dominion University student.
“I’m obsessed with it,” said Riley, also a part-time staff member. “We’re just so fortunate to have this professional space for our program.”
The Perry Glass Studio has more than tripled its space with an extensive renovation and addition, and opens to the public on Friday.
The studio is part of the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, one of only two comprehensive art museums in the country with a glass studio.
The Perry opened in 2011 with 9,200 square feet and is now 33,200, making it among the “finest glassmaking studios in the world,” said Robin Rogers, program director and Glass Studio manager.
A lineup of events starting Friday concludes the $30 million, six-year campaign. More than a dozen artists will participate, including world-renowned glassblower Dante Marioni and the acclaimed de la Torre Brothers. A Friday evening private artist dinner will recognize the 300 donors who contributed $56 million to the Campaign for the Chrysler, $30 million of which was used for the Perry.
Saturday's Glass & Glitz gala and auction is sold out. Festivities conclude on Sunday with El Día de los Niños — Day of the Child — Festival, a free event with street theater, an art carnival and glass demonstrations. A portion of Grace Street will be closed on Sunday and organizers suggest visitors use public transportation or ride share.
Perry's enhanced spaces enable it to offer simultaneous programming, something the original building could not easily accommodate.
“All of our programs are designed to get people excited about glass," Rogers said. "We offer opportunities for people at every stage of their glass journey.”
That includes students from ODU, Norfolk State University, Tidewater Community College and The Governor’s School from the Arts, who take regular classes there.
Visitors can browse its collection, which now includes an evolving community gallery. Daily demonstrations at noon present a close-up of the delicate process of working with glass, which can crack if temperatures stray too far in one direction.
Expanded community classes change with the seasons, with none more popular than blowing glass pumpkins in the fall. The slate includes “Eggstravaganza,” where participants work with hot glass to create seasonal eggs, and colorful beadmaking.
A 190-seat amphitheater-style hot shop offers front row and balcony seating for live performances and demonstrations. While it’s toasty up close, a modern HVAC system makes it “one of the cooler hot shops,” said Julia Rogers, the studio's higher education and outreach coordinator.
The Perry continues its monthly Glass After Dark event, which combines hot glass and live music into an entertaining experience.
The facility also features metal, mold and wood shops, a catering kitchen and patio space for outdoor demonstrations. It is also designed to manage flooding, a prevalent issue in the area. The addition was built 4 feet above the floodplain and is landscaped with retention areas to act as a sponge.
The Perry is at 245 Grace St., Norfolk. Visit chrysler.org/glass for more information.
