Lydia Maguire 
Inside a glass studio in Newark, a furnace burns at 2,300 degrees as artists and students prepare for a major change. After more than two decades at its longtime home on 10 Bleeker Street, GlassRoots, the beloved nonprofit glassworking studio, is stepping into its next chapter with a move just a ten-minute walk away to a much larger, purpose-built space at 23 William Street in Teachers Village. The address may be new, but the mission remains the same, and the impact is about to grow. The Montclair Girl was among the first to tour the new studio ahead of its official opening in Spring 2026, when staff and students will finally have a space designed specifically for the work they do. We even had the privilege to take part in its inauguration by breaking a GlassRoots glass sphere that will be incorporated into a future collaborative artwork. Read on to learn what you can expect from the new and expanded GlassRoots studio and why this move matters.
A Brief History of GlassRoots
Founded in 2000 by Pat Kettenring, GlassRoots has spent more than two decades bringing the transformative art of glassmaking to Newark youth. Thanks to revenue generated through professional artists’ renting studio time and the studio’s award-winning business, GlassRoots can offer its educational programming at little to no cost to students from within the Newark community.
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As students grow through the program, some are hired part-time, turning early exposure to the arts into a real opportunity. During our visit, we met one instructor who started as a GlassRoots student at just nine years old. Today, despite still being quite young, he is the longest-standing member of the GlassRoots community, a powerful example of what sustained access to the arts can make possible.
Saying Goodbye to Bleeker Street
There is a lot of history packed into 10 Bleeker Street. Student work lines the walls, glass art rests on shelves near the offices, and every inch of space feels used, loved, and full of stories. It is cozy, neighborly, and welcoming. It is also bursting at the seams.
During our visit, we watched artists engraving and polishing awards in the cold shop, carefully smoothing and finishing pieces that help sustain the organization’s mission. In the hot shop, a roaring furnace burns at 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit as flames lick the edges of the furnace door. Professional artists rent studio time, awards production supports operations, and everything feeds back into education.
What Changes at the New Teachers Village Location
The move to Teachers Village changes everything. Previously, GlassRoots instructors traveled to partner schools to teach classroom-friendly forms of glass art like stained glass. Now, students will come directly into the studio and into the hot shop itself, experiencing glassblowing up close as molten glass is shaped in real time. With more, larger classrooms, GlassRoots staff are already imagining full groups of students working side by side, no one left behind.
Large street-facing windows allow passersby to watch the process unfold, turning the studio into a visible, active part of the neighborhood. Its location in Teachers Village also deepens GlassRoots’ connection to education, with the studio now sitting next door to one of its partner schools.
Inside, the upgrades are substantial. Where there was once a single furnace, there are now several. Classrooms are larger and more numerous, with space for U-shaped worktables that can accommodate up to 16 students at a time. Teachers can move easily among their students as they guide them through the process. The cold shop includes multiple water outlets, and a dedicated display room allows glass awards to be refined and showcased on site.
Art That Reflects the Community
One of the most striking features of the new space is a commissioned sculpture by artist Dean Allison, created in collaboration with two GlassRoots alumni. Selected through an open submission process, the alumni were photographed and incorporated into the design of an original sculpture capturing a single glowing piece of glass at the end of a blowpipe, suspended mid-transformation. The piece will greet visitors in the reception area and serves as a visual reminder that GlassRoots is not just teaching a craft, but building a creative community over time.
As we walked through the unfinished rooms, with exposed black piping, signature orange accent walls, and boxes still waiting to be unpacked, it was easy to imagine what was coming next: Furnaces roaring. Artists collaborating. Students learning through trial and error. The hum of the cold shop. The sound of laughter when a mistake turns into a lesson.
A Reason to Visit
For Montclair residents, GlassRoots makes for an easy and meaningful day trip, just about 20 minutes away. The studio offers classes and workshops for adults, families, and workplace teams looking for a creative community-building experience. On a separate assignment, we even learned that Montclair Public Library Adult Education classes have brought students to GlassRoots for hands-on workshops.
A shelf labeled with objects that can be made during “Date Night With Fire” caught our eye, making it clear this is also a uniquely memorable option for couples looking to try something different. Supporting GlassRoots means supporting Newark arts education while doing something hands-on, creative, and genuinely unique.
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Board President and Montclair resident, Ken Press, shared his excitement about what lies ahead. “2026 will be a year of massive and exciting change for Glassroots: we are moving into a beautiful new space and celebrating our 25th anniversary! As Board President, I am focused on growing our funding and community to support our new space and further our ongoing mission: GlassRoots sparks change and enables growth in individuals and communities through the transformative power of glass art. As a Montclair resident, I’m hopeful art lovers and experience-seekers from our town will visit us in Newark—they can play with fire (safely!) while supporting arts education—only 20 minutes away!”
Classes, workshops, and experiences can be booked at glassroots.org.
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