Glass Academy
The Glass Academy, located in a vintage tool-and-die shop area in Dearborn, Michigan. It is the creative brainchild of artists Michelle Plucinsky and Chris Nordin. Established in Detroit, the Glass Academy relocated to its current location in 2004. This 14,000-square-foot facility functions primarily as a private art studio for the founding partners, where large-scale commissioned projects (for hospitals, hotels, private patrons, and businesses) are fabricated in glass, metal, and mixed media. This is also where all glass is produced for BATCH Gallery and where the studio tapes it's Tuesday livestreamed show, “The Gathering Point” found on YouTube. An educational facility showcasing glass experiences, hands-on classes, and seasonal events, the Glass Academy aims to expand consumer awareness of how handcrafted glass can be utilized as both functional and decorative elements in modern applications.
As Glass Academy’s founders, Chris and Michelle share an extensive background in the glass arts, and both have impressive resumes in craft and business. In perfecting their glass skills, the creative duo has attended workshops from Maine (Haystack) to Seattle (Pilchuck), in addition to teaching at the professional level (Corning), traveling to work abroad in Italy, and running various offsite operations involving glassblowing.