Barrio Glassworks

So, like a lot of other folks I love reality TV competitions, Great Baking Show, Drag Race and Blown Away. So when I was thinking about a unique artistic activity for my daughter's birthday I thought about glassworks. Now it was a ways from our hotel as it's in Carlsbad but SO SO SO worth the trip. My daughter was so surprised and we got to work with Mary Catherine (bonus points for strong female role models). Mary the owner was so nice and friendly, and the heat of the shop was offset by the ocean breeze. Everything was carefully explained and it was amazing to work hot glass and help to make something. Everything in the gallery was so beautiful so we also found souvenirs and gifts for the folks at home. I felt very safe and felt they made sure my daughter was safe and it was a unique artistic amazing bonding experience. I can't wait for them to ship us the heart she made and my paperweight. Highly recommend!!

This was such a fantastic experience! My sister and I have always wanted to work with glass so knew we would enjoy ourselves. Working with Mary made it even more fun! We love our creations and achieved the colors we set out to make. Barrio Glassworks were professional, safety-conscious and made this a joyous occasion. We totally recommend!

Excellent team building event. Informative, fun, creative, and safe. A family-run business with a inspiring story of their path into glass blowing. Definitely recommend.

Went for a small girls trip to do a glass blowing class and had an amazing time! Everyone there, from the person teaching to the cashier, were super friendly and helpful. The gallery was super inviting itself and very gorgeous and the workshop side of things was super interesting, even just to watch. It was such a unique experience that I will definitely have to do again.

Amazing make-your-own experience where you are guided through a glass making project! Highly recommend!!! My husband and I made glass paperweights and you can pick your colors. This was an awesome experience!!!

Barrio Glassworks is a gem in Carlsbad. They have an amazing gallery filled with beautiful glass work by local artists. They also feature a rotating installation that is always impressive and wonderful to experience. But the true heart of Barrio Glassworks is the glassblowing studio where you can watch these talented artists shape molten glass into amazing sculptures in front of your eyes. They have a few seats inside and several rows of bench seating outside for you to enjoy the show. I highly recommend the gallery for a beautiful, handmade piece for your home or a gift. And don’t forget to hang out and watch the artists do their thing. You’ll be “blown away”. 😃

Really fun and interesting place. Did a intro to glass class here with my wife lead by one of the owners Gary. Fantastic teacher and very conscientious. Family owned with a really cool location. Amazing art! Parking was easy.

This is a must do! We have gone several times with friends and with family. Everyone had a blast! Mary and Gary, the owners, are great teachers of the trade! Anyone can do this. And to have a great treasure in the end, wow! Also there is a great store if you’re looking for a gift. If you want to check it out you can go by and watch other people doing it as well. Put it on your to do list !

We had a fantastic experience at Barrio Glassworks. We received the workshop experience as a gift from a good friend and it was more than we ever anticipated. Neither of us had any experience whatsoever with glass work but our worries were quickly addressed. Gary was an excellent guide in the process. He put us at ease immediately by showing us what we would be making and giving us choices all along the way. He was patient with our questions and wanted to make sure we felt safe and comfortable throughout the entire process. The two pieces we made (both paperweights, one spherical and one heart-shaped) were simple but beautiful. We were able to choose the color combinations for our pieces and learn about why some colors are better suited than others for what we were after. Gary walked us through each step, explaining why it was important to the process. It never felt rushed, either. We were able to ask whatever questions we had. This is a wonderful experience for everyone, whether it's someone looking to get an introduction into glass working and plans to take it further or someone who wants to try something new as a one-time thing. You should plan to return to pick up your pieces as they will need to cool off for at least a day or two. They will hold pieces for you so you can return at your convenience or ship them to you. They have a nice gift shop where you can buy beautiful glass pieces for reasonable prices.

What a great experience. Two of you get a private class for one hour learning how to make a glass paper weight or a heart. The first class does not involve blowing the glass, which makes more sense once you learn the basics of glass making. The instructors are really informative, eager, and seem to love what they're doing. Your piece has to anneal cool down slowly so you have to pick up your piece after 24 hours. Even for the price, the experience was well worth it, especially for a date.

Such a unique and exciting experience!! I have done both the Beginner Make Your Own class where we created beautiful paper weights as well as the 2 hour Private Lesson to create a vase, cup, or bowl. Both were just excellent. The Beginner class was a great way to get acquainted with the glass blowing process and equipment, which I previously knew nothing about. And then our second lesson was a fun way to expand our creativity to create something different. The instructors were also excellent. Since the equipment can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing (which we didn't), they did a great job keeping us protected while also allowing us to get the hands-on experience. We also enjoyed chatting to Mary, one of the owners, about how Barrio came to be. After your lesson you can also browse their gallery which is filled with beautiful pieces for sale from local glass blowing artists. If you don't plan on taking a lesson, you can also just stop by and sit in their front viewing area to see the artists at work. Lessons are not cheap but for me it was something I had always wanted to try so I was glad I did it! I definitely hope to return for another class at some point to add to my personal collection!

My girlfriend took me here as a surprise Christmas present since I have always wanted to try. It was an amazing experience!! We took the beginners build your own class and we got to make these glass ball things. Kelsey, our instructor, was extremely kind and knowledgeable in everything. She walked us through every step and was very reassuring when I was scared about burning myself hahaha. I would 100% recommend coming here :)

Great place to visit, watch the glass blowing, pick up a treasure for yourself or a friend. Beautiful selection of artisan glass. One of my favorite places to waste time!

This was so much fun! We came in a group of 7 and truthfully had no idea what to expect. When we got to the place and saw all the equipment and felt the heat we were a little nervous. Staff was very thorough in their explanation of everything and we felt very safe the entire time. We learned so much! Never have I done something even remotely like this and was amazed by the whole process. You build your own items and get to take them home afterwards. They also demonstrated the fascinating glass blowing technique. A little pricy but would highly recommend for a fun family outing!

Excellent - that sums up my experience, the staff, the quality, etc. We have been wanting to try this for awhile and we finally booked it. Booked a Sunday 1 hour beginner course and arrive a little early. Free parking and plenty of it. You will first notice the colorful mural on the outside of the building, the large open windows, and the heat emanating from the different ovens inside. You check in at the gift shop, sign the waiver if you have not already done so online. The gift shop has many incredible items that are for purchase and some examples of what you will be doing / making from the previous classes. Your items are ready for pickup about 48 hours after the class ends. Chelsey was our instructor. She was incredible. Fun, nice, helpful and guides you through the whole process and never makes you feel dumb for asking questions. I think she mentioned her degree was in Art or related, and also a specialty in glass blowing or something like that and had been doing it for 8+ years. For the class we picked we got to choose between a paper weight or a heart. All materials are provided including gloves, eyewear, and the materials to make your items. You make a practice item together and then each person in your party makes their item. The ovens are warm, I think some were over 1400 degrees, so it does get toasty in there even with the windows open. Water is provided too. It was an incredible and fun experience, and you can take pictures and videos too. If you have been on the fence deciding, go for it, you will not regret it and they have a great satisfaction policy too, so you definitely will not regret it.

This was an amazing experience. I brought my 2 daughters, my granddaughter, and I. It is such a wonderful experience. We as a family enjoyed Gary who helped us and shared his knowledge of glass with us. It was a such an amazing experience and a memory my family and shared. It was awesome. Thank you Gary.

We did the first level make your own glass class, and it was terrific. Mary guided us through the process and took a lot of time to explain the process and the science behind it. She also was just a wonderful person to talk to and hear her stories. It's so nice to have an activity like this in the heart of the Village to bring people in and encourage local arts.

Stumbled on this place while on vacay to SD! Everyone was very nice. They offer classes on glass art. Most of their classes are filed for this weekend. So I will have to come back and book ahead of time.

GLASS BLOWING STUDIO (5 stars) Started 2023 with glass blowing!!! Spent 40 minutes in the studio for $75 and left with 2 glass pieces after 2 days of annealing. Photos are out of order but here's the run down. 1. Dab some clear blob with the pole 2. Melt clear blob in a chamber that's 2,100+F and turn slowly clockwise a few turns and then counter clockwise a few turns 3. Pick your blend of Frit 4. Dab the melted glass in the Frit 5. Stick back into the chamber and repeat step 2, then skip to step 6 6. Rest pole on table and pinch the blob with big metal tweezers, this is to mix the Frit colors to make your design 7. Stick back into chamber and repeat step 2, then skip to step 8 8. Rest pole on table and use various tools to shape the blob 9. Slowly roll pole as glass starts to cool off (yet still extremely hot) 10. Knob off the glass from the pole 12. Make a base and stamp it 13. Into the annealer for 2 today 14. Pieces will be packaged and ready for pick up in the gallery (not the studio area) 15. Glass balls aka paperweights, check!!! Yelp, you have some bugs. Photos not fully uploading and also out of order.

I made a reservation for my daughter and grandson to make their own items at Barrio Glassworks! The staff were great and Gary, the instructor, was really great especially with the 13 year old grandson!! They selected their items to make and it was a great selection to choose from. I even bought a few items from the store. The Make Your Own class was reasonably priced for the time they spent with the two people doing the pieces with the teacher. I can't wait till they get their pieces when we get home. Great experience for all concerned!! We appreciate your great service and instruction!! One of the best experiences of our annual vacation! Thank You!!

Wow this was unbelievably fun!!! My family had a fantastic time working with glass for the first time. Our instructor was very patient and knowledgeable. I felt safe the entire time. It was an incredible experience, and my son wants to continue private lessons. During your first private lesson, you are allowed to make a circular paperweight or a heart. I got to make both. Subsequent lessons have you learning how to make glassware. We saw an experienced student making incredible pieces of art. Everything was super fun and very well run. Highly recommend it!

Ornament finished cooling off ( see pictures attached). I chose the Brownish looking sample ornament (next to the red) as it was multiple colored when light shown through it ( I think it was number 1 of the sample). I COULDNT BE MORE HAPPY WITH IT!! It turned out a lot better than I expected as I wasn't too much of a fan of the brown shade as I chose it for its light reflecting properties. So in love with it. An amazing and joyful experience.

Such a cool place. Glass blowing in the front and a glass art gallery/shop in the back. The gallery features work from a variety of local artists and it is all available for purchase. They offer a variety of glass blowing classes and have a great viewing area from 2 different sides. Independently owned by Mary and Gary (owners) whom are always on hand to greet you with a smile. They love nothing more than to share their craft with others. My daughter and I frequent the shop (just killing time while waiting for some lesson or sport to end) and Mary is always so sweet to my daughter. My daughter quite talkative and Mary is so patient and engaging with her. It makes positive experience. I recently purchased a glass blowing class for my mom and am looking forward to hearing about her experience.

What an experience! An absolute must do. I do wish we could have done more but you def need more experience and practice to start going big. And this truly makes you appreciate the craftsmanship and intricacies that goes into making these pieces of art. We got to choose from a globe or heart shaped paperweights. We got to select our colors, we got close to the heat, we twisted and turned, we cooled and heated, we knocked and stamped. And each step was closely guided by Gary, who was super friendly and sweet. The family story is just adorable. I don't want to give everything away, but this is an experience I'd do again.

Beautiful glass gallery. Multiple artists display their work for sale in the gallery. The studio with the furnace is in front, gallery in back. From functional glass like bowls, vases and glasses, to art pieces like butterflies, the gallery is wonderful. Well worth it to visit and support local artists.

Our bachelorette group took a "Make Your Own" glass class-- such a highlight of our weekend! Mary and Gary were so friendly and clearly passionate about what they do. The instructions were easy to follow! They explain the equipment, each step, and even some terminology (like "stringers"). Thank you, Barrio Glassworks! Can't wait to see our final product when it ships!

We just took a private class at the glassworks, and made glass pumpkins. You can make pumpkins or paper weights or hearts. We had an absolute blast, it moves very quickly, but Gary is an excellent teacher. We have come and watched them work before, but this is the first time we were on the other sideof the door. We are absolutely coming back.

Great place - just a quick visit to get gift lessons set up and was surprised at the inventory. Hopefully the private lessons will be just as exciting as the first visit.

This place is awesome! Such a neat and unique experience and the owners are super nice and accommodating. They also have an attached gallery with some neat artwork that seems to be priced very fairly. We will definitely be back!

While looking for an enjoyable outing [during our daughter's visit from OH] we were VERY THANKFUL to come across Barrio Glassworks and meeting one of the owners - Gary. We had a BLAST making our pieces that we'll forever cherish. In a nutshell THIS PLACE ROCKS and we can't say enough about how wonderful this MUST DO activity is for darn near everyone! ...even if you just want to stop by and watch the many professional artisans make their magic or see one of the many truly gorgeous pieces displayed in their lovely shop. Additionally, Gary is clearly passionate about what he does plus he's an excellent teacher who opened our eyes to their joyous craft. In the end we just you too will be happy for visiting their super safe, clean, professional, and first rate facility.

Go do this! Like, get on the horn and schedule your experience immediately! They walk you through creating a (simple) paperweight. You'll get hands-on time playing with and shaping liquified glass. They show you first, then you help them make a demo, then you get to do your own (with supervision, of course). One hour well spent! Thank you to both Gary and Mary for answering all my questions and fixing the bubble butt I accidentally created.

This place is amazing! How did I miss it all these years right in downtown Carlsbad. My daughter and I took the beginning hot glass class and it was fun and interesting. We made beautiful glass balls and impressed ourselves! Highly recommend.

Probably our 4th lesson purchase ! Our neice and nephew come once a year to see us and when we asked them what they wanted to do they said 'we want to do glass blowing again !' These guys are so kind, so patient, and it's just a beautiful addition to Carlsbad village. Beautiful pieces in their showroom as well . A must do !

This was so much a marvelous class and the staff was great, especially Kelsey who also also fun to be with. Amazing and beautiful pieces in their gallery and my bestie and I got to make gorgeous paperweights. We're going to do it again. Don't hestitate.

We just took a class at Barrio Glassworks this past weekend and loved it! There were five of us and we made glass paperweights. We knew we would have a fun time, but it was even better than we thought! We also learned about working with glass and saw glass artists at work in the shop. Gary and Mary were friendly, knowledgeable and so patient. The whole process was organized and orderly, allowing participants to do as much of the glasswork as safely possible. Gary was very encouraging and helpful throughout the class, so we were able to get creative with our projects. The gallery area is full of beautiful glasswork and it's amazing to walk through. Our group bought some art before we left. We returned two days later to pick up our projects and they all turned out extremely well! Thank you, Gary and Mary, for a wonderful afternoon!

Glassblowing modeled after Murano glass??? Uhh yes please. Oh wait...it's in The Village!?! I'm all over it. Barrio Glassworks has recently opened and I can not wait for my next gifts to come from here. They also have glass blowing classes in which I know I will be partaking. This is a culture-gift long-awaited in Carlsbad.

So one of my homegirls wanted to check this place out and I was like okay cool lets do it. It's right in the village across from Roosevelt Pizzeria and Café Topes. I was pretty excited to check this place out because I love all types of art especially the kind that I can afford to buy. The building is big with the glass blowing section right in the front so people walking by can see inside. My homegirl wanted to do some glass blowing but she wanted to check the place out first before doing so. We actually saw some of artist there blowing glass which was very cool. The employee Mary I believe that was her name was very helpful in assisting me with my purchase. I would love to come back and actually blow some glass to see what I can come up with.

Visited here with some friends on a trip to try something different and it was fun, educational and kinda addicting. People were lovely and the facility was open and airy. There's a store/gallery in the back of the studio you should check out because there are pretty amazing pieces to awe over. Will definitely come back next time we're in the neighborhood.

My husband and I came here for a date night and we had the best time, such a fun and unique experience, everything was explained so thoroughly and we got some gorgeous pieces of glass art to bring home afterwards. And then when we came to pick our pieces up a few days later, the owner was so kind at explaining what he was working on to my kiddo who came with us, bringing different pieces over to show him the different stages, a true gem of a place! Highly recommend!

Mary and Gary were fantastic! We came with a family for a birthday to learn about glassblowing. We learned about the process and made our own paperweights, Highly recommend! Felt very safe/comfortable with COVID due to open environment

If you've ever been curious about glass work and glass blowing then this is the place for you! I've taken two "make your own" classes and I had such a great time that I'm now taking a glass working class at a local college. The team at Barrio Glassworks is so supportive and friendly, and they really take the time to explain the steps to you. Safety is paramount, and it's a LOT of fun!!

I mean what an experience!!! My mom has always wanted to try glass blowing, and so for her birthday I took her to Barrio Glassworks! Let me just say we are so glad we came! From getting instructions from Garry to the kind and helpful Mary, this was by far her best birthday yet! My mom was able to be the Gaffer and Dip her glass into colors and use the glory hole to melt her glass colors to shape. There wasn't much that she wasn't able to do! We felt very safe and in good hands with Garry. He starts by doing a demonstration and then we got to make one paper weight each. We weren't able to blow because of covid, but this was so perfect for our first time. We cannot wait to come back and do more!! Thank you for making this experience one to remember!!!

I walked past Barrio Glassworks a couple weeks ago and thought it looked awesome. When it came time to organize a family activity for my birthday, I reached out via their website about setting up a Make Your Own class and got a super speedy response. Gary and Mary accommodated our group of 6 adults and everyone had a blast. Gary showed us a demo, then each person got to pick their own colors and create their own paperweight with Gary's assistance. They all turned out beautiful. The workshop has a large door allowing for lots of fresh air and the ability to social distance, so it's a great small group activity during COVID. Masks were worn by all and hand sanitizer was available. Highly recommend if you are looking for a new and exciting activity!

The best hidden gem in Carlsbad! I found this shop when searching for blown glass, and had to take the class. Their store is amazing, but the glass blowing class was an amazing experience. They're both so friendly and knowledgeable. It was a blast and would recommend for team building, family events, date night, etc. 10/10 would do it again!

We booked a 1 on 1 glass blowing class for my daughter's 13th birthday and she loved every minute. Gary and Mary were so amazing! They were so patient and detailed teaching my daughter and helped her make a super cool paperweight. Gary was so passionate and enthusiastic with my daughter and all of her questions and interest in every step. I HIGHLY recommend it if you or your kids are into glass blowing. We will definitely be booking future classes with them! They went above and beyond for my daughter's birthday glass blowing adventure.

You can watch people blow glass here. You can try blowing glass yourself. You can browse the gallery if local art, much of which was made in the attached studio. Support local business and local artists. Much beautiful, functional art such as glasses and vases. As well as some purely sculptural work. The butterflies in the big installation are sold individually as well. Experience glassblowing at this working studio and gallery in the Carlsbad Village.

This was such a fun experience! I highly recommend doing this while in the San Diego area. The paperweight I made turned out great!

My dream just came true!! I'm officially a glass blower! Not really, BUT I did get to do it and I could not be more in love with the process. This place has sessions you sign up for either as a group or 1-on-1. During the session you get to make your own paper weight. First, they go over safety rules, then pick colors, Gary will demonstrate how to manipulate the glass, you'll try it on clear glass then you're off to the races! He explains his steps and let's you take over whenever you are comfortable. I did as much as I possibly could since I've been infatuated with glass blowing since college. I cannot believe you get to experience this for under $100!! So so cool. Tomorrow, I can go pick up my masterpieces. They have to cool down slowly from the above 2000 degree ovens. In a couple weeks, I will be going back to see some demonstrations from a favorite glass artist of mine. So excited I found this place:) If you have ever wondered what it's like, do yourself a favor and book a session. You will not regret it!!

Decided to take a one hour class with my cousin on glass blowing. Gary did an amazing job teaching us what all goes into glass blowing and helping us create our own paper weights! My cousin and I thoroughly enjoyed this place and would definitely come back again. Customer service was more than outstanding and they even recommended a good restaurant for us across the street to eat afterwards :)

What a fun experience!!! Saw them advertised in the Carlsbad magazine and had to go check them out. So easy to make a reservation for the 1 on1 with Gary. I'm going back to make at least 4 more. Loved it! Thanks Mary and Gary!! Great gift shop if you are not interested in doing it yourself.

We had so much fun at Barrio Glassworks in our Glass Blowing class. Kelsey was our instructor and she was great. First, completely focused on our safety, totally educational and a lot of fun! The hot room has one side completely open so it is quite comfortable and the whole staff and owners were friendly and helpful. Can't wait to see our final product as it takes a couple days to cool down but highly recommend this place for a fun, reasonably priced introduction to glass blowing. Everything else we found was ridiculously expensive for an intro course. They also had a great display of Blown glass to buy from a range of artists and really reasonable prices so add this to your gift giving shopping list. Thank you for a great time, Chris and Alison

My wife purchased an introductory class for my birthday and it was incredibly awesome! I had so much fun learning I booked us a second class. It was a wonderful experience and we made artwork that we're both very proud of. The teacher was extremely knowledgeable and super patient, walked us through every part of the process and made it fun.

Just stopped in and they were so great! Showed us some different styles of glasswork. We watched them each teach individuals. If we lived nearly, we'd be here for class all the time. The gallery is beautiful also.

Amazing experience. Incredibly kind people. Got the make your own experience for my boyfriend for his birthday and it was worth every penny. Highly recommend.

Impressive! The artwork is impressive and varies. It appeals to all types of collectors (and potential collectors). The staff is amazing friendly and helpful. Plus, you can take a glass blowing lesson for an amazingly affordable price. Don't wait until your in the Village, make this a destination.

SENDING OUT A BIG THANK YOU FOR AN INCREDIBLE ART EXPERIENCE! Anyone looking for an adult family or company event, I highly recommend scheduling a class at Barrio. This glass blowing studio is just about the best art experience one could ask for. Gary, Mary & Drew have created an environment for customers that breeds creativity for all skill levels. Even if you are a bit apprehensive about working with glass & heat, Gary's instruction is patient, detailed and very professional. Being safe while having fun exploring your artistic ability is their main focus. This beautifully laid out studio & workshop is truly one of the refreshes that have hit the area in decades. Whether you are a novice, or experienced artist or looking to purchase some work from local artists, I highly recommend visiting Barrio Classworks. For those visiting the area, this is a great little town and you are sure to find a tasty meal nearby, before or after your unique glass blowing experience. From my family to your family, Thank you! We are already making plans to return. K. Frank

This place is a small slice of heaven in Carlsbad for glass work. Beautiful art gallery and amazing hot shop near the ocean, which is nice with the garage front doors fully open and the ocean breeze to counter act the heat of the beautiful furnaces in their hot shop. Mary and her husband Gary were absolutely amazing, they were patient, educational, supportive and encouraging to venture out of the norm for our project. I worked at a iron foundry and always wondered what it would be like to work with glass, and the barrio glasswork team made my first experience amazing!!! Highly recommend and we will definitely be back!!