Live Glassblowing Demonstration
With Guest Artist, Kenny Pieper
Assisted by Jason McDonald
Kenny Pieper is joining us in the hot shop for a FREE glassblowing demonstration!
Kenny will be making a variety of hand blown objects over the course of our live glassblowing demonstration with the assistance of Jason McDonald, as seen on season 2 Netflix’s Blown Away. You are invited to watch as he exhibits his glassblowing skills and seasoned artistry, demonstrating intricate glass making techniques involving cane, color, and gold leafing to create tall and slender decor pieces, as well as functional goblet glassware.
About Open Demo Nights at Hot Glass Alley:
HGA hosts FREE live glassblowing demonstrations in our hot shop on the third Friday of each month. All ages are invited to join us as resident glassblowers and guest artists show off their skills to create new pieces in front of a live audience.
Demonstrations begin promptly at 6pm and end at 9pm with a brief intermission. Attendees are welcome to enter and exit the hot shop and gallery as they please during demonstrations with after hours shopping offered in the gallery on a variety of original glassware made at Hot Glass Alley. There are no tickets or RSVP requirements to attend Open Demo events; snacks and refreshments provided.
HGA Guest Artist
Kenny Pieper was born in Birmingham, Alabama and raised in the mountains of North Carolina. He began his craft career in high school when he studied at the Penland School of Crafts. Initially, he studied pottery with Norm Schulman and Cynthia Bringle. Later, he found his passion for glass under the tutelage of Richard Ritter. After high school, Kenny moved to Detroit in 1978 under scholarship at the Center for Creative Studies; he subsequently received his B.F.A. from California College of Art and Design, Oakland, CA. he then spent 16 years working as a glassblower in the San Francisco East Bay area. Kenny’s career came full circle when he left California and moved back to North Carolina. While constructing a studio there, He worked at Penland School and managed the glassblowing and lampworking studios. It was during this fruitful time that he developed his expertise in the tradition of Italian glass. Kenny now resides in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Reflecting the harmony and beauty of his surroundings, Kenny produces an exquisite line of glass vessels and sculpture. He has work in the collections of Corning Museum of Glass, Museum of Fine Art Boston, New Bedford Museum of Glass, Asheville Art Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art, Hickory Museum of Art, as well as many private collections.
Scroll down to view some of Kenny’s current portfolio work that will inspire his demonstration pieces at Hot Glass Alley or click the link below to see his full collection of fine art and exquisite glassware.
HGA Guest Artist
Jason McDonald is a glass artist with a particular passion for Venetian furnace techniques. He uses these techniques to speak about barriers BIPOC people face in accessing creative spaces, as well as the wild joy of chasing technical pursuits. He began his glass career at the age of 14 at the Hilltop Artist Program in Tacoma, Washington. He is a Windgate Fellowship recipient, was a contestant on ‘Blown Away’ Season 2, and has been awarded residencies at Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pilchuck Glass School, North Carolina Glass Center and The Studio at Corning Museum of Glass. He has taught at Penland School of Craft, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pilchuck Glass School, Pratt Fine arts, The Studio at Corning Museum of Glass, Urban Glass, and elsewhere. He received his BFA with honors at California College of Art and was awarded the Presidential Fellowship at Tyler School of Art and Architecture where he earned his MFA. Jason earned the prestigious Penland Residency from 2025-2028.
Learn more about Jason and his work at the link below: