About

“Dickinson Glass honors the tradition of craft and venetian glass-making techniques, provides education encompassing an ancient art, and produces elegant products for the enrichment of our community.”

Michael Dickinson —

Craftsman, Creative Manipulator of Glass, owner of dickinson glass studio and showroom

Dickinson Glass is a handcrafted glass line by local glass artisan and designer, Michael Dickinson. With each glass made by hand from his studio and showroom in beautiful Sonoma County, he honors the traditional Venetian lampworking techniques, while also incorporating a contemporary scientific approach. His current body of work is a collection of time spent sculpting, manipulating, and shaping primarily hollow forms and sculpture. Leading workshops around the Bay Area, he strives to connect maker and consumer, highlighting the importance of the tradition of craft through education and relationships. He has been a faculty member at both The Crucible and Bay Area Glass Institute, reaching over 1,000 students ranging in age from 12 to 65+. He has worked with organizations for team-builds including Google, Facebook, Twitter, Square, Salesforce, and has hosted live demonstrations for Nissan, Stanford University, Bay Area Glass Institute, and Maker Faire, among other organizations. His work has been exhibited nationally, showcased in galleries and curated stores, and is included in a number of private collections.

In December 2021, my wife and I welcomed our first baby girl. Thank you for the continued support of our small, family business. We hope to work with you soon!

Visit us at The Barlow in Sebastopol, California —

6770 McKinley Street, Suite 120, Sebastopol, California 95472 — Learn more about The Barlow.

— We are open Thursday through Sunday, 12p to 5p or by appointment.

Studio classes are offered year-round at Dickinson Glass Studio and Showroom, a glass store and workshop located in picturesque Sonoma County at The Barlow, a 12-acre Bay Area outdoor market district in Sebastopol. We offer Glass Flameworking classes for all skill levels, in a comfortable setting with small class sizes. We are passionate about glass and dedicated to providing education encompassing an ancient art form. Our studio is equipped with eight Glass Torch Technologies (GTT) torches utilizing propane and oxygen, two Paragon kilns, an array of thoughtfully designed hand tools, and an assortment of borosilicate and soft Moretti glass. We are grateful to have reached over 300 students in 2022. That is over 1,200 hours on the torch, over 250 pounds of glass melted, and thousands of moments spent creating art together — thank you!

Borosilicate Glass —

Why should I choose boroslicate glass?

Borosilicate glass is a unique type of glass, well-known for its superior durability and ability to withstand high temperatures. Made by combining silica and boron trioxide, this type of glass is highly resistant to chemical corrosion, extreme heat, and sudden temperature changes. Artists like Michael Dickinson prefer borosilicate glass for creating beautiful hand blown glass pieces that blend Venetian techniques with long-lasting quality.

Glass lampworking, also referred to as flameworking, is an art form that involves transforming borosilicate glass rods and tubes into intricate and unique pieces using a propane and oxygen flame. Artists use tools such as pliers, tweezers, and graphite molds to sculpt the glass into the desired shapes. Once the glass has been shaped, it must be cooled gradually and evenly through a process called annealing, which helps to alleviate internal stress and prevent cracks. Michael creates awe-inspiring glass objects such as his stemware and mesmerizing marbles reminiscent of the deep galaxy, created by heating clippings of gold and silver coins and capturing the smoke vapors that are released in the process.

Enhance your knowledge of the fascinating art of glass lampworking by visiting our studio and exploring the process for yourself, or take it to the next level and join us for a hands-on class!