Kristine Shafer took her first fused glass art class in 2013, and from that point on, she became “absolutely hooked.”
Now the owner of Helios Fused Glass Studio at 13581 Pond Springs Road, Ste. 107, Austin, Shafer said she loves being part of the Austin art scene and helping everyone from total beginners to well-established local artists find new ways to experiment and enjoy creating fused glass art.
A former special education teacher, Shafer was a longtime customer and part of the community at Helios before she became its sole owner. The studio was started by Paul Tarlow in 2007 remains the only fused glass studio in Austin.
“Paul did an amazing job making Austin the hub for Texas,” Shafer said.
The studio was a community space and resource where “there was always somebody to bounce creative ideas off of.”
Fused glass is different from stained glass because the multicolored layers of glass are melted together, and it is also distinct from blown glass because the artist does not typically alter the glass while it is hot. The versatile art form is “much more accessible” than other glass art, Shafer said.
After Tarlow stepped down, Shafer was part of a group of five customers who came together and bought the studio to keep it running in 2019. Five months later, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the studio’s business to rely on art supplies rather than in-person classes to stay afloat.
The studio’s in-person classes are now back in full swing. Artists based in Austin and fused glass artists known internationally teach single lessons or weeklong workshops. Intro lessons start at $75, and children are also welcome with adult supervision.
For Shafer, running the studio is an opportunity to meet artists where they are and help them get into something new.
“I get to be a part of this creative energy here in Austin with people who are new to art and expressing their sense of creativity to artists that are creating installations that are part of the Austin art culture,” Shafer said.
Glass happenings
Helios Fused Glass Studio offers classes, exhibits and volunteer opportunities.
- “Beginnings,” a fused glass art exhibit, will be open at Austin Artworks on Oct. 7-Nov 18.
- Volunteer opportunities are available at the studio for anyone wanting to take a class but can’t afford to.
- Master class “Designing With Powder Wafers” with Malina Cipleu will start Aug. 22.
- Studio time available for artists who are beyond the beginner lesson but don’t have kilns or other equipment at home.
13581 Pond Springs Road, Ste. 107, Austin
512-996-0960
www.heliosglass.com
