The California College of the Arts (CCA) recently held a class that was specifically for PHS students to learn the art of glass blowing. Four class sessions occurred and each session lasted for four hours. The class started on Feb. 18 and finished on March 11.

“We made cups, flowers, and paper weights. Blowing a glass cup was my favorite thing to make because it was the only thing I hadn’t made yet before,” senior Amber Ellis said.

Senior Hannah Hodess said that glass blowing is a cool experience that most students don’t really get to do in school.

“When you’re near the furnace it’s really, really hot and sometimes you get brief sunburns on exposed skin,” Ellis said.

During every class session the entire four hours were spent hands-on with the molten hot glass. Senior Hannah Mooney said that she got interested in glass blowing when she went on the AP Art field trip earlier in the year.

“I think the biggest challenge was when we had to gather all of the molten glass without it falling onto the ground,” Hodess said.

With the small class size, the five seniors in the class were able to receive much individual attention from the experienced glass blowing professors at CCA. Mooney said that it was exciting to try something new, especially with all of her friends.

“I like that glass blowing is a team thing because you always need to have people help you when you are actually blowing the glass. It’s not an individual activity like most art,” Ellis said.