Explore Soft Glass Torchwork with the Incomparable Dr. Glass
It’s a thing of beauty to be trained by an absolute master in their field of work. And that time is now for students interested in learning soft glass torch work (also known as lampwork) techniques with Past Live’s very own Dr. Glass, including 1:1 sessions throughout May 2025.
Meet the “Mad Scientist”
The Doctor—or Dylan Kehde Roelofs, as he’s also known—is a self-described mad scientist. And looking at his work leaves little doubt. Visit his website and Instagram to check out his truly otherworldly Edison-inspired light-and-glass creations that CNET reporter Michelle Starr likened to “art that would be at home in an H.G. Wells novel.”
In the same CNET interview, he shared, “I went to a trade program in scientific glassblowing, but had a bit too much artistry in my heart to just spend my life making beakers.”
Scientific glasswork is the specialized craft of designing, forming, and manipulating glass apparatus used in scientific research, especially in chemistry, biology, and physics laboratories. These items include beakers, flasks, condensers, vacuum systems, intricate tubing, and others. The work combines artistic skill with deep technical knowledge, often requiring precision tools and flame-working techniques. All of which combine to make studying under Dr. Glass the opportunity of a lifetime.
Take a Soft Glass Class with Dr. Glass at Past Lives
Soft glass torchwork is a mesmerizing way to make art with molten glass. Unlike scientific glasswork, which uses borosilicate glass for greater thermal resistance, chemical durability, and mechanical strength through a “hot glass” process, soft glass is created with soda-lime glass, also referred to as Effetre Murano or Moretti Glass. Using a special torch, artists heat up rods of the soft glass until they’re glowing and gooey, then shape them into beads, sculptures, and all kinds of colorful creations, like those pictured above.
Working with soft glass takes a good sense of timing, a feel for the flame, and a bit of patience, but the results are totally worth it. If you’ve ever wanted to play with fire (safely!) and make something truly one-of-a-kind, torch work might be your new favorite obsession.
In May/June, there are three ways to get down with torch work at Past Lives:
Take the Intro to Soft Glass Torch Work with Dr. Glass, a two-session class that will introduce the new glass workers to the world of bead making! Learn the fundamental hands-on and come away with an entire necklace of beads you made yourself. Begins 5/30.
Go 1:1 with Dr. Glass. Throughout May, schedule your 1:1 session with the Doctor. Any skill level is welcome, and it’s a great opportunity to learn at your own pace from the very best.
Get a torch work orientation (Members only; reach out if you’d like to schedule)
Watch the Glass Come Alive
Teaching Assistant Amber’s own love affair with hot glass started with a live demo she witnessed at age six. Now, with one year of torch experience under her belt (mentored by Dr. Glass), she says she’s catching on fast due to being generally skilled with her hands, but that mastering the craft requires a meditative level of full-on concentration.
“You can’t think about anything but the flame and the glass. Glass is a liquid but also a solid, it’s very much alive,” she said.
“I’ve always been fascinated,” Amber concluded. “Anything made out of glass is beautiful.”
Amber is currently conducting torch work orientations at Past Lives and has a goal of teaching soft glass classes one day. An artist-of-many-trades, she says she’s “dangerously close” to calling herself a glass artist. But, as she points out, mastering the skill will be an ongoing pursuit. “Becoming an expert is something that could take a lifetime,” she said.
A Dedicated Hot Glass Studio Awaits You
Thanks to a collaboration between the Glass, tech, and Jewelry Guilds, Past Lives will have a dedicated hot glass studio with space for four lampworking torches complete with upgraded ventilation. Huge thanks to Dylan and Amber for leading the fundraiser, and to Ochen for designing and installing the new set-up!
Past Lives is Portland’s only 24-hour glass art studio. The Makerspace also has a fully equipped stained glass area. Interested to learn more? Find a Class or Book a Tour today.