Frequently Asked Questions

 

General Questions

 

Is there a minimum age requirement to take a class? 

Our classes are great for ages 14+. Ages 14-15 must have an adult present with them for the entire class. Ages 16+ a Parent/Guardian must be present when the student (aged 16-17) arrives to sign a waiver before class.  If you would like to have a class for students between the ages of 8 and 13 please see our private party information below.

Do I need to have any prior glass working experience?

Most of our classes are for absolute beginners. Any 201 class requires a previous class or workshop. Any others that need previous experience will have that info in the class description. None needed for intro fusing classes, ornament classes, intro beading classes. All Dabble classes require no previous experience.

What is the best class for someone with zero prior experience?

Friday Night Fusing, Dabble classes, Sat Sessions and (seasonal) Blown Ornament classes. Beadmanking 101, Survey of Glass, Fusing 101, Relief Casting, Fused Glass Clocks, Flutter Vases, the list goes on…The majority of our classes require zero previous experience. See the list of current classes here.

Do you have any classes for under $50 per person?

Yes- Please see Saturday Sessions for dates and times.

 What forms of payment do you accept? 

Venmo- No fee

Venmo- “Turn on for purchases option with 2% fee

Zelle- No fee

CC-All Credit Cards accepted by phone with a 4% fee  

PayPal-accepted with a 4% fee 

How do I become a member?

View our membership benefits and how to join here

 Do you offer private lessons? 

Private lessons are available as our schedules allow. Please contact Leslie at info@chicagoglasscollective.com

What are the hours of the studio? 

Hours are by appointment only unless attending a class or open studio. Doors open 10 minutes before class start times. We have gallery hours from 6:30-8:30 most Monday nights. You must contact us ahead of time to let us know you want to come in. We are also open 11am-6pm both days during the annual Ravenswood Art Walk every September. For tours of the studio or gallery shopping please contact us at info@chicagoglasscollective.com

 Is there a dress code for the studio? 

Wearing closed toed shoes is a must for all classes. No shoes with big holes or open heels. Pants/shorts that fall below the knee are preferred. Long pants are a must for ornaments and torch classes, also no low cut shirts. Clothes for torch work classes must be mostly cotton or wool. No spandex or poly. Jeans and a tshirt or sweatshirt are great.  Please bring a hair tie if you have long hair for ornament and bead making classes, we have them if you do not. If you wear glasses, but can also wear contacts, contacts are more comfortable due to the safety glasses you need to wear.

What is your rescheduling policy for classes? 

If you need to reschedule a class there is a $20 per person, per rescheduling (each time) fee payable by venmo or zelle only. Please see the policies page for more detailed information. We only allow 2 rescheduling requests per person per year.   

What is the cancellation policy for a class? 

Cancellations of more than 2 weeks ahead of time will receive a full refund. For additional information please see our policies page. There are no refunds for cancellations less than 2 days prior to the class. 

Can I bring anyone to class with me?

Yes, if you purchase a ticket for them. Everyone in the class must have a ticket. 

How do I schedule a studio tour? 

Please contact us at info@chicagoglasscollective.com

 Are masks required? 

At this time masks are not required however if your class instructor asks that you wear them please do. We have masks available in the studio. Please do not come to the studio if you are experiencing any illness that may be contagious.

How long does it take before my items will be ready? 

Depending on the type of class some items will be ready for you to take home the day of the class. Others require up to 2-3 weeks for firing and you will be emailed with dates and pick up times when it is ready. Please add info@chicagoglasscollective.com to your contacts/address book, and search your junk mailbox if it has been more than 2 weeks and you have not heard from us about picking up your project. For Dabble classes add the Dabble email that you receive when you sign up for your class, because your pick up letter will come from that email. You can still contact us at the “info” email with any questions for any class. Please include the date of the class and the type of project you made. 

Privacy Policy 

We don’t sell your info, ever. We may add you to our email list so we can tell you about upcoming fun classes or events with glass for sale. If you wish to unsubscribe from the email list, simply click the “unsubscribe” button in any email you receive. 

How do I contact the studio? 

For information on parties please fill out our private event form. All other inquiries can contact us at info@chicagoglasscollective.com. Please allow 48 hours for a response.

Where are you located? 

CGC is located at 1770 W. Berteau Ave. in Suite 203B. We are on the corner of Ravenswood (east of the tracks) and W. Berteau Ave. in the big brick building with the name Deagan on the clocktower.  Parking is all free street parking-and no permits needed. Try W. Berteau and Ravenswood as well as Hermitage and you should be able to find a spot. Do not park in the lot across the street from the building. We are also a short walking distance from either the Montrose and Irving Park brown line El stops, or the Montrose or Irving Park bus stops at Ravenswood. 

Who are the teachers of the classes/parties? 

We are always adding new teachers. Our main instructors are currently Leslie Speicher (Owner), James O’Connor,  Cheryl Reynolds-Fefles   and Chitra Panjabi

Party Questions

How long in advance do I need to book my party?

Parties and private events normally need at least a 2 week lead time. Sometimes we can fit them in if we have a teacher available with less notice but there is an additional charge. There are no next day or same day reservations available.

How long do parties run? Most parties run for 2 hours. If you choose larger projects they can go up to 2.5 hours. There is a fee if you go over the allotted time for your event of $20 for every 15 minutes.

Is there a minimum age for parties?

Parties can be for anyone aged 12+ for fusing projects. 

Age 16+ for flameworking or blown ornament classes. 

Family events can have children 8+, but each child under 12 needs to have guardians present to help with the student’s project for the duration of the party. 1 guardian per child for ages 8-10, 1 guardian for every 4 students ages 11-13.

Is there a minimum or maximum number of guests for a private party?

A private party/event  must have a minimum of 4 guests. If you only have 2-3 people you can inquire about a private lesson. If you would still like to do a class for less than 4 people, there is a small fee ($25 per person) for parties with under 4 participants. Most parties are 6-18 people. The studio can accommodate up to 30 people, but the project option is then limited to stacked plates. 

Can we bring food and booze? 

Snack foods are allowed, but you must bring your own utensils, plates, bowls and napkins. Currently booze is not allowed but other non-alcoholic drinks in cans are allowed. Food is not allowed at your work tables. It must be eaten away from the work areas. 

We have limited room for food so we would need to make sure that we have space depending on the size of your party. We should generally be able to make space on a table for food set up. But we do need to know ahead of time what kind of space you think you will need. There is a fee of $50 if you have your event catered and want us to set it up for you. 

How much per person is a party? 

Prices range from $58-$185 per person depending on project size and technique.

What projects can I choose from for a party? 

Please see all possible party projects here.

How far in advance do I need to pay for my party? 

In order to reserve the date and time for events and parties a deposit of $300, or 50% of the party total, whichever is greater, needs to be paid the day the party or event is booked if the event is more that 10 days away. The second half of the payment is due 10 business days before the scheduled party or work event. 

For every day the second half of the payment is late there will be a daily 3% charge added to the total. If the work event or a private party is scheduled within the 10 day window, the payment is due in full when the date and time are booked.

If the event is less than 10 days from the reservation date, the full payment is due at the time the event is booked.

What is the cancellation policy for a party? 

Cancellations of more than 2 weeks ahead of time will receive a full refund. For additional information please see our policies page. 

Have a question not answered here? Contact us! 

 info@chicagoglasscollective.com