This fall, the Washington Glass School (WGS) in Mt. Rainier, MD is honored to host the second session of Hot Shop Heroes, a powerful collaboration with the Museum of Glass (MOG) in Tacoma, WA. The program brings military veterans into the glass studio for a unique and inspiring journey of creative arts therapy.
Over the coming months, veterans will work side by side with WGS artists to create glass and steel sculptures. For many participants—some navigating the long road of recovery from combat-related injuries and trauma—the workshop provides much more than technical skills. The studio becomes a space of connection, trust, and expression. Veterans bond with one another while discovering the transformative qualities of melted glass: its fragility, resilience, and potential for reinvention.
The program underscores the healing power of the arts. Each workshop session offers not only hands-on training but also a shared experience of collaboration, focus, and renewal.
The veterans’ artworks will be on display at the Washington Glass School Winter Open House on December 13, 2025—a celebration of creativity, community, and the enduring strength of those who have served.
