The Glass Center Opens at UC San Diego

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• Jade Griffin - [email protected]

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The University of California San Diego recently celebrated the official opening of its new Glass Center, a dynamic space dedicated to advancing glass art, interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning in the newly completed Ridge Walk Living and Learning Neighborhood.

"UC San Diego is a premier destination for arts and culture in the San Diego region, and we are proud to offer this new center for use by the campus as well as the broader community," said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "With design input from some of the world's most renowned glass artists, this new center reflects our commitment to fostering innovation at the intersection of art, science and technology. I was proud to be one of the first students to create my own glass art on campus, and I encourage everyone to sign up for a class and make a masterpiece."

Developed with input from leading figures in the field, the Glass Center is the newest addition to the university's ArtsConnect initiative, UC San Diego's entryway into its vibrant arts ecosystem. The 10,000-square-foot Glass Center will serve as a hub for students, faculty, staff, alumni and visiting artists, as well as the broader community, to explore the art of glassmaking. The center offers opportunities for all skill levels - from introductory classes for beginners to advanced studio space for established artists to create new work and refine their craft.

The center is led by assistant director Alexander Rosenberg, a widely respected figure in glassmaking and curation who joined UC San Diego in late 2025. A fellow of the Corning Museum of Glass and former leader of the WheatonArts Glass Studio in Millville, New Jersey, Rosenberg oversees a state-of-the-art facility designed to support both traditional techniques and contemporary approaches.

Rosenberg is deeply committed to creating an accessible and inspiring environment. At the opening celebration, he reflected on the transformative power of the medium. "I had always thought of glassmaking as an industrial process - not something people do with their hands. But I signed up for a class, and it changed my life," he said. "That sense of discovery is what we want to offer here - an opportunity to encounter something new that can enrich your creative life."

Through workshops, artist residencies, exhibitions and community programs, the Glass Center will cultivate new voices in glass while connecting the campus with regional and national audiences.

The facility includes a hot shop for glassblowing; casting and stained glass; a cold shop; the Paul Stankard and Dave Graeber Flamework Studio; a multipurpose classroom with growing space for kiln-formed and fused glass; and a viewing gallery for demonstrations and rotating exhibitions.

A centerpiece of the facility is the Paul Stankard and Dave Graeber Flamework Studio, named through the generosity of alumna and UC San Diego Foundation Board trustee Wendy Kwok '99.

Kwok's passion for glass art was sparked as a student at UC San Diego, when she purchased a glass paperweight from the Craft Center's annual sale to celebrate landing a job in a neuroscience lab as a college freshman and finishing her first year. That moment ignited a lifelong interest in the medium and ultimately led to her connection with Stankard and Graeber, both masters of flameworking.

"My glass art journey began at UC San Diego, and it has been incredibly meaningful to support a space that will spark that same sense of wonder and exploration in others," said Kwok. "Honoring Paul Stankard and Dave Graeber recognizes their unique mastery, philosophy in life, and their profound impact on the field. I hope this studio inspires generations of students to be curious, create, and find their own artistic expression."

Stankard's life and work are the subject of the Emmy Award-winning documentary "Paul J. Stankard: Flower & Flame," directed and produced by Dan Collins. The naming of the studio deepens the connection between UC San Diego's art and science traditions and the broader history of American studio glass.

"To have the flameworking studio as part of the Glass Center named in honor of David Graeber and myself is deeply humbling," said Stankard. "Wendy didn't simply support a facility. She supported a vision. She believed that glass art deserved a serious and permanent home at UC San Diego. I also believe this facility will serve not only the arts, but engineering and science. Glass uniquely bridges aesthetics and material innovation and UC San Diego now joins that conversation in a meaningful way."

Kwok contributed two flamework pieces to the Glass Center's collection, one from Paul Stankard and a second collaboration piece by Cathy Richardson and Alison Ruzsa.

Graeber, who is internationally renowned for his intricate glass paperweights, was also on hand to celebrate the opening and provide demonstrations to those in attendance.

"Having my name on the wall alongside my mentor, Paul Stankard, is an incredible honor," said Graeber. "That wall represents more than recognition - it reflects a shared journey of learning, creativity and dedication. I'm especially grateful for the opportunity it represents, not just for myself but for others as well. This glass center is an open door, a place where people can come, discover and experience the beauty of glass.

"Knowing Wendy has been a truly meaningful experience for me," he continued. "She genuinely cares about humanity and education, which made it easy for me to connect with her and with UC San Diego."

Also featured in the space are works donated by the Italo Scanga Foundation and the family of Italo Scanga, a founding faculty member of UC San Diego's Department of Visual Arts. Scanga's longstanding friendship and artistic collaboration with Dale Chihuly began when they met at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1967.

Underscoring the center's national and international significance within the glass art community, Chihuly and Chihuly Studio provided guidance during the planning and development process. Additional contributors include Bullseye Glass Co.; Karol Wight, retired president and director of the Corning Museum of Glass; and Spiral Arts, which designed and installed the center's specialized equipment. Chemglass Life Sciences LLC donated a lathe to expand the center's technical capabilities.

Further support came from artists and advisors across the field, including Latchezar Boyadjiev, Katherine Gray, James Stone, Taryn Bertolino, Heather Trimlett and Barrio Glassworks. The opening event was sponsored by HPS Mechanical.

The celebration featured live demonstrations by Graeber, Trimlett, the De La Torre Brothers, alumni artists Tim Carey '96 and Nic McGuire '04, and local artists Stephanie Close and Mike Shelbo. Carey - who designed the inaugural UC San Diego Alumni Triton Hero Award - has collaborated with Bullseye Glass Co. and Judson Studios and is featured in the award-winning documentary "Holy Frit." McGuire continues to advance the field through his studio practice and professional collaborations.

"To see the shared vision of Chancellor Khosla and the team at UC San Diego come to life on campus is incredibly inspiring, both as a glass artist and an alum," said Carey. "I look forward to watching the Glass Center stir the creative hearts and minds of both students and community members for years to come."

To learn more about the Glass Center or sign up for a class, please visit craftcenter.ucsd.edu/glass.