About Us
Founded in 2017, Gilbert Glassworks is the premier glass art studio of the Emerald Coast. With a dedication to the goal of ‘Education through creation’, glass expert Russ Gilbert founded the studio as an avenue to bring the medium of glass to a larger audience. Russ and fellow instructor Brit Deslonde have engineered specific curriculum, offered on an almost daily basis, that allows people of all skill levels to create beautiful works of art using glass. Through Russ’s connections in the glass art world, there are also opportunities to see world-renowned artist lead live demonstrations and even teach advanced techniques. Explore the classes using the ‘Workshops’ tab above or contact us with any questions. Welcome to the beginning of your journey in glass!
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Our Instructors
Russ Gilbert began his career in glass with flameworking in 1977, using clear borosilicate glass. By attending workshops with some of the world’s best lampworking artists and through his own trial an error he mastered the art of shaping glass with a torch. Soon he added glass blowing to his repertoire of artistic skills. Gilbert creates unique, eye catching, and high-quality glass pieces that focus on naturalistic styles and themes, often incorporating elements of nature such as driftwood. In 1996 Gilbert opened his first gallery in Seaside, Florida. This gallery was one of the first all glass galleries in the United States because Russ was determined to create a space for himself and other glass artisans to display their work and bring contemporary glass design to the Gulf Coast. He is now responsible for introducing dozens of established and emerging glass artists to collectors across the country. Gilbert expanded the Fusion gallery by opening a second location in Grand Boulevard, but even this was not enough. Gilbert wanted to bring the world of glass to anyone inquisitive enough to pursue it and so he began teaching his own fusion, flamework, and glass blowing classes. He currently balances creating his own art, maintaining two popular galleries, and teaching classes in between!
Brit Deslonde is an acclaimed flameworking artist, known for her intricate bead work and stunning detail. She began by creating glass beads for one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. In fact, it is estimated that she has created over half a million beads in her thirteen year career! This introduction to glass only fed her creative drive and she quickly mastered creating gorgeous sculptural pieces with the torch. An up-and-comer in the glass community, Brit began growing and cultivating her skills through exploration of her own passion for glass. Brit uses the magnificent scenery of the Emerald Coast to create breathtaking ocean inspired pieces with fused, flameworked, and even blown glass.