Refract Seattle

Home
United States
Seattle, WA
Refract Seattle

$Refract Seattle$ The Refract Seattle website will be updated in July 2026

Join us October 15-18, 2026 for the 8th annual Refract, as the region’s luminaries of glass art come out to shine with epic exhibitions, intriguing demos, artist open studios, art parties and more. Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience is presented each October by Chihuly Garden and Glass, Visit Seattle and more than seventy glass artists and organizations.

09/13/2026

Welcome back Design Within Reach!

Explore both iconic & modern glass through the world of design; names such as Glas Italia, Helle Mardahl, Louis Poulsen, MESO, Sophie Lou Jacobsen, Tom Dixon, and more.

09/11/2026

NEW this year!

Art Table is a restaurant & bar that features a rotating exhibition of art on the walls, tables made by artists, and curiosities to be found in the space. By the entrance rest glass display cases, one enclosing handmade glassware by a longtime friend of the owner. Along the walls, art surrounds the theme of glass through the perspective of fragility and life (or “fragility of life”), reminding us to celebrate the little moments.

09/10/2026

A little Refract preview! Join us this Friday September 11 Gallery Mack | Art Gallery to celebrate the opening of Luminous Forms, a new exhibition by Mikey C***a
See you at 6pm!

09/09/2026

Hands on glassmaking experiences offer a unique opportunity to understand the processes behind the art form.

During Refract, several organizations will offer classes, including:

The Seattle Glass Blowing Studio
Seymour Stained Glass
Blowing Sands
glassybaby

Check out the Refract website for more details on how, when and where!

09/07/2026

One more Eastside shout out!

We welcome Northwest Artglass Inc in Redmond as part of our Greater Seattle program.

Veritable Visionary Vitrograph
October 17th, 10am-2pm, FREE

Watch, Learn, Participate – FREE live action vitrograph pulling opportunity in both COE 90 and COE 96 glass. This hands-on event allows you to watch the process, ask the questions, and try the technique.

09/04/2026

Today we head East of Seattle to downtown Issaquah.

We welcome back our dear friends Sharon, Art and Brad from Art by Fire!

Art by Fire is a glass school and gallery on Front Street in Issaquah where the team teaches glassblowing and lampworking, all while sharing a love of glass with everyone!

Curious about the magic of shaping molten glass? I

Art by Fire is offering private glassblowing classes, where you will be guided step by step through a fun, hands-on experience—no prior experience needed. You’ll create multiple unique pieces to remember your time in the studio, which can be picked up once they’ve cooled or shipped to you for convenience.

Don't miss out on this wonderful hands-on opportunity on:

Friday & Saturday, October 16th & 17th, 11.15am- 5.30pm.
Select times from 11:15am, 12:30pm, 1:45am, 4:15pm, and 5:30pm.

Please note reservations are required: https://artbyfire.com/pages/glassblowing-classes-and-experiences for more details.

Or if you prefer to watch the experts at work, swing by on:

Friday October 16th, 7-8.30pm. FREE

Watch molten glass come alive as artist Art Freas demonstrates the intricate incalmo technique—carefully joining separate pieces of glowing glass into one seamless, beautifully layered wall platter. Settle into our intimate viewing area with refreshments in hand and enjoy a friendly, educational experience as you take in this mesmerizing craft up close.

$In the spirit of our glass community far and wide- an impromptu Refract "Greater Seattle" post from Norway!Tucked into t...$

09/03/2026

In the spirit of our glass community far and wide- an impromptu Refract "Greater Seattle" post from Norway!

Tucked into the Sognefjorden, Aurland is a small town and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

Artist Merete Rein welcomed us into her studio today, where we shared stories and laughs. She sends a big hello to Rik and Shelley in Seattle!

And in the photo we have Flora and Joey, front and center, in the tee-shirt for the Tough Stuff: Women in the American Glass Studio exhibition currently on show at the Corning Museum of Glass.

Merete's studio and gallery is open till the end of December this year. If in the area, pop in and visit her.

09/02/2026

Luminous! at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts on Winslow Way E, Bainbridge Island.

This special exhibition during Reftact celebrates light, reflection and translucence in the work of Northwest glass masters Robert Carlson, Steve Maslach, Trenton Quiocho, KeKe Cribbs, Gregory Lastrapes, and Alicia Lomne, and abstract paintings by Jeanne Toal.

08/31/2026

This week's focus in West and East of Seattle starting with the Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network aka BARN.

Situated just a short distance from downtown Winslow and designed by renowned local architect Johnpaul Jones, BARN's 25,000-square-foot facility celebrates and facilitates creativity. It includes 10 studios, a large event room, and a commons area. The design incorporates natural light, geothermal heat, and many other sustainable elements.

BARN's facility creates an environment where makers from many different disciplines can come together to learn from each other and share ideas.

This year during Refract:

Exhibition: Birds of a Feather: PNW Glass Takes Flight
October 15th-18th, 9am-6pm, FREE

Enjoy an exhibit showcasing glass art made at BARN, featuring established artists and makers of all ages!

Thursday October 15th, 4-7pm, FREE

Join BARN’s Glass Arts Studio for a free screening of Holy Frit, a documentary by Justin Monroe about artist Tim Carey’s ambitious, near-disastrous attempt to create the world’s largest stained-glass window for a Kansas Church.

4:00-5:00 PM: Social hour with drinks, cheese, and crackers
Introduction by Aspire Glass Artist Debra Arend
5:00-7:00 PM Film (Popcorn provided!)

Saturday, October 17th, 10 am-3 pm, FREE

BARN makers will host live demonstrations by artists and makers extraordinaire, featuring Torchwork, Stained Glass, Mosaics, and Fused Glass. Student work will also be on display! Come meet glass artisans, learn more about the Glass Arts Studio, and get inspired.

08/25/2026

One final post about the Museum of Glass in Tacoma.

Watch contemporary glass history in the making as the Museum of Glass Hot Shop Team, in collaboration with Visiting Artists, demonstrates the fascinating process of creating works of art from molten glass.

Spotlight on Visiting Artist Ben Cobb who will demonstrate in the Museum Hot Shop during Refract 2026.

Through 25 years of working in glassblowing, Benjamin Cobb has honed his mastery of glass, traveled across the globe, and worked with hundreds of artists.

An East Coast transplant, Cobb holds a BFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and has been a demonstrating artist at glass studios as far afield as Sweden, the Czech Republic, Italy, and France.

He’s taught at Penland School of Crafts, Pilchuck Glass School, and many other glass programs in the US. He’s a recognizable leader and voice in the glass community and has contributed to the success of countless works of art. In his own work, Cobb draws inspiration from the natural world as well as scientific process.

His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, WA, Museum of Glass, and dozens of galleries across the country.

Cobb is the longtime director of the Museum of Glass Hot Shop.

October 16-18, 2026, 10am-5pm
Museum admission: $18

Address

Seattle, WA

Website

http://refractseattle.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Refract Seattle posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Refract Seattle:

Want your business to be the top-listed Event/venue in Seattle?