Lexington Glassworks, Asheville

Lexington Glassworks is a working glassblowing studio and gallery where visitors can see traditional techniques used to create contemporary glass art. Opened in 2015, the studio occupies about 5,000 square feet inside a converted 1940s warehouse. Its open layout allows guests to observe artists gathering molten glass from furnaces, then blowing, shaping, and finishing each piece by hand.

The studio was founded by glass artists Billy and Geoff, both graduates of Alfred University with extensive experience in glassmaking and studio management. Their work combines centuries-old glassblowing methods with modern forms and colors. The gallery displays hand-blown vessels, drinking glasses, sculptural pieces, and decorative objects, while suspended installations and lighting designs show how glass can be used on a larger architectural scale.

A defining feature is the studio's open-door approach. Visitors can watch much of the glassmaking process from start to finish and see how heat, gravity, tools, and the artist's breath transform molten material. In 2022, Lexington Glassworks expanded its focus on custom lighting with a dedicated design studio and secondary gallery, adding commissioned pendant lights, wall installations, and other hand-blown pieces to its work.