Santa Barbara Art Glass, LLC — Attraction in Santa Barbara

This is very long review, and yet there are not enough words to describe how transformative, soul enriching, inspiring and heart fluttering this experience was. If you don't read any further, I just want you to know how very much I loved everything about this experience, and how highly I recommend it. Furthermore, I deeply encourage everyone to try it! I have gone skydiving before, literally jumped out of an airplane, and this was every bit as thrilling and exhilarating!

I came across Santa Barbara Glass Blowing Studio through a series of very interesting events in my life that led me to develop an intense love and passion for glass. I stumbled into this world purely on accident, and soon I was deeply immersed in it. I started to research the incredible masters of the art of glassblowing. Exploring their work, quickly became my happy place. There was a certain style of glassblowing that particularly caught my eye, and I noticed that so many of the pieces I loved the most were made by Saul Alcaraz. Then, to my absolute delight, I learned that he was a local artist, and just a short drive from where I live. I immediately planned to visit his studio, and that experience was more than I could have hoped for or dreamed of, and not only because of the stunning glass I was able to see and touch, but also because Saul himself is delightful, warm, kind, wildly passionate about his art, and generous with his time, his expertise, and fascinating stories. My husband and I kept him at the shop late, talking, and we left feeling as though we had just made a very genuine friend.

We immediately planned our return and scheduled to take a glass blowing class from him. Can you image having the opportunity to be taught by an absolute master in his field? That is exactly what you get from Saul. Hi enthusiasm for teaching his craft, his gentle guidance, and his confidence in his students make him an exceptional teacher. I had watched glass blowing before, in person, in Murano, Italy which is one the most famous and celebrated epicenters of glass blowing. I had watched programs, and witnessed glass blowers create breath-taking pieces of art. And yet, never before did I have the opportunity that Saul provided me to be more immersed and engaged in something so fascinating, it is hard to even believe it exists. Saul and his son, another wonderful member of the Alcaraz family, took my husband and I through the entire process of creating our very own piece of glass art, and for us it was absolutely euphoric! Without a doubt, Glass Blowing with Saul and his son was one of the most memorable and life changing experiences my husband and I have ever had. When we left our class, we were both absolutely glowing with this genuine and all-consuming joy over the time we spent in the studio, the magic of what Saul was able to guide us to create, and an immense gratitude for Saul and his son for sharing something so special with us. We will absolutely be doing another class, in fact, we will go as many times as they will have us because this is something so good for the soul! This experience gave us so many gifts, including our works of art that we got to take home, and I can’t imagine anyone walking away from it not feeling intrigued, elated, and proud of themselves, at the very least. Treat yourself to this priceless experience, and I promise you that it will do you good in so many ways! I can’t wait for you to discover how it...

A+ wonderful. We took the couples glass blowing class, a gift for my wife. Of the various activities we did on that 4 day anniversary trip, this was the highlight. If you love art and appreciate fine craftsmanship, and especially if you find glass beautiful or fascinating, this experience will not disappoint. From the outside, the studio seems unassuming, but inside, you can appreciate the magic that takes place inside. The proprietor-artists, Saul and Gina Alcaraz, have a widely known and well respected shop. You understand why when you see the multitude of glass pieces on display, and especially when you watch Saul work. The website gives only a small insight into the variety and versatility of glass work that they do, so a trip in person is like a trip to a small museum. And, better than many museums, the Alcaraz's are wonderfully engaging guides and docents, taking endless time and personal attention to discuss glass, art, history, and technique, and making their guests feel comfortably at home. They were warmer than their furnaces.

Saul is a master craftsman. You can tell by watching him work and by the beauty and quality of the pieces he creates. The wonderful thing about a visit to the studio is that you can observe all of this up close and personal, and if you sign up for a class, you get to participate. Most craftsmen and shop owners would not be so confident or so personable to allow such closeup engagement. And, they were wonderfully generous with their time, attention, and patience. The website quoted that the class was an hour, but we spent two, and then, because we had to leave for other scheduled activities, we were invited to come back the next day.

You get the sense that the Alcaraz's love what they do, and love sharing it with others. Although they have every right to be very proud of what they do, they maintain a sense of humbleness and down to earth friendliness in how they host their shop and guests. The experience was much more than just the glass and the glass blowing. It was the highlight of that trip. Whether you participate in a class or just go to visit, it will be hard not to have fun. And the beauty of the glass, and the fascination with the technique and glass blowing are a bonus. Highly...

Blown Away! If there were more stars to give, I would give them. Go here. Seriously. I would say that you need to pay attention when you are trying to find the location because there isn't really a sign. However, the studio doors were open with beautiful glassworks hanging there.

That's the working studio. It's also the classroom and the display area. The owner welcomed us in as soon as we stepped in even though he had about 6 others already there. The glass was outstanding itself, but Saul just couldn't let us browse without giving a demonstration.

I've seen a lot of glass blowing demonstrations over the years. It's usually neat and they make something simple. My wife and I were trying to politely decline. He wouldn't take no for an answer so he did a demonstration and ended up making a lamp stand for his demonstration (wow, cool!) - and he was a great showman, too. I bought some wonderful glasses he was prepared to ship. Outstanding, outstanding. Take an hour out of your day and...