Artist Spotlight: Jason McDonald—and Why We Keep Learning at Glass Deer
I recently stepped into the student’s seat for a master class with glass artist Jason McDonald. As the owner and an instructor at Glass Deer, I spend much of my time helping other people discover glass. Continuing my own education is part of that work—and it gives me a chance to introduce our community to artists worth knowing.
Meet Jason McDonald
You may recognize Jason from Season 2 of Netflix’s Blown Away. His glass journey began at age 14 through Tacoma’s Hilltop Artists program. Today, his practice brings together a passion for Venetian furnace techniques, technical exploration, and questions about who has access to creative spaces.
What makes Venetian glassmaking so compelling?
Think of an elegant goblet: a bowl, a slender stem, and a balanced foot, all shaped from hot glass. The finished piece can look effortless. Making it calls for careful timing, heat control, coordination, and practice. It is a beautiful example of how glass rewards both curiosity and commitment.
Jason’s work takes that tradition beyond the drinking vessel. His Goblet Inclusion series places delicate goblet forms within larger cast-glass structures, inviting viewers to look again at the relationship between the vessel and the glass surrounding it.
Teaching is also a substantial part of his practice. He has taught at places including Pilchuck Glass School, Penland School of Craft, and The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass. His artist statement describes a commitment to opening creative spaces to people who have not always felt invited into them.
Bringing that curiosity home to Glass Deer
A master class is a reminder that learning does not end when you become an instructor. I am continuing to study the craft while helping our own students find their way into it.
That is the spirit of Glass Deer: visitors can enjoy a memorable hands-on experience, while locals can keep building skills through guided sessions and continued practice. You do not need experience—or a perfectly formed project idea—to begin.
Our studio teaches three distinct ways of working with glass: furnace glassblowing with molten glass, fusing by scoring, cutting, and arranging glass for kiln firing, and flameworking at a torch. Vases, coral bowls, flowers, and jewelry are popular starting points. Bring your own idea and we will help you find an approach suited to your experience and class time.
Discover more
Photo source: Jason McDonald’s official website. Artist spotlight by Brit Deslonde, owner and instructor at Glass Deer.
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