Making Art Entertaining

The Glass House Xperience: Our Journey

The Glass House’s touring glassblowing experience was created in 2015 by Mandy Patchin and Kai George Scholefield. Our goal was to grow awareness of this ancient art, expand the glassblowing community, foster meaningful connections among diverse communities, and share our creative ideas.

Kai and Mandy both appreciate the art of improvisation and the theatrics of glassblowing, so it felt natural to combine these elements into a traveling attraction where humor, fire, and creativity co-exist. The live show has been described as a unique mix of concert, play, comedy routine, and lecture—all through the informally choreographed dance of creating complex glass art in front of an audience.

In 2018, pivotal changes took place. Mandy expanded the Glass House Team, bringing on talented colleagues, and implemented a new structure and name. With over 35 years of combined experience, our team has since participated in travel, lectures, and international art shows. We proudly welcomed Carli Castle, Nicholas Baldock, Alana Biffert, and Larissa Manser to the team.

The next step for the Glass House is a North American tour, collaborating with organizations, institutions, and communities along the way. Following the 2018 evolution, we are excited to live up to our name, XPERIENCE—stay tuned for updates!

Life has been a rollercoaster since 2020. While the impact of COVID temporarily slowed regular operations, we continued creating. Mandy works in the studio 1–3 times per week, occasionally taking the glass truck to teach classes in Calgary and Prince George, BC. We have also collaborated with talented visiting artists like Matais Martinez, Kenzie Roth, and Graham Boyd. We invite you to reach out to create with us!

2023 brought both challenges and growth. In August 2022, Mandy made the decision to temporarily close the studio, planning to reopen in 2023. During this time, she traveled across Canada and the US to expand her skills, including TA’ing for Bill Gudenrath at the Corning Museum of Glass in January, with plans to return in August. COVID ultimately influenced the decision to sell the mobile studio to a buyer in the USA, but Mandy remains passionately creating. The gallery remains open by appointment, and she continues to make memorial glass keepsakes and other functional and artistic glass for clients worldwide, a deeply meaningful part of her practice.

In October 2023, Mandy sold the glass studio to a woman in Texas, completing an unforgettable 3,500 km road trip across five states and one province. Reflecting on eight incredible years of teaching thousands of students, demonstrating for hundreds of thousands, and making an impact in art and entertainment, she acknowledges it was time to turn inward. Mandy continues to hone her skills through classes in places like Corning, NY, while sharing her creative journey and producing meaningful pieces for families.

2024 & 2025 Mandy has continued creating at a private rental studio to keep her art flowing to her clients. August 2025 has been a whirlwind of growth and change. Mandy has moved and is in the process of setting up a new gallery shop space, with exciting updates to share as the project unfolds. The continued support of the community fuels the evolution of Glass House, and Mandy looks forward to the next chapter of creating, teaching, and inspiring.