by Jude Southerland Kessler
“A home is a kingdom of its own in the midst of the world, a stronghold amid life’s storms and stresses, a refuge, even a sanctuary.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Once, I wholeheartedly agreed with Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Home was the safest place! It was the snug and secure nest where I could throw on sweatpants and slippers and simply be myself. But after 24 months inside the confines of my home, enough already!!!! I need sanctuary outside these walls.
And guess what? I found it! Sanctuary Glass School and Studio in Shreveport, LA, at 421-423 Lake Street is one of the funkiest, coolest buildings I’ve ever enjoyed experiencing. It’s my “new usual,” a home away from home.
From the moment you enter the boutique attached to the glass blowing school, you know you’ve wandered into a magical world. The shop features the one-of-a-kind work of Louisiana artists, and what you’ll see is amazing! A lamp made from an old typewriter. An oil painting of a bulldog sporting a NASA space suit. An exquisite collection of bright, glass bird-feeders and nontraditional vases.
Let’s be honest: I wanted to buy everything in the shop. I was already 100% satisfied with my visit, and I hadn’t even entered the glass studio yet.
To experience Sanctuary Glass, you need to call 504-390-4377, talk to an occasion planner for your or your group, pay for your event, and make a reservation. That chosen time slot will be “all yours.” So, if you’re like me and still (for medical reasons) need to be distanced from others, have no fear! You and your guests will be only with the people enjoying your reserved class in the enchanting art of glass-blowing. And what a class it is!
First, the instructor will ask you to select the item you’d like to make…a candle holder, paperweight, ornament, glass egg, drinking glass, etc. And you’ll be given the opportunity to hand-pick colors that you’d like to use. Then, with guidance and encouragement, you’ll get to create a one-of-a-kind work of art in the most marvelous two-story workshop you’ll ever see!
With an old tin anaglypta ceiling above you … and majestic picture windows, concrete floors, and art all around you, you’ll be inspired to dabble in the lovely.
Last month, husband and I hosted our kids and grandsons there for an afternoon outing, and it was truly an afternoon we’ll never forget. Each of us got individual attention. And when we weren’t working with the instructors, we took photographs, wandered in the gallery, and watched our family “at play.” There wasn’t, as they say, a dull moment.
If the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words still rings true, then the video that follows must be a novelette. But I couldn’t capture enough of this eclectic, enchanting building or the artists who fashion small marvels within it. For me, the time spent at Sanctuary Glass will be a lifelong memory. I can’t recommend it enough.
For more information on Sanctuary Glass Studio and School for outings, field trips, classes or birthday parties, go to: https://sanctuaryartsschool.org/ Or call: 504-390-4377.
