Author: Aly Myers
Glass mosaic art is the process of arranging small pieces of colored glass to form a larger image. During my internship at Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC), I realized that my experience worked the same way, each small moment, each interaction, and each project came together to form a larger image: making glass art accessible to everyone, one piece at a time.
This semester, I was an intern at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, a nonprofit gallery, glass studio, and public-access school dedicated to teaching, creating and promoting glass art. Under Program Director Valerie Bundy, I took on a wide variety of tasks, from organizing storage spaces, and assisting with the sale of blown-glass pumpkins, to developing educational activities. Every Monday this fall, I joined Youth Programs Coordinator Dilann Harris at Propel Homestead, a K-8 charter school here in Pittsburgh, to help lead a weekly after-school art residency for kindergarten through second grade students. Together, we guided the students as they explored color, texture, and design while creating their own glass art projects, from mosaic pumpkins to garden stepping stones. For that hour each week, the classroom became our own little glass studio.
I still remember the very first day at Propel. As Dilann explained what the students would be making, one child raised their hand and said, “My parents don’t let me touch glass.” It was a simple comment, but it stuck with me because it captured so much of what makes PGC’s outreach work meaningful. To many people, glass feels fragile, intimidating, and off-limits. Our job that day wasn’t just to teach, it was to show that glass can be safe, fun, and full of creative possibilities.
Dilann broke down the mystery and the ‘danger’ behind creating with glass. We explained the kinds of glass we’d be using, showed how to handle it safely, and reassured everyone that with a little care and patience, they could make something all on their own. Once the students started arranging their colorful glass pieces into patterns and pictures, the room shifted from hesitation to excitement. They traded ideas, helped each other pick colors, and started to see that working with glass wasn’t so scary after all.
Watching that transformation made me realize that accessibility in art isn’t just about materials, but about creating spaces where people feel comfortable and capable of participating. Each week that I assisted Dilann at Propel, I saw PGC’s mission in action: to make glass art open, inclusive, and inspiring. Every project, every conversation, and every student’s work became its own tiny piece of a larger picture, one that reflects how art can connect people and reshape what they think they’re capable of. Just like the mosaics we made, my experience at PGC reminded me that accessibility and creativity are built one piece at a time.