Free Glassblowing demos on Fridays & Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Open to the public. No reservations required.
Purple Shack Makers Gallery open Fridays & Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and by appointment.
Frequently Asked (and Answered) Questions
The Gulf of Mexico was HERE!
While the current Texas Gulf of Mexico is rimmed by major cities like Beaumont, Houston, Corpus Christi, and Brownsville 250 miles to the southeast, at one time (110 million years ago), this location at the Purple Shack Makers Gallery was inundated by the Gulf of Mexico due to rising sea levels and a lower ground level.
The high ridge you are standing upon is an erosional remnant of limestone layers deposited at the bottom of an ancient, shallow tropical sea. Shells, corals, and sponges lived and died here. Upon death, their skeletons were transformed into calcium carbonate sand that was moved back-and-forth by nearshore currents. The cross bedding in this rock attests to these sea currents.
This high place (locally known as the Kirschberg Ridge) forms the eastern fringe of the Edwards Plateau, named after the flat-lying Edwards Group of rocks. These rocks attest to this ancient expansion of the Gulf of Mexico. The ultimate extent of this inland sea stretched from the Purple Shack, northward into Canada and merged with the Arctic Ocean.
Are there any volunteering opportunities at Enchanted Fredericksburg Ranch & Glassblowing?
Learn the ancient craft of glassblowing!
We're looking for local high school students, 16 and older, and adults to apprentice or intern with our resident glassblower. You will have the opportunity to assist in the glassblowing studio on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am -3 pm. You must be available at least once a week for the duration of the apprenticeship or internship.
Please visit us during our regular business hours or call us at
(830) 321-7991 to learn more.
Can I sell my art in the Purple Shack Makers Gallery?
Our main goal is to support local artists so that their work is seen and appreciated.
We have carefully selected the artists for our gallery based on loving their work and liking them as people. You are welcome to give us a call or email us to see if we are accepting new artists. If we are, you will be asked to email us photos of the work you'd like to sell.
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We do not charge artists a monthly rental to be in our gallery, nor require them to work in the gallery (though they are welcome to volunteer and teach classes). If your art does not sell within 6-12 months, we may ask you to pick it up or swap it out.
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You will be required to give us a signed IRS Form W-9 before we accept your work for sale. We send artists quarterly checks amounting to 70% of the sales price they set for each piece. To help us offset the cost of utilities and insurance, we retain 30% of the sales price. We also file all State and County sales tax reports for the artists.
Can you repair my broken glass vase (or other item)?
No, we cannot repair glass for you.
It's a very specialized skill and most glassblowing studios will not repair glass art, drinkware, or lighting that they did not create.
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Gluing pieces back together might be your best option. We suggest searching "best glue for crystal glass repair" or something like that.
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Alternatively, the Bokrosh Studio in Seattle, WA, has information on their website about glass repair and restoration. They might be able to assist you.