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Making Christmas merrier with Chrysler Museum's glass blowing classes

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The Chrysler Museum of Art's Perry Glass Studio now offers several glassblowing classes in its newly-renovated facility.

It’s been two years since Lyz Arroyo took her first class at the Perry Glass Studio, and she still gets excited whenever she’s near the furnace. Arroyo, who attends Tidewater Community College, wants to make a career out of her hobby.

“I started taking classes here, and I got hooked. I fell in love,” said Arroyo

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Glassblowing has been around for centuries, and the tools that were used in the past are similar to the ones used at the Chrysler Museum of Art's Perry Glass Studio.

“The act of glassblowing has been around since 50 B.C. Believe it or not, the tools and the materials are very similar to that time frame. Very little has changed over the years,” said Perry Glass Studio manager Robin Rogers.

On most days at noon, the public is invited to see a free demonstration of this ancient art, and right now they’re offering Christmas ornament classes.

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“So people who come here get to experience it and learn an ancient art in a very modern facility,” said Rogers.

And for that, the Perry Glass Studio at the Chrysler Museum of Art is Positively Hampton Roads.