About Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts

History of Foci Minnestoa Center for Glass Arts

The vision for Foci MCGA was in the mind of Michael D. Boyd for almost as long as Michael has been blowing glass. He envisioned a community that shared knowledge, encouraged creativity and pushed the limits of the artistic potential of glass. In 1987, as a young teenager in Toledo, Michael's parents enrolled him in glass blowing lessons. Throughout high school, Michael continued to study glass blowing at the Toledo Museum of Art.

Foci Glass began in Ohio in 1999 where Michael and his brother, Scott, built a glass studio on his parent's farm in a pole barn. They developed their skill and traveled to art shows around the country to sell their work. After several years, Michael moved to Minneapolis to work for glassblowers Robinson Scott, Dick Huss and Patrick Cassanova. With the experience gained from working with these artists, attending workshops with other glass artists, and working in various studios in Madison, Wisconsin, Michael decided to start his own glass studio.

In early 2002, Michael moved Foci Glass to Minneapolis into the 2010 Building on East Hennepin. Michael shared his vision of a community glass studio with Lucinda Silvis, a former Foci MCGA board member, whom Michael met at the Uptown Art Fair in Minneapolis. Lucinda visited his new studio in Minneapolis and asked if she could share the space with him. After accepting her request, other glass artists came out of nowhere to ask if they could also share the studio. In addition to Lucinda, Andrew Thompson and Todd Cameron were three of the first renters to use the studio. Eventually, Andrew and Todd became Foci MCGA's first studio managers. As more and more people became involved with Foci Glass, it became obvious they needed to expand. In 2005, the studio moved to Northeast Minneapolis, in Building #10 of the 2010 Artblok Building.

This small glass community suddenly had a lot of space to fill (and pay for) and the need to grow became evident. Building on their established foundation, they decided to teach glass blowing and Foci Glass began offering glassblowing classes to the public. In addition to teaching many of Foci's classes, Michael has taken on many mentees over the years, including at-risk youth who wouldn't have the opportunity to engage in this relatively expensive art form. Glassblowing changed Michael's life when he was a teenager and he continues to pass on the gift to youth in the Twin Cities community. In 2009, Foci Glass strategically became Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts. This transition to a non-profit education necessitated the successful application and receipt of 501(c) (3) status. Since receiving this status, Foci MCGA has received several grants to help foster the development of their educational programming and administration, as well as to fund improvements to their facility and equipment.

Foci MCGA continued to expand it class and programmatic offerings to include glass demonstrations for community groups, classes in torch working, kiln casting, sand casting, fusing and neon. Its signature Glass Discoveries, Hot Glass Socials and Glass Demonstrations have introduced thousands of participants to the hot glass experience. Over the past several years, Foci MCGA has steadily grown into Minnesota's only non-profit, public-access community glass studio and education center.

In 2016, Foci MCGA launched its Capital Campaign, ‘A Fresh Gather’, and began fundaising to relocate the studio. In an effort to make glass art increasingly relevant and approachable to a growing and more inclusive community, this expansion was vital - especially as Minnesota’s only non-profit, public-access community glass studio and education center. Working with Seward Redesign, Foci MCGA planned to create an improved world-class facility that would draw people to visit and be an important resource for the local community. Foci MCGA is the anchor piece of a larger project, the Focus Arts Building, located in Seward at 2213 Snelling Avenue in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. Within this thriving neighborhood, Foci MCGA moved closer to several community partners and essential links – American Swedish Institute, MCAD, Northern Clay, and the U of MN. Development plans included a dedicated classroom space with an expanded program, improved visibility with a street front studio and full ADA accessibility, gallery and exhibition space for local artists to show and sell their work, and a new Flameworking studio. In 2020, Foci MCGA was able to complete the move to our current studio space and bring these goals to fruition.

Today, Foci MCGA is an active, vibrant organization with a dedicated, growing membership that is passionate about working with and supporting glass as an art form. Programming and artist opportunities continue to grow with each passing year, and the studio continues to reach even more individuals with the magic of glass art. Foci MCGA strives to continually improve our offerings and how we are able to better serve our community. Thank you to all of our members, students and supporters who continue to help us grow our ever-expanding programs!