Brooklyn Glass, Brooklyn

Forget the "spark" of creativity. True inspiration comes at the end of a torch, where a flame blazes so hot it can turn glass into a molten orb of potential. That's exactly what visitors find at Brooklyn Glass, a 4,000-square-foot studio full of artists who shape glass into objets d'art both aesthetic and functional. Beyond torches, they also employ an onsite neon shop, a lampworking shop, and two furnaces that can melt through 1,300 pounds of glass in a single day.

For a peek inside Brooklyn Glass, check out this video profile on artist Isaac Tecosky.

Brooklyn Glass is by no means a closed community. Artists can rent spaces to work, and the general public can enroll in glass working classes at beginner through advanced levels. These classes cover topics such as how to manipulate molten glass into beads and bowls, or make your own neon sign so that customers know when your lemonade stand is open.