About Glass Mermaid Studio
Today, Glass Mermaid Studio in Freeport is both a working gallery and a hands-on teaching space. Our goal is simple: to offer meaningful creative experiences in an inspiring, welcoming environment. Whether you are stepping into a glass studio for the first time or expanding your skills, we are here to help you learn, experiment, and enjoy the process.
In the gallery, you will find handcrafted glass and original artwork created in our studio. Every piece is made by hand and kiln annealed for strength and durability. Because each item is individually crafted, no two pieces are ever exactly alike, including the ones created in class.
We believe art should feel accessible, joyful, and a little bit magical. If you ever have a question about a class or artwork, please reach out. We want you to love what you create here and carry that creativity into the rest of your life.
The studio is open by appointment so we can give each visitor and student the attention they deserve.
The Studio is only open by appointment.
Glass Mermaid Studio is rooted in Maine, both in spirit and in history.
The studio first began in Harpswell in the early 1990s, built the way many Maine ventures are built, with hard work, creativity, and a deep love of making things by hand. What started as a coastal passion project grew alongside family life. As work obligations and commitments shifted, the studio traveled too, first to Alaska, then to Houston. Wherever life led, the kilns followed. Learning, collaborating, and creating in each place only deepened our skills and broadened our perspective.
But Maine was always home.
When the tides turned again, Glass Mermaid returned to the coast where it began. The studio you see today is not a transplant. It is a homecoming. A long Maine story that took the scenic route and came full circle.
About Lisa Blanchard
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Lisa Blanchard is the artist and founder behind Glass Mermaid Studio. Raised on the coast of Maine, she grew up in a family where handmade gifts and creative problem solving were simply part of life. That early exposure to making has shaped everything she does.
She took her first glass class in 1984 and was immediately hooked. What began as curiosity became a lifelong pursuit. Over the decades, Lisa has worked in multiple glass disciplines, continually expanding her skills and building a studio that reflects both technical precision and creative play.
As family and work carried her from Maine to Alaska and Houston, her glass
practice traveled with her. Each chapter added new techniques, new collaborations, and new inspiration. Through it all, the focus remained the same: thoughtful craftsmanship and the joy of creating something with your own hands. As the saying goes, “Wherever you go, there you are.” For Lisa, that meant the heart of Glass Mermaid remained steady, no matter the zip code.
Today, Lisa leads Glass Mermaid Studio in Freeport, where she teaches with patience, humor, and a belief that anyone can learn to work with glass. She loves watching students surprise themselves and discover confidence through creativity.
When she is not in the studio, you will likely find her in the garden, on the water, or spending time with family and friends, still guided by the same coastal rhythms that first inspired her work.