About Us

At Caliente Hot Glass, every piece begins as a moment—shaped by the hands of the artist and the material itself. Glass has a way of holding time, and what takes form here carries that with it.

This is a working studio and gallery where process is visible, ideas are embedded in form, and each piece reflects a relationship between maker, material, and place. Some come to observe, some to participate, some to live with the work—each experience offering its own way of seeing.

The nature of glass has taught me who I am as an artist. My hardest lesson was acquiescing to the truth that it’s about a relationship as opposed to control.

Established in 2009, Caliente Hot Glass Studio & Gallery is a living, breathing space where molten material meets memory, movement, and meaning. Founded by Ralph Laborde following a 39-year career in hydraulics repair, the studio reflects a lifelong relationship with craft, precision, and curiosity. What began as a retirement pursuit quickly grew into a place where making is both practice and presence. Alongside Ralph, head artist Glen Andrews—who began working with glass around the turn of the century—helps shape the studio’s artistic voice, guiding each piece with a balance of technical fluency and quiet inquiry.

Rooted in San Antonio’s Southside, Caliente draws inspiration from its surroundings—its layered histories, its working hands, its rhythm of reinvention. The studio is not only a place where glass is formed, but where ideas take shape: about time, transformation, and the tension between fragility and permanence. Here, glass is both object and question. Each piece carries traces of its making, inviting those who encounter it to pause, look closer, and consider what lasts.

From the moment you step inside, you’re welcomed into an environment that values both beauty and thoughtfulness. The gallery offers a collection of fine art and accessible glass gifts, each created with attention to form, color, and intention. Whether you’re observing the process, participating in a hands-on experience, or selecting a piece to live with, each interaction is personal—an opportunity to connect not just with the material, but with the people and ideas behind it.

As Caliente Hot Glass continues to evolve, it remains grounded in a simple but powerful belief: that working with glass is a way of being in relationship—with material, with time, and with one another. More than a studio and gallery, it is a place to gather, to reflect, and to experience the quiet wonder of something made by hand.