Artery Studio opens new Anoka location for glass art classes

by Elliot Steeves

APG of East Central Minnesota/Union Herald

The Artery Studio has opened up a new location on 646 E. River Road in Anoka. The shop specializes in stained glass classes, which feature assembly kits, self-designed cut-to-finish projects, and mosaics.

Owner Krista Gordhamer has been looking for a location to move to from her previous location in Ramsey, and a new location in her hometown of Anoka worked out perfectly.

The shop first opened in 2021, when Gordhamer opened her studio for classes. Gordhamer was selling her work for 12-15 years previously.

“I do stained glass classes, and in this new space, I host other artists who teach their things,” Gordhamer said. “I primarily teach glass fusion classes.”

Gordhamer has a YouTube channel where she teaches mosaics, as well as gluing onto glass substrates. At her shop, Gordhamer often re-cuts for her students, the most challenging part of the process.

“I cut things ahead of time, and then guests can finish,” Gordhamer said. “Guests can also solder and finish themselves if they want to.”

The main class on how to re-cut, if guests so desire, takes place in a crash course-style format at a very fast pace. Gordhamer also offers open studio hours for other artists to gain access to equipment that she has on hand.

Currently, one of Gordhamer’s friends, Connie Beckers, teaches glass fusion and will teach classes in the studio. She has been teaching in Elk River prior to coming to Anoka.

The studio’s vendor space contains wares from 10 vendors selling their own craft products. These range from jewelry, to her mother Shirley Gordhamer’s sewing and quilting, to candles and alcohol mink pieces. The area also contains a little bit of woodwork, handbags with vintage handwork by Barb Roehler, and cards by Megan Wahlberg.