Nearly 1,000 exquisitely crafted works of glass art go on sale to the public Saturday, March 28, at The University of Texas at Arlington's annual Glass Art Show and Sale at the Studio Arts Center, located at 810 S. Davis St.

The work, designed by students, faculty and staff in the College of Liberal Arts Glass Art program, will range from paperweights and vases to sculptures and other collector items.

Prices range from $5 into the thousands. The sale runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A silent auction takes place at 2 p.m., with silent auction bids taken from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., also at the Studio Arts Center.

This year marks the first time that the public sale has ever been held on a Saturday, an event that draws art enthusiasts from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and cities across Texas.

The annual event was started on a loading dock behind the art building in the mid 1990s by program founder and world-renowned glass artist David Keens in order to raise money to buy raw materials, equipment, tools and development scholarships.

The studio facility continues to operate on a modest yearly academic budget, supplemented by the funds raised during the one-day a year sale.

Proceeds are divided equally between the contributing student and the glass studio. The studio's half is still used for all major equipment purchases and for buying raw materials.

The process of developing glass art involves manipulating glass with a variety of hand tools and fire. A raffle and live glassblowing demonstrations will be part of the event.

Call the Studio Arts Center at 817-272-2891 for more information about the March 28 show and sale. Free parking is available near the building.