Glassblowing

Glassblowing Useful Links

• Podcasts

  • A Glass Blowers Companion Helping Today's Glass Artist Think Like an Artistic Entrepreneur The WyzGuy Radio Show, hosted by 16-yr Lampworker J.Michael , journeys through the stories of today's top talents in the world of glass sharing their successes, failures, and their passion for this medium. Whether a glass artist, collector, or retail owner, we have a ton of fun in store for you. Click play_circle_filled to listen to an episodecancelplay_circle_filled

    GBC Ep.29- Aaron Brown: From In-School-Suspension to Glass Vegas - A Glass Blower’s Companion with Jason Michael -Helping Today's Glass Artist Think Like an Artistic Entrepreneur

    1. GBC Ep.29- Aaron Brown: From In-School-Suspension to Glass Vegas 02:10:24
    2. GBC Ep.28- Ginger Ames: Treat Yo Self While Saving for Your Future 01:28:33
  • Talking Out Your Glass Podcast Former editor of Glass Art magazine Shawn Waggoner interviews internationally respected artists and experts in hot, warm, and cold glass. Talking Out Your Glass podcast features conversations with glass artists working in glassblowing, fusing, kiln forming, flameworking, torchworking, stained glass, and architectural glass. Click play_circle_filled to listen to an episodecancelplay_circle_filled

    Krista Israel: 2022 SAXE Emerging Artist Award Winner - Talking Out Your Glass podcast

    During a 2011 lecture by John Moran, Krista Israel had an epiphany. The artist realized that through her art it was possible to offer an opinion on social issues. Thoughts and feelings that are difficult to put into words become one’s voice through the creation of art. To this end, she employs the techniques of casting, flameworking, and pâte de verre, using the natural characteristics of the different glass techniques to express her thoughts, sometimes in combination with other materials such as cloth, computer parts, plastic toys, even a chair. Israel states: “Glass art doesn’t necessarily have to be shiny and pretty. This material, which is known for those properties, can also be used in a completely different way. For me that was an aha moment, which certainly influenced the series of critical works on social media and rapid technical developments that I made in the following years. In life we go through stages and changes; that also happens in the works you make.” During the pandemic lockdown, Israel’s artistic goals began to shift, and her desire to make work with ironic humor came into focus. Starting out in her education as pastry chef and later silversmith, neither of those materials made Israel’s heart sing like melting glass rods in a flame. After the initial introduction to flameworking, she studied different techniques at a variety of workshops over a period of five years, while working for the largest bead store in the Netherlands, designing jewelery and giving workshops. In 2005, the artist became aware of the glass art department of the Institute for Art and Crafts (IKA) in Belgium. For almost two years she considered attending, until a visit to the institute convinced her to make the leap. Graduating with honors from the IKA, Israel received her BFA in glass art in 2013 and MFA in 2016. In addition to the 2022 Saxe Emerging Artist Award from the Glass Art Society, the artist was selected for the Coburger Glas Preis 2022 and 2014, Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg, Germany; nominated for the Dutch glass prize – the Bernadine de Neeve Prize 2021, Association Friends of Modern Glas; received Stipendium 2018, Association Friends of Modern Glass, The Netherlands; received the Originality & Ingenuity exhibition and residency, Liling Ceramic Valley Museum, China, 2017; and received the 10-10-10 Stipendium, academic grant for glass artists, Glass Gallery Aventurine, 2014. Israel designed and produced the 2015 collectors object of the Dutch Association Friends of Modern Glass. The combination of her unique perspective on the modern world and flameworking techniques that produce a mind-blowing “glass fur,” has put Israel on the map. She has participated in national and international exhibitions in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, China, Poland, the United States and the Netherlands, including: New Glass Now On Tour, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, USA; New Glass Now, Corning Museum of Glass, USA, 2019; Glass 4 Ever, Gorcums Museum, Netherlands, 2018; Glass Art Society, GAS Members Juried Exhibition, USA, 2017; European Glass Festival, main exhibition Play with Glass: Dr. Jekyll & Mrs. Hyde, Poland, 2016; Tianyuan International Glass Art Festival, Collision & Fission Contemporary Glass Art Invitational Exhibition, China, 2016; Exhibition Coburger Glas Preis, Europaïsch Museum für Modern Glass, Germany, 2014. Her work is represented in public collections, including: Corning Museum of Glass, USA; Liling Ceramic Valley Museum, China; Ernsting Stiftung Glass Museum Alter Hof Herding, Germany; and Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coburg – Europaisch Museum für Modern Glas, Germany. Her work is represented in the US by Habatat Galleries Detroit, coming soon at Habatat Galleries Florida and Oooit Art in the Netherlands. Israel is co-founder of the non-profit organization UNexpected Glass. During the International Year of Glass, UNexpected Glass will launch its first exhibition in October 2022, which will be a crossover between glass art, multi-media art with glass and glass innovation from the architectural world and construction industry. Artist and innovation talks and glass demonstrations will also be offered. Check in at www.unexpectedglass.nl which is currently under construction. Wrote Helene Besancon, curator National Glass Museum: “Krista Israel is a multi-media artist with a main focus on glass. Looking at her work it is like entering a story. The artworks are pleasing to the eye, but there is a layer of bittersweetness in all of them. Her works are in a realistic style, but it is not about the obvious reality. She is an artist who uses a broad variety of techniques, using the natural characteristics of glass to express her thoughts and reflections of the world and people, thus addressing the needs of our well-being. The combination of different techniques and her thoughts make her work complex and intriguing.”  

    1. Krista Israel: 2022 SAXE Emerging Artist Award Winner 01:01:24
    2. President of the American Glass Guild, Kathy Jordan: Conservation Painting, Stained Glass Restoration and Industry Service 01:13:34

• Articles

  • HowStuffWorks How Glassblowing Works The practice of blowing glass may seem hip and modern if you've recently hit up an art exhibition by Dale Chihuly or Harvey Littleton. But the history of glassblowing is actually long and rich, dating back to the Roman Empire. cancel
  • DMG School The Glass Blowing Process Glass blowing is a glass forming technique that humans have used to shape glass since the 1st century B.C. The technique consists of inflating molten glass with a blowpipe to form a sort of glass bubble, that can be molded into glassware for practical or artistic purposes. cancel
  • DMG School Beginners Guide to Glassblowing Glassblowing is one of the most beautiful, practical, and versatile art forms. Since the 1st century B.C, humanity has recognized the importance and value of shaping glass, due to its many applications extending from the practical to the artistic. We have developed multiple techniques to make the best use of this wonderful material. cancel
  • Look Beyond The Art of Glassblowing Is All Around Us Humans have been making glass for a long time, and our skills have only grown since the glassblowing days of Ancient Egypt and Roman times. Read more in this blog! cancel
  • wikiHow How to Blow Glass (with Pictures) Glassblowing is the art of creating glass sculptures by manipulating molten glass in a very hot furnace. It is a fun way to express your creativity and try working with a new material. The most common and accessible type of glassblowing is called offhand, where you heat and shape the glass on the end of a hollow pipe. Blowing glass requires working closely with heat and glass, so make sure you take all the necessary precautions before you roll, blow, and shape the glass. cancel
  • The Guardian Work and careers: How to blow glass Glass blowing is all about timing, and it takes years to learn, as Melissa Viney discovers cancel

• Courses

  • Corning Museum of Glass Hot Glass Demos Not surprisingly, The Corning Museum of Glass is passionate about the art of glassmaking, and we like to share our passion with audiences around the world. Come see Hot Glass Demos at the Museum, where live glassblowing demonstrations are offered all day, every day, year-round. We also take glassblowing on the road with our unique mobile hotshops. cancel
  • Corning Museum of Glass The Studio Immerse yourself in glass at The Studio of The Corning Museum of Glass, an internationally renowned facility that offers glassmaking classes for a variety of skill levels and techniques, as well as artist residencies, rentals, and a variety of other programs. cancel
  • Corning Museum of Glass Classes Studio classes are offered year-round, in a variety of techniques, for all skill levels and are taught by top international glassmaking artists and instructors. With a staff that's passionate about glass and helps to take care of all your needs while you are here, you'll find it easy to concentrate on learning all you can about glass during your time in Corning. cancel
  • Viator The Top 5 USA Glassblowing Classes Check out Viator's reviews and photos of USA tours cancel
  • Viator The Top 10 Europe Glassblowing Classes Check out Viator's reviews and photos of Europe tours cancel
  • Craft Courses Glass blowing courses, craft kits and handcrafted gifts Glass blowing courses, classes, and workshops taught all across the UK. Want to learn the art and craft of blowing glass? Blown glass techniques taught by experienced glass blowers and tutors. Read student reviews. cancel

• Films and TV

  • Netflix Blown Away Ten master artists turn up the heat in glassblowing sculpture challenges for the chance to win $60,000 in prizes and the title of champion. cancel
  • Corning Museum of Glass Bring the Heat: George Kennard makes an incalmo glass vase live Watch Master Glassmaker George Kennard create a decorative vase inspired by the flameworked glass of Kurt Wallstab. Using the incalmo technique, Kennard will combine various patterned and colored bubbles to create a piece drawing from the styling of Wallstab’s famous “Montage” works. cancel

• Websites

  • UrbanGlass UrbanGlass, the New York City based nonprofit established in 1977, fosters experimentation and advances the use and critical understanding of glass as a creative medium. cancel
  • Glass Art Magazine Glass Art is the magazine for the professional glass artist working in hot, warm, or cold glass. Everything from etching, painting, engraving, and stained glass to fusing, kilnworking, glassblowing, and flameworking is included in its pages as world-renowned artists share aesthetic and technical information, how they are adapting to current shifts in global business, and what they have learned from their successes and failures. cancel