Hello All! So Happy to Meet You!

Ahhhhh my first post! Ok so I am a bit nervous but what better way to introduce myself than to let you in on my glassy life.

 Lucky me I get to make my living by working at a Glass Studio called Third Degree Glass Factory. We are a public access glass studio where glass artists come to create. I am the Flame Studio Director and work there full time.

So how about a tour? First is our Hotshop. This is where a glass worker blows glass. These are the furnaces where the artist takes a long hollow pipe and opens those doors and gets a gather of glass on the end of a pipe. 

This is Mike, he is our Hotshop director. He is sitting at a bench and the equipment in front of him is called a Glory Hole. After he gets his gather he blows a small puff of air which expands the glass and he can begin to form a vase etc. The glory hole keeps his glass warm as he works on it. 

 
Next up is our Kiln Studio or some people call it Fusing. This is where you take flat sheets of glass, cut it and then slump it in a kiln to make a variety of things like plates, bowls,  and jewelry.

  Here is where I have been working a lot lately. Its the Cold Shop. After the glass is made and out of a kiln we can work on it further by cutting, grinding, and polishing it. We can make something shiny, have a matte finish or cut into the glass and then polish it back to a shine. 

 

I saved the best for last. My studio! You can see all the torches set up for students and artist to use. There is a huge hood for ventilation, and the table is covered in stainless steel to protect from hot glass.

 

These are the glass rods that I use to form my beads by using the torches you see on my table. Look at all that lovely glass just waiting for me to make beads!

Hope you enjoyed my home away from home.

I am so happy to be here with you all. This is such a great group of artists and I look forward to learning and sharing ideas.