Blowing Beer Bottles/Recycling!

This Sunday we filled the annealer with used bottles, beer, wine and the like. The theory is , if you heat some bottles up to 950 degrees or so and pick them up on the end of a blow pipe or punty rod you can alter it's shape to create a decorative or functional "new" piece of blown glass. Voila-recycling
! Ken Perrin pushing/ pulling the limits
Well as usual with theory and practice it is much harder than it seems. Harder being the operative word. See the bottle glass is formulated so it sets up instantly when blown (by a machine) into a metal mold. therefore the properties of the bottle glass are that it heats up quickly to a liquid state, and then hardens immediately when touched by the tools.
Alex Carpenter 2010 artist in residence.

Hmmmm who doesn't like a challenge?
Linda Grecco 2010 Intern from College of The Atlantic


I think this has been great fun but I don't think it will go into heavy production any time soon. Rest assured you may see a smattering off these pieces inthe gallery from time to time and we will ytry to have these for the commmon ground fair at harvest season, but--The glass we usually use is a lovely crystal, formulated to be soft and pliable to the hand work of a skilled artisan. When heated and brought to the glassblowers bench it can be worked with the tools for a lot longer than these brown bottles. SO although this has been fun, whats more, it has increased the appreciation for what we normally use every delicious molten day! Clear art glass crystal! mmmmm can't wait to get back to it...
! Linda Perrin

Apprenticeship in glass blowing

Great vibes this year! We finished last year on a real upswing largely due to the help and company of Emily Lyons (aka, big puff) a sculpture student doing an internship/apprenticeship with us for college credit from the University of Southern Maine, and Alex Carpenter a world traveler, COA student and all around earnest fellow who has begun a glass blowing residency/apprenticeship with us. Working in the hot shop in exchange for access to hot glass is a classic apprenticeship model. Since it was the holiday season we had a lot of work to do and they really helped increase the Christmas ornament production in this hot shop --all the way up to 100 ornaments in 1 day!! boy that felt good-when it was over :)

Emily has returned to Portland to finish up her art degree from U-Maine, and well, we miss her. Luckily she is an Ellsworth native and we have been assured she will be back!
Alex will continue his residency with us for a while longer, happily all the color techniques he has learned and his ability to plug into our glass blowing team will be put to good use as we prepare for the Buyers Market of American Crafts show.

Buyers Market of American Craft

Come see us! SOON
February 12-15, 2010
Jewelry Preview: February 11, 2010
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, PA
A wholesale show featuring the work of the finest national artisans selling to shops and galleries with artistic and cultural integrity.
We'll be there!

Glass Blowing Classes winter 2010

The 2010 winter glass blowing classes will begin January 16th!
Classes for beginners and advanced students.
Enrollment is limited so sign up now before we fill up!

Beginning Glass Blowing
This course is designed for beginners. Emphasis is placed on learning the basic skills necessary to complete simple blown vessels. Class time is divided between demonstrations and supervised work time, with individual attention for each student. No glass working experience is required. Tuition: $375.00
This is a five-week course meeting once each week for four hours. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, as class sizes are limited. Full payment must be made by first class


Continued Glass Blowing
This class will build upon the skills acquired in previous glass blowing classes. It is also a prerequisite to studio rental. The class will explore the use of color and bit applications. The course structure will include demonstrations to suit the individual interests of participants. Schedule is determined by the instructor and the students. Class size is limited to four students. Tuition: $375.00 Dates: Send us an email for current dates -16 hour course. Registration is first- come, first-served, as class sizes are limited. Full payment must be made by first class.