About the Glass

All Glass Peace artwork is hand-blown using a torch and glass in the form of tubes and rods.   The glass we use is called Borosilicate, known by it’s brand name Pyrex™.   The colors in the glass are created by mixing many different metals into the glass.  Blowing glass the way we do is called lampworking, flameworking, or torch-working.  It is called that because before we had fancy torches, people were using oil lamps to blow glass.   Flameworking has recently become a lot more popular, especially in the west coast.  There is some amazing artwork surfacing everywhere, and we feel so happy to be part of it.  The pallet of colors has been growing daily.  Twenty years ago there were barely any colors available to artists, but now thanks to Northstar Glassworks, Glass Alchemy, and all the new companies that have formed lately, we have endless possibilities.

 

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Flameworking can be a very intricate art-form.  It’s a very one on one form of glass working compared to furnace glass work where a team works together and you have to communicate with them and the glass at the same time.  Another difference between flameworking and other forms of glass working is that the glass is actually in your hands, you are touching the same glass tube that has a 2000 degree bubble on it.  No metal pipes, no mandrels, just you and the glass. After some practice, and the right frame of mind you can feel the subtle energy vibrating off the glass.  It is a communication process between the glass blower, the glass, and the flame.

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If you would like more information about becoming a glass artist, I would suggest looking into local schools in the area with glass programs.   Or you can look on our links page we have some schools in there with great glass art programs.