Laura Oakes' One Cool Thing: Vandalia Glassworks
Laura takes you into the art of glassmaking this week on "One Cool Thing"!
Q: So this week's One Cool Thing is actually pretty hot you might say?
A: Yes indeed. I paid a visit to Vandalia Glassworks' "hot shop" this week, where you can take classes or even rent the space and bring a group to learn the art of glassblowing. The ovens are set at 2100 degrees and give off a lot of heat.
You could say it's part of the "Makers Movement", where people are getting back to appreciating things that are hand made, rather than buying so much mass-produced stuff. And yes, it's hot in there!
Q: Tell us about the facility.
A: Vandalia Glassworks is housed in a former ATV shop. They've completely remodeled it, with a gallery/retail space for lovely glass products in the front, and the ovens and glassmaking operation in the back. Glass artists rent the ovens to create their work...actually blowing air through long pipes to shape and mold their pieces. In my interview with owner Bryce Borkhuis below, he walks me through the entire process with the help of artist Tom Nye who was working on a few pieces at the time. Be sure to listen..we did a lot of walking and talking and sweating......
Q: What can someone with no experience actually make there?
