A Glassblowing Adventure!

While I attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison, eventually receiving a BS in Art, I missed out on glassblowing. I have always regretted that decision. The UW is credited with having the best classes in the country. So when my birthday rolled around in April, I was thrilled when my daughter, Courtney, signed us up for a class at the Denver Glass Academy!

What do you think about when you conjure ideas of glassblowing? Torches? Burned fingers? Glass explosions? Burned skin? All of those thoughts crossed my mind after we parked and walked to class. It’s a curse to have a creative mind.

While waiting for class to start, Courtney and I compared our sweaty hands. Then two other students arrived for our introductory class and our instructor, Cody Bing, showed us the tools we would use. She blew a glass ornament and a flower. Easy peasy.

My only question?

How did she do that????

You know how it is when you’re nervous but need to pay attention to details? Especially when you have to deal with fragile and breakable objects that could soon become melting orbs of pure hellacious globs of glowing death? Yeah, well, my sweaty hands didn’t stop perspiring.

Courtney is filling her tube with colored glass jimmies. Not sure that jimmies are a real thing, but they are bigger than powder and smaller than shards.

Cody mentioned something about continuing to roll the pipette-like tube and heating the tip of the other end until it shrunk. Once it had contracted and was enflamed, we were to pull it out while still rolling the pipe between our fingers.

Then we were to take a deep breath and slowly bloooooooooooooowwwwwww!

Click on the video of Courtney blowing melted glass to create an ornament!

Courtney blew a flower and an ornament. I made two ornaments. Both of my ornaments are lumpy like me. We are standing in front of the Welcome to the Denver Glass Academy poster.

Notice the relief on my face? I didn’t burn myself or anyone else and the studio was still standing!

My creations.

Courtney’s blown glass flower.

A tribute to being SIX YEARS CANCER FREE! YAY!

After class, we talked to our instructor. Guess where she learned how to blow glass? Yep. The University of Wisconsin – Madison. I was so stressed out before class, I didn’t notice her t-shirt. LOL!

It was a real birthday treat and a dream come true. Thank you, Courtney! (((hugs)))

Would you take a glassblowing class? What kind of class makes you nervous?

Pin for later!

Click for more adventure on the Wild Ride!