Today’s adventure journey took my wonderful husband, Tim, and I to Belger Glass Annex in Kansas City for a glass blowing class. A good friend gifted me this experience and I have been so excited to give it a try. Today we were making a drinking glass.
Click the picture below to watch the video on our YouTube Channel.
Picture of the sample glasses for our class today.
We go to heritage craft parks and see professional glass blowing being done or we watch competition shows on tv. It is mesmerizing to watch the creation from a blob of lava like material to a crafted glass, bowl, or animal shape. This is truly an art form and experienced artisans perfect their craft over years.
Photos of the Glass Blowing Adventure
We began with information about the different pieces of equipment that are used. The main furnace is kept running at over 2000 degrees F 24/7 hours a day 365 days a year! That is incredible. We also watched a demonstration of our process today and the part we will get to play in the creation of our glass.
A hollow metal rod is dipped into the molten glass and an amount for our glass project is “gathered” onto the rod. The rod is then placed on a device that pours water over the holding end of the rod to cool it down.
The main color of the glass is clear and we add our individualized color through bits of glass crystals. Here we have the rod with the hot molten glass and I am dipping the end into the glass color crystals.
The rod with the crystals is then placed into the heating furnace. The rod is rotated around and around like a marshmallow over a fire.
The crystals slowly melt into the molten glass. Now comes the fun part. (Who am I kidding? It was ALL the fun part. ) The glass begins to take shape as I blow into the tube to add air inside the molten blob. The rod goes back into the heater furnace to reheat to continue to mold it. Once the size is right, a wooden paddle is used to form the bottom. By gently pushing on the glass while it is being spun, it flattens out.
Phase 2
The glass is now the right size and shape but it is still closed at the top and hooked to the rod. A second solid rod is brought in with a little molten glass on it and it is hooked to the bottom of the cup that we just flattened. This will allow the cup to be transferred from one rod to the other. A little bit of water in just the right place next to the rod to be removed along with the perfect tap, the glass releases the hollow rod and is just on the new rod.
The Next Step
Once it is on the new rod, the glass can be heated again so the top is soft. A huge pair of tweezers called a “jack” is used to open the top and pull it back as the rod is spun. As it cools quickly, the rod has to be put into the heater furnace several times and then the top formed again. When it is perfect, a little bit more water and just the right tap, the glass is released onto a soft foam. It is then picked up with protected tongs and placed in a cool down oven. It takes about 12 hours to cool properly. This was a great experience and something so unique! What a great glass blowing class adventure.
Info about Belger Art Works
Belger Art Works holds regular artist exhibitions, has a huge maker space for artists, and a great resource for clay/pottery supplies and classes. We will definitely be checking that out, too!
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