by Chrissy Linn

Created on: May 09, 2009

"The Art of Glass: The Process of Glassblowing"

Picture yourself standing intently in front of thousands of intimidating degrees. You hold a metal rod firmly into a voracious, smoldering pit. After nearly charring your nose, you continue to work with the hot metal stick, twirling and swinging it inches from your alert body. One day later, you are greeted with the beautiful product of this endeavor: a carefully blown, colorful ball of decorative glass. This process is the art of glassblowing.

Glassblowing is the root of many staple products including drinking glasses, bowls, ashtrays, and light bulbs. Almost any household product that is made of glass was probably blown into that formation. Although its commercial value is strong, glassblowing is as elaborate and stimulating as the most imaginative of artistic methods. Glassblowing is a concentrated, motivating process. The most basic glass formation is a ball or round ornament. There is no shaping, twirling, flinging, or bending to be done to the glass, but the outcome is magnificent, decorative, and attractive. The following analysis will instruct the task of blowing a simple glass ball.

There are major tools that go into glassblowing, and three different furnaces, even if the project is just a little orb. The first is just a furnace full of molten glass (the glass that will be 'blown'), the second is called a "glory hole" and this one is used to reheat that molten glass while working with it. The third furnace is an "annealer." This gently cools the glass and prevents it from exploding under pressure. Of course, a blowpipe (a long tube-like stick with a hole in the middle in which to blow the glass into bubbles) is used. Also needed are a bench, a paddle, big tweezers, and a marver. A marver is "a steel (or marble) table that is used to shape the glass. The artist can roll the glass on this table to achieve a variety of goals, most of which have to do with shape" (Wertheimer). The marver is one of the most important tools in a glass studio. It's big, flat, and heat-proof. It offers the ability to shape and mold the glass without using hands or needle tools.

Glassblowing is an art that one explores at their own risk. Cuts and burns are to be expected, and can range anywhere in severity. This is why preparing safety attire is the first step in glassblowing. Eye protection is a must to be safe from glass particles. Each glassblower should wear goggles or break-resistant glasses, preferably with a tinted

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