I started blowing glass in the summer of 2009, and since then, I have worked in a dozen or more homemade glass studios. The initial appeal of Lampworking Glass to a young vagabond is you can pack your entire shop up in a sedan and drive to any garage, anywhere in the country, that has a couple 20 amp breakers and a window, and be set up, melting in under an hour. The reality was that I had to find a house to rent that had a garage in the first place, then convince a landlord I wouldn't burn the place down. Which somehow I luckily always found. The first studio I owned outright was not your typical workshop. It was a 16x8 cargo trailer that my dad and I had outfitted with a metal workbench, an aluminum rack that held the glass supplies, and a spring-suspended table for a small kiln that worked to smooth out a bumpy ride for the delicate equipment. It also had a small but mighty exhaust fan that cycled the air in less than two minutes and a strap mount for the oxygen tanks. It was small, but I worked in that space on and off for maybe 5 years in all seasons. Winters were cold, but that torch and kiln did an excellent job keeping it above freezing. The second shop I've owned is the one you see here.
When my wife and I bought our cabin in Honor, MI, it came with a 14x10 chicken coop. It was in rough shape when we found it. I have no idea how long ago it was built; my guess is sometime in the '80s, and it was starting to lean downhill as the wooden foundation posts were rotting out. The roof was covered in moss, and inside, there was a partition, one side packed with cobwebs, old chairs, and gardening tools, and the other side was a foot deep in hay and chicken poop. Lovely. So I went to work fixing the foundation, leveling the building, gutting, and power washing the interior. I wired it with power and lights, insulated it with rock wool, slapped some drywall, and ran out of money...
My whole industry had changed that year, and many of the usual items had continued declining demand and shrinking margins due to inflation, making them no longer viable for business. I decided to give something else a try. I dove headfirst into making blown glass earrings and jewelry. What had started as a few unique Christmas and birthday gifts for my loved ones blossomed into a full-blown creative renaissance and reignition of passion for glass. My shop is small and might not have the most up-to-date tools and equipment, but it's a cozy little place to get creative, and I love it. Beautiful glass earrings fly out the door and sail across the country from this old chicken coop. Pretty neat, and all thanks to the people out there who love blown glass jewelry. Can't tell you how grateful I am for those folks!
Until next time!
Best,
-Aaron