Blown Away

 I've always been fascinated by glass — I think I got it from my mom. So one thing we really wanted to do in our mini-vacation to Duluth last week was to take a glass class at Lake Superior Art Glass. Beatrix had taken a glass camp her in the Twin Cities at Foci and loved it, but Patrick and I were newbies. Luckily, they make it very easy.

And covid-safe; our class was just the three of us and the instructor (all masked, and at the front of the shop with a big open window.

We had chosen a flower making class, and our instructor Pete was great about explaining all the steps to us and going through the process. Turns out the most important part is to remember to keep the pipe turning at all times. I think I have a way to go before I develop the smooth fluidity that Pete showed in moving between things, but Beatrix got it pretty easily.

Patrick was pretty good as well. There are a few steps:

1. Creating the step with green glass, gathering the glass then heating it.

2. Making another gather and choosing the color, then heating.

3. Using the bench to pinch out the shape(without going too far into the stem).

4. Pulling out the petals.

5. Pulling the flower down the pipe so you can create the stem.

6. Turning the step and breaking it off.

7. Cooling in the annealer.

Here's me:

The way they have the classes set up, the instructor gets you through it but takes on the tricky parts (like the stems of the flowers) himself.

We ended up with quite the lovely bouquet.

I'm unreasonably proud of mine.

We all had a fantastic and memorable time. I would honestly love to take a longer class in glass. I'm not sure I'm extraordinarily good, but it was a lot of fun.