Making a Paper Weight at the Wheaton Arts Glass Studio



IMG_4638

We went to the Wheaton Arts Glass Studio so that I could try my hand at making a glass paperweight.

IMG_4639

It was pretty deserted.  I imagine that there are more people when it is warmer in the summer.

IMG_4644

The glass studio entrance.

IMG_4645

The massive kiln in the middle of the the building.  While they are producing glass, it runs 24/7 to keep the glass molten and the bricks up to temperature.

 

IMG_4646

The glass working area and viewing gallery behind.

IMG_4648

Old glass-working tools and art pieces.

IMG_4649 IMG_4650

Huge blown glass balls.

IMG_4656

Getting ready to work some glass.

IMG_4659

Choosing what color I am going to use with Joe Mattson.


IMG_4663

Laying out the glass colors that I will use.

IMG_4666

Getting the first ingot of molten glass on the pipe.

IMG_4669

Getting more glass on the rod.

IMG_4673

Cooling off the rod so that we can work on the glass easier.

IMG_4677

Putting the color in the glass.

IMG_4678

Heating up the glass.

IMG_4682

The heat was so intense that my hands felt like they were on fire.



IMG_4684

Color going into the glass.

IMG_4698

More clear glass going on top of the color.

IMG_4699

Molten glass coming through!

IMG_4710

Shaping the glass into a ball.


IMG_4711

Necking down the glass.


IMG_4719
My paperweight almost done.


IMG_4724

Heating up the glass to make the end get flat.

IMG_4727

Punching the end with a stamp that says “Made by ME!”


IMG_4729
All done!


IMG_4733

Me with Joe who taught me how to make the paperweight.

IMG_4738

One of the other artists working on a line of his signature paperweights.

 


 

IMG_4740 IMG_4741

I got the chance to help the guy who led me through making a paperweight blow a glass vase.  He ended up giving it to me.  I gave it to my mom for Christmas.

 

IMG_4850

 

The vase and paperweight!

IMG_4752

A pottery studio.

IMG_4755

These ducks charged out of a pond and tried to demand bread from us when we walked over by them.

IMG_4756

IMG_4758

They got disappointed when we didn’t have any food.

The ducks tried again when we walked on a bridge over the water.  They were yet again disappointed.


IMG_4762

An old schoolhouse.

 

 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.