We've had people contacting us for some time to see if we offer "classes", and we've always had to turn them down. Individual glassblowers often have different areas of interest and expertise. I (Bob), for instance, have enjoyed the hands-on process of blowing glass, and just prefer that to guiding other people through the process. The result is a gallery with a wider range of products than we'd otherwise have for display, but at the cost of not accommodating the experiential ambitions of many of our visitors.
That's changed, as we've introduced a new glassblower to our shop, Amanda Williams. Amanda has provided glassblowing experiences for years at one of the area shops that it now, unfortunately, closed. Amanda has a very personal, caring style of guiding a person through the process, and has gained quite the following because of it.
We're currently in the process of establishing the details for these experiences. There is a fair amount of background work in setting up a program like this, and we want to make sure it provides a great experience for everyone involved.
One of the things I want to clarify here is just what is being offered. There are lots of terms thrown around for this - "blow your own", "classes", "lessons", "experiences", etc. While one could argue that they all mean basically the same thing, I feel that it's important to use correct terminology for what we're actually offering.
As a glassblower myself, "classes" and "lessons" have always meant sessions in which a person is taught all the individual steps of how to blow glass, with the ultimate goal of being able to make something absolutely independently, from start to finish. For instance, when I started, it was with the goal of having the "experience" of blowing glass. I had seen it done a few times, and was fascinated by it. Once experienced, it didn't take long to want to do more, and want to do it independently. Fortunately, I had an instructor that was willing to accommodate me by providing "lessons".
Thinking back 15-20 years, the term I first heard to describe these programs was "blow your own float". Floats have been big around here for a long time, and it made sense to focus on blowing a float. That quickly evolved to blowing other things, and became known, then, simply as "blow your own". This is closer to the truth than "classes" or "lessons", but still seems to imply that you'll be working on your own - with some shops even promising that you'll "leave as a glassblower". This actually had the effect of minimizing the perception of the skill level required for blowing glass, with some visitors actually coming into our shop and not understanding why I wouldn't just let them blow a piece of their own - on their own!
What I personally am most comfortable with is the term "Experience". As with an "Introductory" or "Discovery" flight in a small airplane, there is no assumption that you could handle it on your own. Since the main goal is to NOT risk life and limb trying something new, there must be limitations on what a newbie is allowed to do, and must be a responsible instructor close by to keep that newbie from doing something dangerous. Anything more has to be after some development of a knowledge base that allows for an understanding of the process.
So, what we offer is to be along for the ride. You are in the pilot seat / on the blowpipe. You get to feel the unexpected G-forces / unbelievable heat. You get to have the joy of leaving earth's gravitational binds / making a piece of glass art out of a molten blob. You get to have an experience that few people on earth ever have, and one that you'll always cherish.
So keep your eyes on the website, there will be more information soon!
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