A Brief History of the Art of Glassblowing
The recipe for making glass is rather simple: Silica Sand, Soda, Lime and Heat. As simple as that sounds, it requires the perfect amount of each to create clear glass.
Many colors of glass can also be created using a variety of minerals, some of which are very rare. History records that glass was first created more than four thousand years ago, in Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamians are credited with creating the first blowpipe, then made of glass, thus creating the art of glassblowing.
Metal blowpipes were developed between 100 and 200 B.C., and the Romans and later the Islamic world, carried on the tradition of creating beautiful works of art from hot-worked glass.
In the United States, glassblowing arrived with the first settlers in Jamestown and the art has had a home here ever since. In the early 1800's industrial processes were developed to mass produce glass items, and the art of glassblowing did nearly vanish. However, the discovery of a method of using small furnaces allowed artists to work hot glass in small studios, just as it is done today.
Many colors of glass can also be created using a variety of minerals, some of which are very rare. History records that glass was first created more than four thousand years ago, in Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamians are credited with creating the first blowpipe, then made of glass, thus creating the art of glassblowing.
Metal blowpipes were developed between 100 and 200 B.C., and the Romans and later the Islamic world, carried on the tradition of creating beautiful works of art from hot-worked glass.
In the United States, glassblowing arrived with the first settlers in Jamestown and the art has had a home here ever since. In the early 1800's industrial processes were developed to mass produce glass items, and the art of glassblowing did nearly vanish. However, the discovery of a method of using small furnaces allowed artists to work hot glass in small studios, just as it is done today.
Who and What You Will Find in the Studio
ANNEALING OVEN This is a special oven that is used to cool the glass slowly.
ASSISTANT The person who is helping the GAFFER.
BATCH Raw materials in the correct amounts to be melted into glass.
BLOWPIPE A hollow steel pipe with a mouth piece on one end which the artist (GAFFER) or the assistant blows through, to expand a bubble in the hot glass.
FURNACE This is what holds the liquid glass. Opened only when access is needed.
GAFFER The Artist, the person in charge of the project.
GLORY HOLE The Place that is used to reheat glass as it is being worked.
MOILE The glass that is on the BLOWPIPE.
YOKE A stand in front of the GLORY HOLE that is used to support the BLOWPIPE.
ASSISTANT The person who is helping the GAFFER.
BATCH Raw materials in the correct amounts to be melted into glass.
BLOWPIPE A hollow steel pipe with a mouth piece on one end which the artist (GAFFER) or the assistant blows through, to expand a bubble in the hot glass.
FURNACE This is what holds the liquid glass. Opened only when access is needed.
GAFFER The Artist, the person in charge of the project.
GLORY HOLE The Place that is used to reheat glass as it is being worked.
MOILE The glass that is on the BLOWPIPE.
YOKE A stand in front of the GLORY HOLE that is used to support the BLOWPIPE.
