Here in our studio on the boarders of North Wales we make all our glass from the raw materials in the free blown way. A method that has been the leading way since its introduction in the middle of the first century BC until the late nineteenth century and is still is the the main glassforming technique in the modern glass blowing studios around the world. The free-blowing process involves the blowing of short puffs of air into a molten nugget of glass which is gathered at one end of the blowpipe. The initial stage is called thumbing. This is were you trap air and allow it to expand with the heat. After the bubble appears the process can be done with short puffs. This has the effect of forming an elastic skin on the interior of the glass blob that matches the exterior caused by the removal of heat from the furnace. We can then quickly inflate the molten glass to a working state and then work it into a desired shape. The ancient free-blowing technique was initially achieved using clay blowpipes. The result proved that short clay blowpipes of about 30–60 cm it would have been a very hot process. After about 10 years workers are capable of shaping almost any vessel forms by rotating the pipe, swinging it and controlling the temperature of the piece while blowing. We produce a great variety of glass objects, ranging from drinking cups to demonstration window glass. Look on our events page to see where you could witness this ancient skill.
We are glass artists designing and creating glass objects for you to use in every day life. This involves several stages. The process begins with melting glass to state that allows us to blow it into shape. After cooling we move onto a stage we call cold work. This is the finishing of the glass that involves grinding, etching, sandblasting and cleaning. This is what we do, we do not see this as a career or a hobby it is simply a way of life. A passion.
Please ring if there is anything you would like to discus about glass
01948 770 464
Click here for a special message glass or ring to have extra special wine glasses with your own message delivered
Telephone: 01948 770 464
 
|