Glass Blowing 101

On a recent day off of school, we got all three kids to attend a glass blowing course. I could not say why this seemed important to me but it did. Perhaps because glass blowing was a bit reminiscent of the welding courses the kids took in Germany. And perhaps because Tori’s departure for college seems more imminent with every passing day. In fact, after we were done with the course, Adam whispered to me: “Will we still have to do this type of stuff once Tori goes to college?”  I answered yes! But it will be that much harder when we are down one willing participant.

The glass blowing studio was very near our house. Just past George Washington’s Headquarters, another place we have not yet taken the kids. It is affiliated with the county and offers some fine art credit via the local community college. The instructors were great and waved us parents off and out. We peered through the windows as the kids opened red hot vats of molten glass and carried this stuff around the studio. It definitely had a fear factor that caught all teenagers’ attention and held it through the entire class.

We returned multiple hours later and learned the kids had made paper weights, vases, bowls, cups and decorative flowers. They talked about colors and blowing techniques but honestly I was just amazed with what they produced. We are trying to produce some art for an art sale benefiting our church and thought that maybe some glass would go there. But now we can’t bear to part with any of it. Too pretty and too much a reminder of a family enrichment activity that actual worked. Kids were happy and together and productive and we’ve got the glass to prove it.