Learning about Art Glass

Two of our recent Wordy Traveler journey’s have featured destinations that have rich glass blowing traditions, Italy and Egypt. When looking at a piece of glass art especially small ones it is easy to overlook just how much skill and mastery it takes to craft it. To learn more about how art glass is made and to connect with the cultures we were featuring The Wordy Team took a field trip to Akron Glass Works to try our hand at art glass and learn from some amazing artists.

Glass blowing is thought to have been invented around the 1st century BC in the geographic area of Egypt and Assyria but traveled quickly. By the Middle Ages Islamic glass became the most sophisticated form but the Norman and Gothic cathedrals helped take art glass literally and figurative to new heights. Murano glass started coming into prominence and is considered the birth place of modern art glass.

We tried two separate techniques of art glass blowing (with hand held pumps because of Covid) and hot sculpting. We all had a great time and Sarah the head of operations is now hooked on working with glass.