Glass House Studio is currently working hard getting our studio space put together. We are spending time in the studio drawing up plans for an 170lb. electric furnace. We will begin building in the next month or so. Currently we have a working glass blowing studio and will start offering up classes once the furnace is up and running.
Glass House Studio's main mission is to be a resource for glass artist in Los Angeles. Part of that mission is educating the local community by offering begining and advanced classes at the studio. We would like to have a place that artists can converge and create work for various events and shows. One event is The Great Santa Monica & Hermosa Beach Glass Pumpkin Patch events they are a vital key in supporting the cost of buiding a professional space. This coming year will be the 4th annual event in Hermosa Beach on the community lawn at Pier and PCH and the second annual event in Santa Monica.
The reason why we continue to grow the Great Hermosa Beach Glass Pumpkin Patch is simple, because it has worked before. The original Great Glass Pumpkin Patch was created in Palo Alto near Standford University about 15 years ago. It started in a backyard with the idea that anyone could learn to blow glass. I was lucky enough to be a student here during that time. The most amazing part of the program was that we traded time for time. Artist were able to work for four hours practicing their skills while making marketable products that could be sold for the benifit of the studio. This would keep the lights on and the gas running. I would recieve one hour for every four hours of work to do with what I wanted in the studio. This was a great program because it allowed people that otherwise couldnt afforded time an opportunity to learn with out having to spend money. Glass House Studio is being developed around this central idea.
The big opportunity is that we are a group of artists that believe our art can help build stronger groups on individuals though a commonality of interests. We strive to create fundraising opportunities for non-profit organizations by way of creating glass objects that can convey a message. One example of this message could be keep our oceans clean. Well you would have glass objects of ocean objects that attacts viewers to your message and they can even purchase it for further support. The limitations on what can be created is endless if you really think about it.