| To be a glass blower requires a lot of courage | | | | The crafter will then quickly inflate the molten |
| when working with open flame and high heat, | | | | glass to a sticky mass and work it into a desired |
| which are the necessary tools to create glass | | | | shape. |
| works of art for all to enjoy. The first method of | | | | The tool of choice for this process is the clay |
| blowing is Free Blow. Actually after researching | | | | blow pipes because they are simple to handle, |
| this technique I can only imagine the glass blowing | | | | easy to manipulate under stress to complete the |
| crafter blowing into his preferred tool of clay pipe | | | | process of rotating, swinging and controlling the |
| to create the unique style of glass. His puffed up | | | | temperature of the glass while it is being blown |
| cheeks, red face and that look of creative | | | | by the crafter. |
| determination says it all. There is no doubt about | | | | The second method is Mold Blowing, this was the |
| this craft you would really have to love it. | | | | alternate glass blowing method to Free Blown. |
| Because it takes a lot of technical training to | | | | This is where you scoop a mass of molten glass |
| qualify. So the next time you are in your favorite | | | | and place it on the end of the blow pipe. Then it is |
| specialty store looking to make that special | | | | inflated into a wooden or metal carved mold |
| purchase look on the label for hand glass blown it | | | | which will be the crafter's choice for the desired |
| does make a big difference compared to machine | | | | bowl. The reason for the process it enables the |
| created. | | | | end result of the desired shape and texture. The |
| The second method Free Blow technique is still | | | | bubbles of glass is determined by the design on |
| widely used as a glass forming process of blowing | | | | the interior of the mold rather than the skill of the |
| of short puffs of air into a molten portion of glass | | | | glass crafter. |
| and gathered at one end of the blow pipe. This | | | | The term contemporary glass is very important |
| gives the effect of forming elastic skin on the | | | | for all to understand that with some of our most |
| interior of the glass blob (mass) that matches the | | | | treasured pieces of glass works many are signed |
| exterior caused by the removal of heat from the | | | | by the crafter with date and number on the glass |
| furnace. | | | | item of interest. |