Creating works of art from molten glass requires practice, patience, an artistic vision, and lots of heat. The Museum of Glass (MOG) in Tacoma, Washington is the West Coast’s largest and most active museum glass studio. In the Hot Shop, visitors can watch the Hot Shop Team and Visiting Artists at work.
According to MOG:
“Looking around the Hot Shop, there are several key pieces of equipment worth taking note of. The furnace, which is filled with 1,000 lbs of clear glass, maintains a temperature of 2,100°F. Glassblowers begin with a dip of a blowpipe into the furnace to gather glass for shaping. As the piece progresses, you’ll see the Team continuously returning the end of the pipe to the Glory Hole, ensuring the glass stays pliable. After knocking the completed piece from the solid steel rod, known as a punty, it is placed in an annealer, where it gradually cools to room temperate to avoid cracking. Once cooled, it heads to the Cold Shop, where the shape and surface of the glass will be finished.”
Shown below is the Hot Shop on July 12, 2024.
More from the Museum of Glass
Museum of Glass: The Hot Shop 2023 (photo diary)
Museum of Glass: The female form by Alfredo Barbini (museum tour)
Museum of Glass: Glass art by Pino Signoretto (museum tour)
Museum of Glass: A table full of glass objects (museum exhibition)
Museum of Glass: Birds, bugs, and more (photo diary)
Museum of Glass: Italian artist Lino Tagliapietra (museum exhibition)
Museum of Glass: Boundless Curiosity (photo diary)
Museum of Glass: Glass animals and birds (photo diary)