J. Christopher Glass Designs

I’ve enjoyed being creative, especially working with my hands, for as long as I can remember.  I’ve always been a bit of a pyromaniac so anything with fire had my interest. Through my childhood I explored several different art mediums focusing mostly on pottery during my high school years and graduated with a scholarship in ceramics.  While touring the art department of a potential college in Idaho my life was forever changed.

The main reason for the trip really wasn’t to see another campus but to take advantage of the free accommodations they offered and get in some cherished ski days at a local resort.  While on the school tour I met a visiting stained glass artist who was blowing large glass vessels then opened them while still glowing hot, creating the crude sheet glass he used in his windows which were incredible.

It was my first exposure to molten glass and I was completely mesmerized. The way it flows, the use of heat, the technical aspects, the deliberate dance like manipulations, and most captivating, the vivid colors and how they interacted with light.  It was such a contrast to the slower feedback and muted earth tone colors of stoneware.  I wanted more.

Unfortunately traditional glass blowing requires years of practice, uses large dedicated equipment and is not something you do as a hobby in the corner of the garage.  Faced with this reality, and no access to a shop that had the equipment and mentors, I set my artistic dreams aside to pursue a career in Engineering but… I never lost my passion for glass.

In early 2000 I discovered fusing and torch working art glass which required less equipment and training opening the door to pursue my dream of working with molten glass which I’ve enjoyed in my spare time since.

After recently retiring I started looking for a place where I could have a dedicated studio space to focus more on my glass work and was so fortunate to find a studio at the Monarch.  Joining this community of incredibly talented creatives has been so inspirational and motivating.  I hope to contribute, create and share in this incredible place.