Georgia Magazine - June 2024 - 32

In the spotlight
Glass artist Arthur Wilson of Mableton
recently appeared on the Netflix show " Blown
Away, " on which he competed against nine
other glass blowers in North America's largest
hot shop in Ontario, Canada, for the chance to
win a $100,000 prize package and a residency
at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.
Wilson, who earned his bachelor's degree
in fine arts at Georgia Southwestern State
University in 2017, teaches mobile workshops
at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center in
Marietta, the Mable House Arts Center in
Mableton and other Cobb County venues and
practices his craft at his home studio.
See Wilson on Season 4 of " Blown Away "
or view his work at silicaburns.com.
Arthur Wilson works hot glass
on the set of " Blown Away. "
fairs, schools and other events. "
In April, they wowed the crowds of the Hot Glass Craft Beer
Festival in Americus before heading west to Texas to blow glass at
the Poteet Strawberry Festival. In July, Cole and his glass-blowing
gurus will travel to Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin with their
mobile studio.
Cole and others say one reason that glass blowing has
picked up momentum in the last few years is Georgia's own
Mobile Glassblowing Studios, a company in Americus that
builds affordable furnaces and equipment with low overhead
costs, minimal maintenance requirements and a portability
component.
" Their equipment opened up new business possibilities
for me and other glass blowers in Georgia and elsewhere and
changed the entire industry, " Cole says. " Their furnaces have
allowed me to become a small business owner [and] to take the
world of hot glass to other places and to audiences who may
never have had the opportunity to experience the thrill of
making glass. "
He's even promoted the art of glass blowing abroad.
" In February, I went with Phil Vinson [CEO of Mobile
Devan Cole of Hot Glass Academy fi nishes crafting a multicolor
vase in his Americus studio.
store. He also takes his show on the road, attending fairs, festivals
and other events with a mobile glass-blowing operation and a
team of dedicated glass artists from throughout the country. Cole
and the team offer demonstrations and instructional sessions
and showcase their work.
" We've taught over 4,000 people in the studio and traveled
to over 100 locations to give demonstrations, " Cole says. " Our
on-site demonstrations and workshops are fully narrated-about
20- to 30-minute educational, entertaining sessions-and
usually stretch out over several consecutive days for the crowds.
A lot of people have never watched glass being made before,
and it's quite interesting, so we're a favorite at festivals,
32 Georgia Magazine June 2024
Glassblowing Studios] to Kuwait to do workshops and
demonstrations and to establish the first-ever public-access
glass-art studio in the region, " he says. " It will be used for
educational purposes there. "
As the flames of creativity continue to flicker in glassblowing
studios, Georgia glass artists share their knowledge,
time, craft and creations with their communities.
Amber Lanier Nagle is an Adairsville-based freelance writer.
Get into glass
Here are a few glass-art studios around Georgia.
* Blazing Paddles Studio at StARTup Studios, Macon.
startupstudios.art
* Blown Studios, Savannah. blownstudios.com
* Cavalry Glassblowing Studio, Lawrenceville. cavalryglass.com
* The Glassblowing Shop, Helen and Dahlonega.
glassblowingshop.com
* Hot Glass Academy, Americus. hotglassacademy.com
EMILY LARKEY
DAVID LEYES
http://www.silicaburns.com http://startupstudios.art http://www.blownstudios.com http://www.cavalryglass.com http://www.glassblowingshop.com http://www.hotglassacademy.com
Georgia Magazine - June 2024

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