Rural Missouri - May 2019 - 8

High-class glass

New Haven studio specializes in handblown glass art
from the pipe and eventually put in a 950-degree cooling kiln that will slowly
bring the piece down to room temperature.
Judy and Katelynn tend to the jewelry sold in the studio. They source most
he customers inside the art studio aren't just there for the colorful,
handblown pieces of glass and jewelry that line the shelves inside the of the glass used for their rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more from
quaint storefront. They're their for the show, too. And inside a win- scraps made during the glassblowing process. "We're not trying to waste anything," Judy says. "We want to recycle all the pretty things from in the shop."
dowed-off, 750-square-foot "hot shop," glassblowers
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Gary Rice and Lance Stroheker happily oblige.
in the state of California in 1974. Judy was a stained glass artist and the
"We make every effort to make visiting us an experience and
pair wed in the early 1980s. Between the two of them, the studio has
not just that shop people stop into and see what they have,"
remained open since.
says Gary, who owns the studio with his wife, Judy.
"About 15 years ago, the cost of utilities became unbearable in
For 10 years, the Astral Glass Studio team has created unique
California," Gary says. "So that's what sent us to looking for a difglass pieces including everything from stemless wine glasses and
New Haven
ferent location. We found Missouri."
Christmas ornaments to elaborate custom orders in downtown
The pair originally settled on Clarksville, about one hour south
New Haven. Lance, the Rices and their granddaughter Katelynn
of Hannibal. After a few years, a group from New Haven visited
McGuire supply the Front Street studio with one-of-a-kind pieces
the Mississippi River town and asked the Rices about opening a
and have helped the revitalization of the riverfront town.
location in a different river town. They declined. The group tried a
The process of creating the glass keepsakes can vary dependfew more times to lure the studio south.
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"They invited us to come down and spend the weekend in New Haven and
blowpipe - typically 50 inches long - into a pot of 2,100-degree molten glass,
winding it on to the pipe. From there, the glass is rolled with a variety of differ- meet some of the people. We still hadn't found our feet yet in Clarksville," Gary
ent powders, minerals and more to give each piece its signature colors. A small VD\V ´6R ZH ÀJXUHG LW ZDV D ZHHNHQG LQ D % % DQG FRXOGQ·W UHDOO\ WXUQ LW
bubble is started inside the glass with the color as it cools down before being down."
Gary says the two-block downtown was more vacant at the time. But they
reheated and a second round of color is added.
"Then we blow it and swing it to get it as close to the form we're trying to left New Haven that weekend impressed with what they saw and heard. "They
make," Gary says. "We use gravity and heat to our advantage. Then we have a had such a single-minded vision of making the downtown into an arts and
entertainment district," he says.
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The Rices set their eyes on New Haven's former supermarket to set up shop.
A few more steps - depending on the piece - are completed and it's removed

by Paul Newton | pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop

Rural Missouri - May 2019

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