Glass Flowers - An Experience

When I found out that one could make glass flowers at the Art Institute at Thanksgiving Point, I knew I wanted to do it. I'd never just do it for myself, but I decided it would be the perfect everlasting flower I could send to our moms for Mother's Day.

On April 24th, I set off to the Art Institute to make 3 glass flowers. Walking in the walls are lined with beautiful glass pieces, like these:

as well as photos of their stained  and blown glass projects. Isn't this upside down tree incredible? My photo of the photo really doesn't do it justice.

When you arrive in the main room, to the right is the classroom (although it did not look as organized as this, it looked like a well used room)

Then to the left is the glass blowing room with a big window and several chairs so anyone can watch the blowers as they work. I didn't expect to have an audience while working on the flowers (but they came in handy taking pictures for me).

A decorative channel cut into the floor featuring a kaleidescope of colors glass pieces, leads you through the gallery/shop of colorful glass sculptures, Dowdle Folk art, jewelry and this amazing Glass Christmas Tree that lights up.

As I looked around Nathan, the glass blower, prepared the rods by heating them in a flaming box. Once those were ready, he demonstrated the process with clear glass, which he would then recycle for use later.

I selected the colors for my first flower,which he piled onto a metal table.

The heated rod goes into the hot furnace, a small glob of glass is collected.
Nathan rolled the rod to round out the glass as it cooled to provide a base for the bowl of the flower.

He collected another glob of glass, rolled it into a cone shape on the metal table then rolled the edge of the cone in the colored bits of glass to give the flower's edge color.

He returned the rod to the furnace until the colored pieces joined with the clear glass, shaped the glob into a cone again then dipped the flat side of the cone into the second pile of colored glass bits to give the stem color.

It went back into the furnace, then came out for me to flatten the edge.
See how red hot the glass is.

Nathan would rotate the rod as I used a pair of big tweezers to grasp a bit of the hot glass and pull to start shaping the flower's petals.

Then we pulled at a 45 degree angle. It was interesting to watch how the colors changes as the glass cooled.

Once the petals were shaped, we pulled the flower to create the stem, which Nathan crimped at the head of the rod. I chose the straight stem, but you can also have a curvy one.

Nathan took the flower to a blanket, where he crimped it again then gently tapped the rod to release the flower.

He used a blow torch to smooth the end of the stem.

The flower was placed in an oven, and will then need 24 hours to cure so that it will not shatter.

And here is the result of a half an hour's time, 3 beautiful flowers: