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Akron Glass Works
RICHARD WEINER
Legal News Reporter
Published: January 17, 2012
Jack Baker, owner of Architectural Greenery might say glassblowing and tropical plants go together like, well like, peanut butter and jelly.
Baker has owned the premier indoor plant maintenance company for over three decades. In that time, he has supplied and maintained indoor plants in a number of local restaurants, museums, corporate headquarters and other businesses.
But, a few years ago, something drove him to discover how to create objects out of blown glass. The result of that adventure is the Akron Glass Works (AGW), a hot glass studio that Baker and several other local artists use to create useful and decorative pieces of blown glass.
After running his successful plant business, Baker, on a trip to Seattle about 10 years ago, took a tour of the studio of glassblower Dale Chihuly, said Sandy Holata, manager and spokesperson at AGW. Baker had been inspired to seek Chihuly out after seeing an exhibit of his at the Akron Art Museum.
Chihuly is generally considered the finest glass artist in the country, said Holata. His website is at www.chihuly.com. The Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus owns a major collection of his pieces.
Baker was struck by the possibilities of combining plants and glassworks. “It got him all fired up,” said Holata. “He thought that maybe he could get into this.”
Besides the art itself, one thing that impressed baker was the teamwork evident at Chihuly’s studio. A community of artists gathered around Chihuly’s boat house, and the art of glassblowing spread throughout the Seattle area.
On his return to the area, Baker started taking glassblowing classes at the Steinert Glass School in Kent (www.steinertindustries.com). Steinert is a major supplier of high quality tools for the glassblowing industry.
Baker began glassblowing at his shop, installing an oven that heats up to 2,100 degrees, and practicing his new art for the better part of five years, until he opened to the public five years ago.
Baker practiced his craft, improving from beginner status to today, when he exhibits his works at local businesses, conducts workshops, runs a gift shop and welcomes a few local artists to share his studio and oven.
Holata started off working with Baker in the plant business about 10 years ago, when he was first getting into glassblowing, she said. Her particular arts are photography and paper making. “He attracts artist-types,” she said, and is now a central figure in the Akron artist community.
Besides Baker, other artists who share studio space at the Akron Glass Works are:
Russ O'Brien: glassblower;
Chas and Polly Gilmore: glassblowers;
Marianne Hite: fused glass and jewelry;
Lisa Kane: stained glass and fused glass;
Sandy Holata: photographs and handmade paper.
Holata said that the studio no longer has the room to accommodate anyone else on a regular basis to work in the shop. However, AGW conducts regular tours and workshops that are open to the public.
The studio runs glassblowing workshops from February through April, virtually every weekend. It does get a bit warm in around the oven, said Holata—80 degrees in the winter, and considerably hotter during warmer months.
“It is pretty hot standing next to the furnace in July,” said Holata. “But in the winter it is pretty comfortable.”
Glassblowing is an art that is learned over time, said Holata. Beginners will likely have a lot of anxiety, which makes the act of working with molten glass more difficult. Over time, glassblowing becomes easier, and the works of art can become better and more playful.
“Hot glass is like taffy or honey,” said Holata. “You have to learn to move with it. If you know what you are doing, it can be meditative.”
For people who want direct experience of glassblowing, AGW holds 2-hour workshops on Saturdays and Sundays and the public is always welcome to watch the artists at work. The studio and gift shop, as well as the plant business, are open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 6 to10 p.m. There are no demos in January.
A major glass piece, a chandelier, by Baker is currently on display in the Bricco Cafe in the Doubletree Hotel in Fairlawn.
Akron Glass Works is in the Northside Complex, at 106 N. Main St. in Akron. For more information, go to www.akronglassworks.com.