The glass blowing studio at Emporia State is a blistering chamber of creativity where every surface in sight will not just burn, but scald skin. There are lit torches every which way, stacks of wet newspaper that are used as the only barrier between a glass artist’s hands and molten glass, and multiple furnaces that are 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit (keep in mind a cremation oven is only 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit) and blowing hot air into the room with the sound of a jet engine. In this extreme environment, fragile and ornate glass creations
are made.
The ESU Glass Guild Blowout, which occurred April 10 in the Art Annex, offered community members the opportunity to experience the glass forming process. This event celebrated the art of glass forming with a demonstration by Jen Elek, a nationally known glass artist.
“Her (Elek) skill level and techniques are what we were looking for as far as someone to come and work with our students,” said Patrick Martin, professor of art. “She’s worked with many of the top glass artists in Seattle including Lino Tagliapietra, the world’s best glass blower. ”
During the blowout, Elek formed a glass vase with the help of current and former ESU glass forming students.
Throughout the demonstration, Elek explained every step to the glass blowing process, including the parts that she did before
the demonstration.
In addition to the demonstration, Elek spent all week at ESU teaching glass forming students her techniques.
“The main thing is that she is a really good teacher. A lot of glass-skilled people aren’t,” said Martin. “This is a hands-on experience with one of the nation’s top professionals in glass.”
Libby Weaver, a senior art major, is taking a glass blowing class and has experienced Elek’s teaching. She thinks that her teaching style is unique because she compares glass forming to ceramics, a media that most students are familiar with.
“They are very similar actually,” said Weaver. “She (Elek) compares ceramics and glass all the time. Both of them you throw in a kiln of some sort.”
This was the first blowout the ESU Glass Guild has had since 2019. The 20th annual blowout was canceled due to the pandemic. In the beginning years of the event, it went by a different name and didn’t emphasize the educational benefits which are associated with the event.
“When I got here (about 20 years ago), they had this event called the Blow-a-thon,” said Martin. “They all met in the studio, drank, and blew glass all night. We changed that, now we have a visiting artist and it’s called the blowout. The visiting artist is here for a week, they work with the students all week, and then they do the event with the student assistants at the event on Saturday.”
