Amanda J Simmons Glass Design

If you are interested in pursuing a career as a glassblower, you probably want to find out more about the skills that you require to follow this path. Glassblowing is an ancient art form which involves the moulding and shaping of molten glass into various shapes and vessels. This is done by gathering molten glass onto the tip of a long pipe and blowing air into it, causing a bubble of air to be created inside the molten glass and thus forming a vessel. Molten glass is produced by heating up quartz sand to a very high temperature and adding numerous ingredients including sodium carbonate and lime as well as other components which produce colour.

Historians have long debated the history of glassblowing, with some legends suggesting that glass was invented by ancient sailors who lit a fire while on a sandy beach. However, since prehistoric people made jewellery and weapons out of volcanic glass, this theory has been disputed. Once the ability to make glass had been discovered, humans started to use it to make artworks including vessels and beads.

The earliest glass vessels were made by allowing molten glass to shape around a form and cool. Glassblowing as we know it today was not discovered until around 50 BC, but once this discovery had been made, producing glass vessels became quicker and easier.

What do Glassblowers Do?

Often called gaffers, or glassmiths, a glassblower is an artist who makes handmade artworks using molten glass. Professional glassblowers begin their day by combining the ingredients required to make glass in a metal cauldron before heating them up to a very high temperature inside a furnace or kiln. Glassblowers use a blowpipe, which is long and made from metal. This tool is dipped into molten glass and then rotated allow the glass to collect on its base. The glassblower then blows air into the pipe, creating an air bubble in the molten glass.

To create a unique look for the finished artwork, the glassblower can also use other equipment and tools to shape the glass such as callipers, moulds or flat graphite paddles which can pull, press, twist or squeeze the glass. Once the molten glass has been formed into the chosen shape it is then cooled down to guard against shattering. This process is completed by cooling down and then heating up the glass several times.

Where do Glassblowers Work?

Glassblowers often work in museums or glass factories, frequently performing in live demonstrations of glassblowing for guests and tourists. Sometimes, visitors can even try their hand at glassblowing themselves, being assisted by a professional artist. Many artists who pursue a career in glassblowing become freelancers, making their own collections and selling their unique pieces to collectors. Some glassblowers may diversify in their careers and become a scientific glassblower, repairing and designing laboratory glass in an independent, small studio while others may become involved in the renovation, restoration and repair of original and vintage pieces.

Necessary Skills for a Career in Glassblowing

It can be challenging when setting out on a career in glassblowing as it is a path than demands specialised knowledge and skills and only a few places offer certificates or degrees in this field. Most glassblowers learn their skills on the job through getting plenty of hands-on experience while undertaking an apprenticeship that allows them to help the master glassblower with their basic tasks while learning new techniques. A glassblower must eventually become proficient in a number of skills including:

• Producing, finishing and designing decorative pieces like ornaments, sculptures and tableware

• Kiln forming

• Recycling cullet (scraps)

• Soldering pieces of enamelled, painted or coloured glass

• Using a range of decorative techniques like acid-etching, engraving, grit or sand blasting and stencilling

• Restoring, repairing and renovating vintage pieces

As well as the physical techniques necessary to produce glass artworks, freelance artists must also often develop the skills to market and sell their wares to stockists and the public.

How Much Does a Glassblower Earn?

The amount earned by a glassblower can vary considerably depending on the environment in which the individual works. A freelance artist's income, for example, will be very different from the income receive by a salaried employee. While some people who work in glassblowing receive relatively small salaries, an extremely talented glass artist whose work is in high demand may enjoy a lucrative career. In the UK, the average salary for a glassblower employed with a museum or other company begins at about £14,000 rising up to about £22,000 per year. An experienced designer or an artist who gains employment with a large company can expect to eventually earn over £35,000 annually. A number of freelance glassblowers supplement the income that they receive from selling their individual pieces by carrying out other related work such as training or teaching their skills or writing about their art for industry publications.