Need a shop buddy?

[krissy.q]

Hey everyone, my name is Krissy and I'm living in Mass, originally from Maine. I was just wondering if anyone in my area would want to get together after I take a few classes and maybe mentor/show me what this lifestyle is all about? I've wanted to pursue glass blowing for a long time (I'm sure you hear that a lot) and time is of the essence, so here I am! I just think it would be really cool to have someone nearby that I can vibe with and learn from. And some perks for you would be: I'm a dunks fiend so I'm always down to make a coffee run, I have a pretty badass taste in music (I guess that's a matter of opinion &#128521, and my mom says I'm a joy to be around (that's mostly true) 😂
All joking aside though, I really am interested in finding someone to work with a few months down the road, so if you're at all interested, please let me know!
Krissy

[Mattypo]

Hey Krissy welcome. I have a studio out of Fall River MA. Where are you located? I will be setting up a small beginner torch in the near future for friends and what not to come by and mess around on. My shopmate has a buddy that does prep for us so he can watch and hang out so I plan on setting another torch up soon. In the meantime do as much reading as you can on here. There is so much knowledge and the search function is great if you have specific questions or techniques in mind. This is a great community, welcome!

[derekg0]

Hey Krissy, welcome aboard, I think there are a couple shops in central/eastern Mass that have classes, but I know there isn't much out in western Mass where I am. Although up north off 91 Snow farms has some glass blowing/lampworking classes up there I've been keeping an eye on... My point being you might want to specify where in MA you are, as it might give folks an idea if they can help you out. I have a weak little shop in my basement that's just got my one torch space available, and I'm no expert that would be worth taking a lesson from, but hopefully someone will be able to hook you up. Also have you done any work with glass up to this point?

cya,
D

[PyroChixRock]

I'm really far away! But, sometimes we get together and blow glass on webcam. You can join us anytime.

[krissy.q]

Thanks for the replies! You're right, I should have told you all I'm from Clinton, outside of Worcester

[krissy.q]

Hey Krissy welcome. I have a studio out of Fall River MA. Where are you located? I will be setting up a small beginner torch in the near future for friends and what not to come by and mess around on. My shopmate has a buddy that does prep for us so he can watch and hang out so I plan on setting another torch up soon. In the meantime do as much reading as you can on here. There is so much knowledge and the search function is great if you have specific questions or techniques in mind. This is a great community, welcome!

I have to say, I'm pretty envious! Lo e western mass! Sounds like you have a great spot out there!

[krissy.q]

Hey Krissy, welcome aboard, I think there are a couple shops in central/eastern Mass that have classes, but I know there isn't much out in western Mass where I am. Although up north off 91 Snow farms has some glass blowing/lampworking classes up there I've been keeping an eye on... My point being you might want to specify where in MA you are, as it might give folks an idea if they can help you out. I have a weak little shop in my basement that's just got my one torch space available, and I'm no expert that would be worth taking a lesson from, but hopefully someone will be able to hook you up. Also have you done any work with glass up to this point?

cya,
D

Thanks for the info, Derek! I haven't yet had a chance yet, I was supposed to take a class in June but it fell through on my end, bad timing. Do you have any recommendations on where to take classes?

[krissy.q]

I'm really far away! But, sometimes we get together and blow glass on webcam. You can join us anytime.

That sounds like a lot of fun 😊😊 thank you!

[glassdocnc]

Hi Krissy and welcome to TMP. Hope you find someplace nearby.

[ThreeE]

Hi I am in Belchertown which is not too far from Worchester. Do you have any experience with flameworking/glassblowing? We could we could figure something out like a couple intro lessons and some torch time.

Closer to you however is Worchester Crafts Center where they teach classes and rent studio time.

Further into western mass as derekg0 already mentioned is Snow Farm where they also teach glass blowing and lampworking (no studio rental there as far as I know). If you take classes at Snow Farm I highly recommend the ones taught by Sally Prasch. She is a ton of fun to learn from and has an amazing wealth of knowledge.

[monte]

Im also in Belchertown. Have not been to snow farms yet but heard some great things. I signed up for two classes for the fall. There is also Aaron Slater in Worcester who teaches and rents torch time. I think he stopped classes until the fall not sure if you can still rent some time though. He has open studios every first sat at noon might be worth stopping in he's a cool dude and has a lot of good info

[mattholimeau]

Hey Krissy - welcome to TMP! If you're interested in glass, I'd say you've made a huge step in the right direction by finding this forum and posting.

I'd also say you should look into the worcester center for crafts - that's where I took my first lessons about a year and a half ago now. Unfortunately, every time I peruse their course catalog looking for something less beginner-ish and more intermediate, I don't see any lampworking classes at all - only the furnace glass blowing classes. (Looking right now and I don't see any glass at all! I hope that's just 'cause it's summer, and flame shops are hot.) I've exchanged some emails with people there looking for intermediate courses, and if I recall correctly, they said they'd been having trouble getting people to teach. Hopefully that doesn't continue!

A bit of an aside - isn't Aaron Slater in Lowell, not Worcester? (Also, his website has said he's stopped classes until the fall for over a year now, so... well, maybe he just never updates his site.)

Anyway - if you're looking for someone to work with on some of the basics, I could be interested in something like that. I live in the sturbridge area, about an hour from Clinton. I'm only a hobbyist, but I like to think I've got a bunch figured out - nothing truly heady, but, well, isn't the metric something like a decade full time until you're an expert? (10,000 hours or some such.) Would be less "shop mate" and more "chillin and meltin" - but maybe that's of interest. If so, feel free to hit me up with a private message.

Another thing - you're saying you have no experience with glass - what is it you want to make? Pendants and marbles? Beads? Heady ass bubblers? Huge water pipes? Goblets, plates, bowls, sculptures? (Huge water pipes, plates and bowls are more furnace glass blowing, and beads, well, I've no interest in beads.) What one would be able to show you versus what you're looking to make may also play a large role in what you seem to be asking for.

[Jimi The Don]

A friend asked me to teach in Worcester, they do have trouble finding lamp working teachers last I knew. Mattholimeau, my sister lives in holland, mi madre in southbridge, great part of the state (minus Sturbridge proper).

[BORO]

User Orion was working at new street glass. He was last time I checked anyways.
They rent time, and torches...

It was 15$ a hour for the cc?

Less for the minors? (single stage torch)

I think it was close to that anyways. reasonably priced for such a nice shop.

I was there last fall.

center 4 crafts in woster, it's the same place I believe.

[monte]

@ mattholimeau, ya Aaron is in Lowell prob only a 40 min ride though from Worcester. He keeps his site updated as well as sends out newsletters. He still actively teaches just not in the summer.

[Nomad]

I am about 2 hours from there. I drove through on the way home from the cape. I can teach but I do not have a classroom. I do believe the going rate is $1000 week.