Glass Blowing in North Florida

**LFC** · 08-03-2006, 09:54 PM

Hey, just wondering if anyone knows of any glass blowing or lampworking going down in north florida, I will be spending the better part of the next 6 years in Gainesville and just wanted to now if there was a glass scene up hear or if I was going to have to try and start one by my self.

Thanks for any and all info!!

**Swampy** · 08-04-2006, 06:59 AM

Dave,

Check over on http://talk.craftweb.com and ask if anyone is local, they are a helpful bunch.

Paul

**krixbeeble** · 08-04-2006, 07:10 AM

in tallahassee, me and 2 of my partners lampwork. but there's this cool company lucid visions i have seen on glassartists from jax. let us know if you find out somethin else!!! it's scarce, but here. and passionate in our house in tally.

**Micah Evans** · 08-04-2006, 07:13 AM

I'm down in Miami! not a whole lot going on in North fla, but I do know some folks in gainseville, I'll see if I can track em down...

**LFC** · 08-04-2006, 08:30 AM

thanks for the info, I shall keep searching.

**LoneWolfandSon** · 08-04-2006, 09:53 AM

im in melbourne area. i do believe there is someone on the board that is in gainsville. i might be mistaken.

**lucidvisions** · 08-04-2006, 12:00 PM

We're in Jax Beach, feel free to contact us anytime, we are always willing to meet and greet another lampworker, currently know of six of so locals that lampwork, and a couple that do soft glass, we give workshops and we're always willing to share, but then again there's nothing going on in North FL...

Josh Bergesen
Lance Sanford

lucidvisions@clearwire.net
904-553-2360

**Izzy Spun** · 08-05-2006, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by lucidvisions

We're in Jax Beach, feel free to contact us anytime, we are always willing to meet and greet another lampworker, currently know of six of so locals that lampwork, and a couple that do soft glass, we give workshops and we're always willing to share, but then again there's nothing going on in North FL...

Josh Bergesen
Lance Sanford

lucidvisions@clearwire.net
904-553-2360

I'm located in Northwest Florida(Pensacola). There is not too much of a scene around here, but I know a few other people who torch. There is a place hotshop here called Belmont Arts Center. Joe Hobbs teachers there. I've been trying to put together a more serious scene in this neck of the woods for a while. the setup down around jax and gainesville sounds cool as shit.

**somewhere** · 08-05-2006, 09:00 PM

Wow it's been a long day. I woke early feeling ambitious and ripped the old deck off the roof then the roofing. Hey Harp thanks for the kind words you should come hang out in G-ville for a week or two. We are getting ready to start the runs of ornaments and what-nots you know the deal we can always used experienced help. Back to the deck it's on the top of a geodesic dome and we want to go with a turret type shape with a domed roof. The deck and handrails are turning out to be a nightmare.

long day

I started writing this last night then my Dad job kicked in and I ended up putting myself to sleep in the kids room. LOL :

HaHa I'm laughing at my post. It sounds a little to posh. Well that's the vision and everything is true exept the"well equipped cold shop" which really is a mess and frustrates me when I have a lot of it to do. Our fall line for the shows includes 3/4 plate cut sandblasted kiln formed and cold worked again. Mostly large leaf forms. That's a lot of time to stand in a mosquito filled space with lousy lighting and stuff piled on top of everything.
The flameworking area has a large octagon that is used by beaders and marblemakers. It has a large hood and good lighting. They have there own annealling space and storage for different coe glasses. This area and the fusing area stay fairly clean because of the classes. The lathe separates that area and the other benches. Two long 20' benches covered with 1/4 aluminium are plumbed with air gas and o2 but only 4 burners set up now. The ventilation is set up with individual hoods and axial fans blowing into a plenum. Still needs tightening up but will be top notch.
The hot shop is where I like to spend my time. Last year we ran bare bones, this year it will be better and hope to offer off hand classes in the spring. Still dealing with electrical upgrade issues and working on the 2nd story roof. The hotshop has a 30' tall 10x10 crows nest in the middle. This area is also used as a hot wall and houses the gloryholes. There will be a 10' wide walkway across the top of the hot shop for viewing. We hard plumbed all the gas lines, ran air water and all that jazz before we poured the concrete. We also set up a flameworking bench and it works into our production line seamless. We make a lot of small bud vases and finish them off at bench.
Anyway give a call we are 10min from downtown 3miles west of I75.

Hey Josh? Lance? you guys should both visit sometime.
All the classes are thru SanteFe community college we can expand the program for any classes we can fill. They are a great college to work with and I'm very thankful to have them. It would be great to host all you guys to teach your skills.

Sky

**Micah Evans** · 08-04-2006, 01:14 PM

just so you know there Lancuah Sanfergesen, I was talking about flameworking in Fl in general. Not much of a "scene" like elswhere we are al lscattered but maybe you could hook this guy up with your contacts in Gainesville. I know you got em! My phone went dead and I lost all my #s so I am a bit stuck! actually it would be nice if one of you guys would call me and give me your digits, I have like 3 #s now ...I'm so lonely.

don't be so sensetive....lol.

**lucidvisions** · 08-04-2006, 02:35 PM

LFC had to find some #'s look for a PM

**LFC** · 08-04-2006, 03:38 PM

thanks man for all the help!!!!

**somewhere** · 08-04-2006, 05:10 PM

There is happenin little scene here in G-ville.
We teach glass thru the local college and have a nice facility located on an old hostel just at the outskirts of town. The facility has some great instructors who are also great artists. We offer classes in all the facets of glass work. The flameworking studio has 16 benches and a glass lathe. The coldworking studio is connected to the flameworking and is well equipped, lap wheels, wet belts, grinders, saws and a sandblast cabinets. The fusing area is a nice open space with several fusing ovens. We have a good size fuser 24" x 48" but still have plans on building a 4' x 8' bell. The hot shop is good size 30' x 50' and houses 2 electric furnaces one 325lbs clear and a 60lbs color melter. The hotshop is designed for 4 benches but will have a better feel for two teams of artists. Still alot of building going the glory holes will be rebuilt to be double ended and the plan is to run two instead of four. Plenty of annealing space but plan on building more front loaders. There is separate bath facilities with showers and laundry. Currently we are working on the amphitheater and plan to host events every 4th friday of the month live glass blowing, student expositions theater music whatever you can think of. We have only been here 2years but have put in a ton of energy. The facility has yet to have a grand opening but currently offers classes and is quite active. There is plenty of room for visiting artist and we are currently looking for several resident artists who can weld fabricate and have at least some experience with furnace work. We also have plans on a metal shop which is evolving quickly. Currently there are welders, plasma cutter, band saws, chop saws, grinders, gas forge and a massive pouring smelter which will be used for bronze. There is also a good size greenhouse which could be used. My thought is consesions, brick oven pizza and homemade wine mosquito free space with picnic tables and misting fans in the summer. All this is located between three huge prairies with hundreds of acres of nature preserve all around 3miles from I75 and in Gainesville. This has hopes of becoming a self sustaining industrial arts center. So hey if your in the area give us a call and stop on in for a visit.
Thanks. Sky 352-374-8777

OK I know it reads like a run on sentence and the grammar sucks but I don't have time to rewrite so there's the rap.

One more thing. It would be great to host a southeast flame off, a little hot now but perfect here in Jan.

**Bryan** · 08-04-2006, 03:53 PM

im in g ville now sent you an email

**LFC** · 08-04-2006, 05:28 PM

Wow somewhere, that place sounds great. I am guessing you are talking about a local collegue and not the university? Will definatly have to check this place out. By the way how far are you from the University campus? thanks!!!