Episode 89- So you want to be a glassblower?

          Hey you!  Thanks for taking time to listen to the show and reading these notes.       So you want to be a glass blower?   This is something I've heard over and over for years from many folks. The biggest question is how does  one get started?    With the ever growing popularity of this genre of art many schools have begun to pick up and teach classes in the area glassblowing.  Whether it's in the furnace or a torch or both there are several schools that specifically cater to the glass artist and have programs  for the glass artist such as Penland, Salem, and a few others.  With that being said 99% of those that want to be a glassblower don't necessarily want to go to school so here's what I recommend.        Do some research. Google glass art, glass blowing, flame work and you'll find many videos and websites pertaining to this topic. The only problem is the majority of the sites only really talk about or show you videos of techniques, etc.  My goal with this episode is to talk to you about how to get started. It will tell you why you need to make sure you have a good foundation, the proper equipment set up and you're getting over your head.         Here's a link to a pdf that is a basic checklist of items to start off with. Depending on what type of budget you are working with will at first determine what you are able to buy to get started.  Don't worry if in the beginning you are unable to buy everything. Think small at first and let the process of learning happen organically.  Start small and grow as you begin to learn and master one technique at a time.    Go to www.mountainglass.com/wyzguy to see what type of starter kits are available and what they cost. These kits are discounted and if you use the code WYZGUY at check out you'll receive an additional 5% off your purchase.  PDF DOWNLOAD   COMMENT