Handmade Functional Glass From STARworks Artisans

STARworks is a place that I have been curious about ever since my dear friend gave me a gift of a beautiful handcrafted glass pumpkin made by a STARworks artisan.  So a few Saturday's ago I asked my friend to join me on my outing to the NC GLASSFEST a premier North Carolina handmade functional and culinary glass sale at STARworks.  Now I have heard about their sales, people gathering  in line early to to be the first ones in the door, ornaments or  pumpkins being snatched up, baskets being filled.  Today doors open at 9:30 and shopping is from 10-2.  My "early bird gets the worm" thinking has us there and ready to enter at 9:30. 

We entered the building built in the late 1800's that originally housed the Carolina Collegiate Academy and Agriculture Institute and later a hosiery mill that when it closed took 1000 jobs from the small community of Star NC.  Now it houses STARworks which provides job creation programming which is entrepreneurial in nature and designed to serve creative, agricultural, and alternative energy sectors of the communities economy.  How exciting that a place like this exist to develop artisans, entrepreneurs, and strengthens our own economy.  I love these kinds of stories but I will let you check out their website for more information and I will get back to what's happening. We weave through a few smaller rooms and end up in one very large room that has the far end roped off and all the glass waiting on displayed behind it.  Everyone jockeyed for positioning for the best possible view of the selections of the day.

I found the hurry up and wait kinda interesting but also intriguing.  Everyone was trying to decide, when given the opportunity, which piece they would go for.  I of course wanted a picture of it all! I did get plenty of great pictures for you to enjoy.  Be sure to hang in there to the end so you can see the pictures I took of the exhibition in the glass lab.  

While we waited we were welcomed and introduced to STARworks and then informed of some new work they were offering that combined two prized materials, glass and Carolina red clay.  This got my attention.  If you are from around here then Carolina red clay has always been a part of your life.  Love it or hate it, it will be there.  This unique design creates a bubble in which particles of red clay are suspended.  With this glass you can take a little bit if the land with you where ever you go. You can learn more about our beloved red clay and what an important role it has played in glass works and pottery here in the April issue of Our Stare North Carolina magazine.

This work creates a very unique and personal functional piece of glass.  It really was interesting and the decanter was just beautiful.  You could display it and never fill it. It is a work of art.

As they are readying to cut the tape and let us begin the shopping I have decided to head for these pieces first.  Two vases with organic shapes and nice touches of aqua that would certainly fit into my color palette at home.

 Delicate spirals and a pop of orange around the rim made this a standout piece.

Creamy coated insides create an interesting effect on these bottles.

A very striking combination of yellow and cobalt blue in this collection.

Various shades of green from bowls to vases to cups in both traditional and modern styles.

These pieces stood out with their unique modern qualities and the simplicity of the red accents.

Lots of colorful vases ready for those spring flowers we are hoping for.

I am always drawn to blue.  Several pieces had interesting effects like the marbling above and the delicate twist below.  It is difficult to see but the glass below also has a raised star in the bottom.

There was a little bit of something to meet all kinds of taste from bright pops of color to softer shades of glass to suspended particles of clay.  Everyone seemed to enjoy their morning out and the wonderful glass works.  This was a new event for STARworks and so there was less of an crowd then at the ornament sale.  A little bit about pricing.  My friend heard a lady grumbling about the pricing.  Anytime pieces are hand crafted their prices will reflect the time and craftsmanship it took to be create them.  Mass market items will involve less labor, sometime lesser quality materials, and will not inhabit the unique one-of-a-kind endearing imperfections that are hallmarks of handmade products.  Mainly materials, labor, and scarcity figure into the price of an item.  Keep reading to see their glass lab which will reveal part of what drives up cost. 

We headed to the glass lab to watch an exhibition where at first glance I quickly determined that this would be an endeavor that would require patience that would way exceed my personal quotient: stick it in the fire, manipulate it a little, stick it back in the fire, manipulate it a little, back in the fire, roll it here, back in the fire.  Surprisingly though after a little observation a rhythm revealed itself that was almost soothing and relaxing instead of frustrated by the urgency to be completed.  i could see where the process itself would be rewarding and impatience would yield to the work of creating something uniquely your own.

As you watch the development of the piece in these pictures you see that at times it takes three artisans working in unison to create one finished piece.  I learned so much from this demonstration.  If you are interested in checking it out they have some events coming up in the near future.  FireFest will be held May 2-4.  It is a 3 day festival celebrating the role of fire in creating art.  They also have a reoccurring event Hot Glass Cold Beer which is a unique fundraiser that supports STARworks.

Thank you my friend for my pumpkin, and introducing me to STARworks, and for sharing my little adventure.   -  Marianne


All photo's property of Living With Color Designs