Blenko's Festival of Glass 2024 - Weekend Update
I had the privilege to attend the 2024 Blenko Festival of Glass at the Blenko Glass Factory in Milton WV this weekend. What an incredible experience! I started collecting Blenko Glass 5 or 6 years ago and I have been hooked ever since. My initial attraction to Blenko came from their fun and playful use of color and form. In January of 2024 I started blowing glass and learning to work with this material really ignited a new found passion and appreciation for glass art. So, when I learned that my FAVORITE glass maker was having an event dedicated to glass, I knew I had to make the trip out for it!
President of Blenko
Cheesin’ hard with current President of Blenko Glass Company, John Blenko himself
I am sure glad I did! I knew the event would be a fun way to learn more about Blenko’s rich history as one of the last surviving glass production companies in the country, and meet other collectors and fans…but what I DIDN’T know is how this experience would impact me as an artist, and expand my community of glass creators and stewards of the craft.
I was profoundly moved by how truly kind and welcoming all the Blenko staff and factory workers were. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE went out of their way to make me feel welcomed and connected. It was clear that the people behind the colorful and beautiful glass that Blenko produces are the real magic that makes Blenko so special. I participated in a few events during the weekend such as the Blow Your Own Water Bottle and the Etching class. I got to attend the Meet the Designers function and this was a really special evening where I was able to chat with big names in glass including Matt Urban, Michael Helt, James Woodson, and Amber Cowan! Not only were they all so kind and friendly, but each one was excited to share their passion for glass art with me, a newbie to the medium.
I also got a chance to pick the brains of creative director Dr. James Arnett, and many of the other glass blowers and factory workers at Blenko. I learned so much and I cannot wait to get back in the hot shop and try out some new techniques. I will most definitely be heading back to Blenko as often as I can, and the Festival of Glass is going to be a yearly event for me without question! Who knows, maybe I’ll be on the hot shop floor at Blenko someday, slingin’ glass beside the greats, in one of the most incredible and important pieces of West Virginia glass history. Hey, a girl can dream, right?
