Owner Michael Pinedo Jr. has nearly 20 years of experience in glassblowing and runs the business in a shop in his backyard, located at 2232 Michigan St., New Braunfels.
“My goal is to share the love of glass, to educate the public about glassblowing and to promote the awareness of glass blowing,” Pinedo said.
New Braunfels Glassblowing offers public demonstrations as well as private or group classes, including date nights in which the couple can choose the colors of glass to work with and learn how to form their own works of art. Students are educated on the history of glassblowing, are given a demonstration and then try the craft themselves.
Pinedo is also offering a Mother's Day class, where people can bring their mothers to the studio to pick out the color and style of vase they would like the experienced glassblower to make and watch the process of the gift being made.
“A lot of times you buy something for someone, and yes, that is personal, but it's a whole other thing when you get to actually see something made for somebody,” Pinedo said.
New Braunfels Glassblowing is outfitted with an electric furnace that holds up to 50 pounds of glass, a propane and oxygen reheat furnace, and an electric annealer that cools glass down to room temperature.
The art of glassblowing, how a glassblower can use their imagination to create a piece, and how one must learn how to work with the glass medium and not force it into its desired shape are all topics Pinedo speaks passionately about.
“[There's so much to the performing part just as much as the visual part [of glassblowing], which makes it a fun thing to watch and a fun thing to do,” Pinedo. “It's kind of like learning how to dance and paint at the same time. Your whole body's into it, and all your senses are participating.”
Those interested can sign up for private or group classes and learn to make items such as drink glasses, vases and glass flowers by making an appointment online.
“A great thing about glassblowing is that there's so much to explore,” Pinedo said. “You can make realistic items you can sculpt different different things. You can make so much functional items. ... It's one of the most beautiful materials that's out there.”
www.nbglassblowing.com
