2400 Fahrenheit

Last Saturday, Brian and I drove to Volcano to visit 2400 Fahrenheit, the glassblowing studio of Michael and Misato Mortara, two of the premier glassblowers working on the Big Island.  It was the weekend of their annual open house and sale, which is generally held around July 4th each year.  In addition to having special pricing on pieces in their gallery, they and several other local glass artists were offering amazing prices on some of their “seconds,” pieces that look pretty darn good but aren’t up to the artists’ exacting standards.

2400 Fahrenheit, the gallery of Michael & Misato Mortara

There, we also saw a glassblowing demonstration by Stephanie Ross and Hugh Jenkins of Big Island Glass, another team of glassblowing artists who work in Honokaa.  I love that the glass community here — people who could consider themselves competitors — are so collaborative and supportive of each other.  Interestingly, Hugh was Michael’s first glassblowing instructor, at Punahou high school on Oahu.  Wouldn’t you like to have attended a school with such amazing artistic facilities?  I know I would have.

Hugh Jenkins and Stephanie Ross work on a piece, while Michael Mortara looks on.

The highlight of the trip for me was meeting Patricia Larsen-Goodin, a local lampwork artist who handcrafts glass beads and jewelry from her Volcano home.  Patricia offered to introduce me to lampwork and she gave me a whole list of fun websites and artists to check out.  Since lampwork was already on my must-try list of art forms, I was thrilled!  We’re headed to Volcano for a visit next week.

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been looking for glass art instructors since I first arrived on the Big Island.  It’s so funny that, as my time here winds down, I found a lampwork artist who volunteered to teach me.  I didn’t even ask.  “The Artist’s Way” talks about acknowledging moments of synchronicity, when something you’ve thought about or wished for comes to you spontaneously.  I think meeting Patricia definitely counts!

Have you had any moments of synchronicity recently?

Happy Wednesday,