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Click here to see our full class schedule.

Torch Time at Blue Heron
FREE
Glass Bead-Making Workshop

Saturday June 21, 28, July 19, 26 and August 9, 23.
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Make Four “Round” Wound Glass Beads
with Dotted Decoration

A One Hour, Fun-Filled Tour de Torch

You must pre-register and pay a fully refundable deposit of
$10 to attend (no refunds for no shows). 
Only one workshop per person. 

 Call Blue Heron Glass at  769-7299 for details.

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Showing at Blue Heron Glass

Ganesh Glass
June 3 - June 28

Blown Works by
Michael Barnett

Meet the Artist:
Friday, June 20, 5:00-8:00 p.m.

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Summer Hours

We will be closed July 4th and 5th.

We will be closing at 3:00 on Thursdays from

June 5 through August 28.
We will resume normal hours the week of

September 2.

Visit us at our new location!

Northbridge Shopping Center, 1714 Old Towne Road.

See Map

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Class Summer Break

Summer break is in July and August. Classes will resume early September.

Check here for our Latest Class Schedule.

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Mike Hiester's latest creation, the Demon Bowl.

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   What's on Mikey's mind?

We've all wondered.

Mike Hiester, owner of Blue Heron Glass, shares with you his thoughts on all things glass. Updates will be posted occasionally, and then archived for posterity.

5.15.08

What’s on Mikey’s Mind?

Always more glass and not enough time.  We have now been in the new location for six months (still unpacking and trying to find everything) and things are beginning to look up.  I promised I’d talk a little bit about glass this time and that’s what we’re going to do.

  There is currently a lot of well deserved concern about the overall economy and the economic health of the country.  Couple that with the cost of gas and folks tend to think they can’t afford to play with glass any more.  Well there are a couple of ways to cut costs and still enjoy the obsession.  The one I’d like to address today is transitional glass.

 We occasionally get “Transition glass” from Spectrum through our supplier, Ed Hoy’s International.  Laurie Novotny, our sales rep up there, does a super job keeping things in line for us so all you ever see is a smoothly operating glass store supreme.  She is also finely tuned to my requests for current stock of transition glass.  Transition glass is basically glass that fails to meet the manufacturer’s standards of quality, either in clarity or trueness of color, density, surface imperfections, or whatever.  What this means to you is a buck or so less per square foot for glass with which you are already familiar.  Who hasn’t played with a nice Spectrum 329.6?  Reminiscent of malachite in the moonlight wouldn’t you say?

            The downside to transition is lack of consistency.  In my experience, it usually manifests itself in uneven mixing of the colors so that nice even mix that Spectrum is known for is lacking.  But remember, they don’t claim this is first quality stuff (and neither do we).  Every once in awhile you find mixes that are beyond normal ranges, like the deep golden red/amber waterglass® that is a transitional form of 451.20w.  We’ve used this very successfully as a border in transoms.

 A while back I got hold of some Youghiogheny uncats (uncategorized, basically transition).  These were sold as Uncat Blue Stipple at a bargain basement price.  The colors were blues I’d never seen before and the stipple was pretty much lacking (they were fairly dense), but you couldn’t beat the price. 

   I can here the fusers now, “well that’s just great for the regular stained glass people and the mosaic artist’s, but Bullseye is so expensive.”  Actually it’s not and since you all have read and studied your catalog I’m sure you are all aware the Bullseye makes a “B” grade glass.  Fully compatible, but outside target appearances (page 5).  Hey, if you don’t have a catalog stop by and I’ll give you one or call Bullseye and they will send you one.

 The really neat thing about the “B” grade list is that it also contains experimentals!  What a great way to get some colors that nobody else has.  Of course most of the time you’ll never be able to get them again either, but remember, with transition you are not getting consistency.

The Demon piece that finally came together was made in part with an experimental orange/yellow that fell between 001125 and 001321.  When fused to French vanilla, 000137, it produced a really interesting background.  The beasts themselves were also made with a limited edition glass, stingers pulled from orange lollipop rods.

 So there’s lots out there and many ways to cut a few bucks off the tab, but you have to be willing to take a few risks.  Most of the time they work, sometimes they don’t.  Next time I want to talk about the ladies of Ohio and the upcoming Blue Heron Crab Fest, which is about to morph into some type of Blue Heron Feast.

 Remember, It’s only glass!  v

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