The Glass Forge Gallery & Studio

Specialties

Come see 2000 deg. blown glass up close at The Glass Forge Gallery and Studio! If feeling brave… you can even try it yourself. Using molten glass and long blowpipes the glass blowers shape the glass into vases, bowls, paperweights, and many different sculptures. We specialize in customer service and custom made personal items that people can help create. People of all ages enjoy watching and feeling the heat as the sand melts into glass art.

History

Established in 1998.

In 1997 Nathan Sheafor, Lee Wassink, and Maurice «Butch» Kreuzer got together and dreamed of opening their own glass blowing studio. They had met in 1994 working for two different studios in the San Francisco Bay Area and got several chances to work together on projects. In January of 1998 they relocated to Grants Pass, OR. Renting a large warehouse, they renovated it to suit their needs and in May of that year lit the first furnace. Since that time, much glass has melted and many more art projects realized. Butch has since retired but with Dennis Hoerauf, Steve Pechon, and Tate Brons as assistants, the business is still open. You can find glass being made most days of the week and even on the First Friday Art Walk they are open till 9:00 at night. The range of production varies from lampshades both for in house and other lighting companies, wholesale customers ranging from gift shops to museums, a complete line of Urns and ash inclusive paperweights, as well as corporate gifts.

Meet the Business Owner

Lee W.

Business Owner

Lee was first exposed to glass at Central College in Pella Iowa. He took three years of it there and tried to think of a way to make it his life. Moving back home to the San Francisco area he frequented glass studios until one of them hired him. Working there for four years, he met his two other partners, Nathan Sheafor and Maurice «Butch» Kreuzer who together agreed to go up to Grants Pass and start their own studio.