Aaron Ashton Hill

Glassworker

Glass, wow! Mysterious, complex, yet simple. My first experience with glass was in 1980 as a child helping my parents do stained glass. They didn’t let me do much but watch and not get cut or burned.

My first experience with hot glass was in 1994 at a rock concert. I saw a gentleman making glass sea creatures out of a U-Haul Truck. I was blown away! I told myself, “That is what I want to do!” Almost immediately I purchased tools, kilns, torches, and all the other items to start what is called lampworking.

Well, almost fourteen years have passed, and I am still at it. Everything that I have learned, I have taught myself. Yes, lots of blood, sweat, and tears. I have travelled all over helping others learn this wonderful art. I have travelled to California, Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, and most of the East Coast states all the way from Vermont to Florida.

I have learned a lot about glass, and, in return, I have learned a lot about myself. Patience, tolerance, courage, and exploration into the unknown are some to name. We have all heard the saying, “If you love your work, then you don’t work a day in your life.” That is so true, I find. Well, at least 99% true.