Zimmerman Art Glass is on its 5th generation of the same Corydon, Indiana family. They used to be located off the beaten path: You went across the creek and turned left and when you figure you must surely have passed it you were nearly there.
Now they’re right in town, on the corner by my church. Here’s their building. Guess what business they repurposed the building from. The doors should give you a clue.
I met a couple of friends at Zimmerman’s one fine day. You can see Harmony and Health natural/organic food store behind them. Andrea from England is in pink and Ginny from New Albany is in blue.
We went in and browsed the gift shop.
Then we went into the workshop and watched Kerry Zimmerman make a vase. We also learned the answer to a question I’ve long had: Why do they call it “hand-blown” glass when you blow with your MOUTH? Well, kids, you call it mouth-blown when you blow it with your mouth. I’mma show you Kerry doing hand-blown glass.
Andrea and Ginny went back two days later, and Ginny bought that very same vase for Andrea, who now has it in her sitting room in England.
Yes, of course we have a piece. It’s a paperweight.
This has been part of Norm Frampton’s wonderful Thursday Doors link-up. Go on over and see what other dooristas have contributed this week.
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Write about glass.
MA
Joey
April 28, 2016 at 9:10amGorgeous! I’d love to browse that little shop!
Marian Allen
April 28, 2016 at 9:55amIt’s great to see the process, and the results are beautiful!
dan antion
April 28, 2016 at 12:22pmVery cool – I’d like to see that.
Marian Allen
April 28, 2016 at 12:38pmWell, y’all come!
norm 2.0
April 28, 2016 at 1:56pmJust love watching these artisans at work. It takes a lot of time and dedication to get really good at glass blowing. Thanks for sharing this π
Marian Allen
April 28, 2016 at 2:45pmWhen he poked that blob of glass with that wet spike and it poofed up, it was like magic! In fact, in the latest Sword & Sorceress anthology, there was a story about magical glass blowing. I gave Kerry a copy. π
Alana
April 28, 2016 at 6:18pmI’ve loved to watch glass blowers from an early age. It’s always fascinated me.
Marian Allen
April 29, 2016 at 8:26amIt’s wonderful to watch, Alana! My mother used to work for Corning Glass in Corning, New York, and a visit to her always included a trip to the Steuben “factory,” which was just like Zimmerman’s only with more guys and more glory holes.
janet
April 28, 2016 at 7:06pmI do love glass, Marian, so thanks for the visit.
janet
Marian Allen
April 29, 2016 at 8:26amGlad you enjoyed it, janet. π
Jean Reinhardt
April 28, 2016 at 7:06pmFive generations in the same family, that’s amazing and so lovely. Good name that, ‘dooristas’ I like it.
Marian Allen
April 29, 2016 at 8:28amI have a nagging feeling I didn’t come up with “dooristas,” Jean, but saw it on somebody’s Thursday Doors post. I like it, too. π
Jane
April 29, 2016 at 8:35amWhere to start??
I love snagging glass at second-hand shops. You never know what great find has eluded the ownership of somebody else.
I have a Murano glass bead necklace, which I was going on about to an old friend, and when she said why would you want glass? I was just struck speechless. (Not you, Marian, pal; that other old friend who kept trying to Jesus me up)
Anyway, remember the Keith Laumer story about the impurities in the glass?
Marian Allen
April 29, 2016 at 10:08amOh, I will never forget the impurities in the glass. ~grin~
That may not have been I who asked the question, but it sure sounds like one I would ask. Although I have that beautiful Carder Glass ring….