Glass blowing fires up an autumn weekend at Smithville High School - why it's a big deal

Smithville High School art teacher Jennifer Winkler has been putting her program on the map with the school's Mini Dragon Glassblowing furnace.

It was the featured centerpiece of the high school's weekend of live glass blowing and glass torchwork demonstrations on Oct. 21 and 22.

As far as Winkler knows, Smithville is one of only five high schools in the country to incorporate this professional piece of equipment in its art program.

Winkler has been instrumental in successfully seeking local and other grants to buy the furnace and helping her students raise funds through selling some of their artwork to purchase other equipment ranging from a 3D PotterBot printer to a laser engraver for her classroom.

Internationally known glass artist on hand at celebration

Saturday's public debut of the glassblowing furnace at the high school drew an internationally known glass artist to Smithville to be part of the fanfare.

David Graeber, who has been the focus of PBS documentaries, the Wall Street Journal and numerous art publications, showed off his own skills and helped people attending the event pick up some glass-blowing techniques of their own.

"I come from a huge glass tradition in South Jersey," said Graeber, who is himself a world-renowned specialist in creating art glass paperweights.

Glass is a 'very demanding material'

"Our crown gem is glass."

"It's a very demanding material," said Graeber, who learned the craft from another internationally famous glass artist, Paul Stankard, in a "one-on-one" mentorship.

Stankard's glass works of art are "probably in 80 museums around the world," including the Akron Art Museum, Graeber said.

Just as Stankard, who is now 80 years old, passed the baton to Graeber, Graeber is eager to to teach the art of glass blowing to others.

An art studio at the University of California is named after him and Stankard.

Graeber met Winkler when she took his workshop and had nothing but praise for her as he watched her at work on Saturday.

"You don't see this (other places)," he said of the equipment she has acquired for Smithville High School.

Graeber said he visited Smithville for the special weekend because "Smithville is just as important" as the California university.

"He flew out here just for this," Winkler said.

Helping with glass blowing on Saturday was Vea Baney, a Smithville High School senior who has been a participant in the school's art club all four years.

Baney has been excited to try out the school's equipment. Glass blowing is now one of her hobbies, said Baney, who is also a ceramics student.

As it turned out, although the school acquired the furnace in the spring, multiple other events, such as prom, graduation and other end-of-year activities, precluded its immediate use.

'The big reveal'

Saturday was "the big reveal," Winkler said, calling it "one of those pinch-me moments."

As people, donning goggles, tried their hand at the Mini Dragon, even Graeber experienced a blip, forcing him to toss a glass pumpkin into the "pumpkin graveyard."

"It blew out on the side. It would have been too fragile," he said.

Clayton Saurer, a sixth-grade Smithville student who is a member of Art Club, had the chance to make a glass flower, even helping to "pinch it" into shape.

"I would like to do it again," he said.

Twins Austin and Josh Smucker, Art Club members and students of Winkler, were also on hand on Saturday to lend support.

For the twins, art is more of a hobby than a career they will pursue, according to Austin, but they are committed to Art Club and planning activities.

Now seniors, they have been part of the club since they were in sixth grade.

Peggy Winkler, Jennifer Winkler's sister, also attended to lend a helping hand.

A software engineering manager for PRC-Saltillo, she said she herself only dabbles in art, but is impressed by what her sister has accomplished.

"I've never heard of another art program like this," she said.

Graeber, eager for students to see the value of glass blowing, said he maintains the same attitude toward his artistry as a professional as he did when he was learning his craft.

"You put your heart into it," he said, describing it as "a noble career" requiring a number of skills beyond artistry -- accounting, marketing, running a business and creating websites.

Along with teaching glass blowing to students, Winkler hopes to be able to offer classes to the community.

The annealer used on Saturday to cool glass creations made by visitors is the one this year's seniors unboxed when they were in middle school, Winkler said.

It has come full circle, she said, for her students who have been an integral part of fundraising for the school's art equipment and supplies.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Smithville HS art program features glass blowing furnace