Success stories

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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

www.tillamookheadlightherald.com

Success Stories T I L L A M O O K C O U N T Y A N D T H E O R E G O N C OA S T

Honor Roll • Garibaldi Charters 607 Garibaldi Ave. Garibaldi (503) 322-0007 garibaldicharters.com • Garibaldi Museum 112 Garibaldi Ave. Garibaldi (503) 322-8411 garibaldimuseum.org • Stratos Wealth Partners 2505 Main Ave N, Ste. D Tillamook (503) 354-5136 stratoswealthpartners.com • The Blue Moon Cafe/ Vintage Nest Second St. and Main Ave. Tillamook (541) 285-5555

Ring of Fire Glassworks’ John Gladson blowing a bubble that’s about to burst By Joe Warren Publisher jwarren@countrymedia.net

‘Art washes from your soul the dust of everyday life’ — Dr. J., Tucson

Headlight Herald

• Downies Cafe 9320 5th St, Bay City (503) 377-2220 www.facebook.com/ DowniesCafe/?fref=ts • Ring Of Fire 496 US-101 Rockaway Beach (971) 306-1112 www.ringoffireglassworks.com

T

he minute you step into John Gladson’s Ring of Fire in Rockaway Beach right off Hwy 101, you can’t help but become energized. You also become aware that John is a one-man-show, sent me 6,000 lbs, enough for the entire who is extremely talented, a high energy season.” artist, who likes to play with fire, literally. That is a good thing, because John is Gladson is the artist and owner of adding something to his offerings, that is John’s Handblown Glassworks/Ring sure to catch fire. of Fire Glassworks in the quaint beach After years of making glass floats, community with most of his business in glass paperweights and glass nitelights, a the busy months, teaching visitors the heated art of glassblowing. He also creates tornado-like vortex of colors is something John has captured in glass as a way to many pieces for sale in his showroom, hold memories. like floats, nitelights, glass eggs, cups, He now offers a unique way bowls…just about anything for people to remember their to do with glass loved ones. He uses ashes as a decorations. ire key part of the process. Ring of F s With being rk o Inside of a large colorful W a single owner, s s Gla lassworks.com glass container he works to g John has to re goffi www.rin Hwy. 101, create wispy whirlwind take care of class 496 within, “a porthole to Beach bookings, marketockaway 12 R heaven,” he said with ing, production, 1 -1 971-306 a smile while showing teaching, ordering one of two designs he’s — everything it takes finished. “There are nothing in the to run a successful world like this.” business. And sometimes that can be He said he was inspired by an age-old difficult. “This year is a blessing thanks to a good simple children’s toy. “I’d seen them in marbles. I thought that I could try to community behind me,” he said. “The incorporate them in my glass,” he said. glass business is in a transition, materials Using the cremated ashes of a loved are scarce — hard to find because of the big glass companies,” he said as he readied one created some challenges of its own, Gladson said. for a demonstration to a threesome of A misstep would create cracks. visitors. “This year is a blessing because “It has to be tempered just right,” he my glass company was only going to send me about 2,000 lbs of glass and they said. “So the layers are the layers of their life.” Gladson has been a glassblower since 1990. His biggest challenge has been meeting the demand with a growing group of visitors who stop by his shop to take a lesson. It is something he admits he really enjoys doing, performing for the visitors. “What is really flying here is the classes. I have many different things you can blow. You can make the float with a hook so you can hang it, you can do it with a flat bottom and set it on a mantle, or you can make it into a nitelight,” he said. “You can do a paperweight egg. You can do a vase or

• Tillamook County Solid Waste 503 Marolf Loop (503) 815-3975 www.co.tillamook.or.us/ gov/solidwaste

a bowl,” he added, noting just some of the choices his students have. “It has been just phenomenal how busy I have been just doing the classes,” he said. There also has been a very positive response left online by the students, with some posting comments and others posting videos. “People are really happy with the experience. I am very thorough – and a live wire,” he said, adding a smile. At times, it may get a little crowded in the repurposed gas station that Gladson calls home. “I have had as many as 14 at one time in a class. “First thing I do after they decide the color, I run them through safety. I tell them what not to touch.” Sometimes, Gladson admits he likes to show off a little bit for the students. He proceeded to demonstrate rolling the molten glass behind his back or using his legs. “It is really demanding. You can’t stop and take a break. When you start a piece, you have got to finish the piece. You have got to have a certain timing because of the temperatures. If it gets too cold, it will crack. “You have got to keep on top of it and maintain the temperature,” he explained. “But once people get the rhythm, it is almost like a dance,” Gladson said. The Ring of Fire is the sixth glass shop he has started over the years.

After learning the basics, he admits being self-taught when it comes to blowing glass. “It is mechanical thinking… It is just troubleshooting. It is heat versus gravity. “You have got to keep it rotating and turning,” he explained. When you watch John whip the rods of molten glass around his shop cooling and forming the pieces while adding layers of color and then adding more molten glass, it’s almost like watching a graceful dancer turn ninja from one motion to the next. But every action he takes is a contrived step in the process. “The art flows with my energy, everytime I do something it has a purpose,” he said. “I like the motion, I like to move.” Gladson readily admits he enjoys instructing the people who stop by to take his classes. “I’m very thorough,” he added. “We create memorable moments, and that’s what it’s all about.” Gladson was a featured artist years ago when he had a shop in Mt. St. Helens. “I had designed a five-page catalogue, but it was work, work, work…” Some things still haven’t changed. “I build my equipment. I maintain my equipment. There is a lot more to it than just blowing glass,” he added. Although he has been living in Rockaway Beach for several years, he didn’t take over shop until July of 2015. “Up until then, I was just advising and helping. I had the opportunity to become owner then and make it work, so that’s what I did,” he explained. “That is what I am working hard at.” The Ring of Fire Glassworks is located at 496 Highway 101 on the southern side of Rockaway Beach. It’s good to call before you show up, because his classes fill up quickly. But you will be able to bring home a piece of glass art after Gladson puts the final touches on them. “Everything they make is at least worth the cost of the class,” he said. “The memories they make are priceless.”

503-842-7535 • 1908 Second Street, Tillamook, OR 97141 To publish your own Success Story, contact: Jessica Sticklen, jsticklen@countrymedia.net Lisa Browning, lbrowning@countrymedia.net

• Kelley’s Place Garibaldi Opening at new location soon • City Of Rockaway Beach P.O. Box 5 276 Hwy 101 S. Rockaway Beach (503) 355-2291 rockawaybeachor.us • Offshore Grill 122 Hwy 101 North Rockaway Beach 503-355-3005 www.facebook.com/offshoregrill/ • Tillamook Hearing Aid Center 1134 Main Ave. (503) 842-9327 tillamookhhearing2013@gmail.com tillamookhearingaids.com • Toylandia 320 Landea Ave. Manzanita OR 503-368-TOYS • The Sustainable Bite 1904 3rd St Tillamook, OR 503-354-2559 • Harmonium LLC 4000 Blimp Blvd, Suite 320 Tillamook OR 503-207-6400 sales@harmoniumllc.com www.harmoniumllc.com

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