Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Goldfeder
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started blowing glass in 2012, as an apprentice with John Hudnut at The Gatherhouse in Frisco, CO. After that I blew glass part-time for several years, renting time at studios in Denver and Longmont, and I spent some time at a studio in Santa Fe as well. I did a lot of art shows during those years. Art shows are hard! In 2018 I took a leap and put all my savings into some glass equipment from a Denver studio that was closing, stuck that in my garage for a little while, and in June I split a lease on a warehouse space in East Boulder with a friend who works on CNC machines. That was the start of BGOLD Glass! I started offering classes in May of 2019, and that went well until it didn’t because the shut down with the pandemic. I did re-open for classes in that space for a time, but then decided to move my studio out to Lafayette. I was lucky to connect with the people who are working on opening the East Side Art Institute, and the studio was re-born at its current location in the spring of 2023.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My wife would say no, so I’ll answer from her perspective because that will make for a more interesting story. As I mentioned, art shows are hard! For the most part, when I was focused primarily on shows as a main income stream, I was spending more blowing glass than I was bringing in at shows. But I did have a great show in 2017 that allowed me to purchase the equipment to open my studio. When I started offering classes that really helped bolster the bottom line, but the pandemic was rough on that line of business, to say the least. And then, when I decided to move my studio to Lafayette, it took me longer than I had anticipated to find a space. I was in negotiations with someone about a spot I was really excited about, but that ultimately fell through and it was really hard to walk away from. But as it turns out, that’s exactly what needed to happen for me to get to where I am now, and I feel really lucky to have this connection with the East Side Art Institute and to be in such a beautiful location.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a glass blower. I work in soft glass, which is sometimes called furnace glass or soda-lime glass. It’s the kind of work that is done using large equipment like 5′ long blow pipes rather than a small torch. I make mostly functional things: lighting, cups, vases, bowls, jars, decanters, pitchers, though I also like making sculpted flowers. Lately I’ve been collaborating with a metalworker on some fun molds, and he helped me create the latest version of my “Ripple” cup.
One of the things I specialize in is smash glass kits for Jewish (or Jew-ish) wedding ceremonies. People get a glass from me, break it in a heavy-duty bag that I supply, send back the shards, and I re-make the broken glass into something special for them to keep. I do it in a way that you can still see the shards, so it holds a lot of potency as a reminder that brokenness can be held in beauty. I love the joy of weddings, and it’s such an honor to help people make their ceremony more special by infusing it with art, and giving them something tangible that can always bring them back to the high of that moment.
I also teach classes and workshops. I love sharing my craft, and my classes are very hands-on. I know that others offer classes with more predictability, where people have a good idea of what they’ll come out with, and I’d say that’s the exact opposite of what I do! I push my students to stretch their imaginations and make their own sketches of what they’d like to create, even as they’re just learning about the medium for the first time. I help people turn their ideas into reality, and sometimes it’s quite the challenge and keeps me on my toes, but we have a lot of fun together.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My family went to Florida one fall and we saw an amazing glass blower making small sculptures on the boardwalk. We watched him make a glass turtle which he melted onto the grooves of a piece of coral as a base. We ended up buying the piece and it is still is in our home bringing beauty and inspiration. This moment was one of the seeds of my passion for glass art and turtles.
Pricing:
- Wedding Glass Kits: Starting at $180
- Workshops for 1-2 People: $250-300
- Workshops for 3-5 People: $360
- Team Building Experiences: Please inquire
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bgoldglass.com
- Instagram: @bgoldglass and also @bgoldweddingglass
Image Credits
Omer Davidian
