Glass Eye Studio

About Glass Eye Studio

Glass Eye Studio is among the oldest and largest privately owned glassblowing studios or in America. A team of artisan glassblowers creates handmade glass art, gifts, and collectibles.
Known for glass ornaments and paperweights, the studio produces bowls, vases, and globes as well. Glass Eye Studio Limited Edition ornaments are popular. With a long history, Glass Eye Studio continues to design and innovate. This effort among multiple glass artists creates beautiful hand-blown glass for the world.

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Glass Eye Studio History

Robert Adamson founded Glass Eye Studio in 1978 at Pike Place Market Place. Talking to Seattle glassblowers, he is the "the Godfather of Glass."
Many recognized glassblowers, working in the Pacific Northwest, were former students of Adamson. At the Pilchuck Glass School from 1974 through 1977, he held technical and director positions. His successful new studio became a training ground for aspiring glassblowers. In this setting, glass artists had a place to work and their talents valued. One of his innovations was the inclusion of ash from the Mt St Helen's 1980 eruption. Finding the right formula, it became the norm - and a unique selling point for the studio. This tradition of adding ash to each piece created at the hot shop continued for decades.
Selling the studio in 1989, Robert remained as a designer during the 90s. In 1997, he built and opened his glass studio. His focus is on blown, cast, carved, and sculptural glass forms.

The Evolution of Glass Eye Studio

The studio today is a team of glass artists known for its mastery of form and color. Under the leadership of creative director and designer, Piper O'Neill, they create refined art glass art. Their goal is to showcase the best qualities of glass. As a team, they strive to make innovative, affordable, and leading-edge glass designs. It is a partnership between clients, designers, sales staff, and glassblowers. They explore and expand upon century-old glass forming techniques. The artists of Glass Eye Studio are innovative, using everything from recycled bottles to fine gold. The signature ingredient - ash is in short supply after all these years. It's dwindling amount finds use in future limited editions.

Glass Eye Studio is from Seattle, WA

The studio, founded in 1978, by Adamson, was in the Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington. After several years, the studio moved to the Ballard neighborhood. The Northwest of the United States is an ideal environment for glass art. The temperate climate moderates the high heat produced by glassblowing. And, it is the home of the renowned Pilchuck Glass School. The Pacific Northwest is a Mecca for a diverse pool of glass artisans. Artists recognize the benefit of the climate and migrate to the Seattle area.

Glass Eye Studio Has Many Products to Choose From

Choose from a large array of products including ornaments, paperweights, their celestial series, and many more. Here are some in-depth descriptions of each.

1. Glass Eye Studio Ornaments

The name choices are as notable as the color and design of each handcrafted glass sphere. Inspired by the play between color, light, form, and texture, these ornaments bring sparkle and shine.

Among the most well-known glass are Glass Eye Studio Christmas ornaments.
This vintage holiday collection at Glass Eye Studio is a standout. It features luster glass versions of Santa's face in holiday colors like tinsel blue and merriment mint. The piece Holiday Punch is a lively red, perfect for Santa! A beautiful selection of pine cones in luster glass colors of cranberry and holly green. The cast glass stars are available in emerald, red, and pink. Candy canes in threaded cane glass come in luscious shades that look good enough to eat! Following tradition, there is even a Christmas Pickle ornament! Hide the pickle on the tree; be first to find it and enjoy good fortune next year.

2. Glass Eye Studio Paperweights

Celestial Series

Glass Eye paperweights are world-famous and the Celestial Series is the most popular. You will find several versions of the moon created with dichroic glass, glow material, and precious metals. "Apollo Moon" celebrates the 50th year date of the 1969 Apollo Moon Landing. The Glass Eye Studio Milky Way paperweight is from this series. Its name comes from its appearance as a "milky" glowing band. 

Planet Series

Other choices include the Glass Eye Studio planets. the Jupiter paperweight has swirling orange, red, and blue colors. The Venus paperweight is iridescent purple, with cobalt and gold. The Ring of Saturn paperweight is a mix of blue, pale green and silver with clear glass rings. These are great gifts for your cosmos, loving friends!

Environmental Series

Love of Nature inspires the "Environmental" series of paperweights. These include "Cresting Wave" where the awesome power of wind and wave join hands. Watery shades of green and blue create this effect. "Ice Storm" has dichroic glass glittering on the ice-shard like surface. Look inside to catch a glimpse of freezing rain and crystal chaos. Ash from the Mt. St. Helen's eruption added to the studio's glass. The ">>Volcano" paperweight is a classic. It captures the volcano at the height of its explosion in red, gold, and black.


More by Glass Eye Studio

1. Bowls

A Glass Eye Studio Bowl makes a statement on your table. The shape is a gentle flowing free-form that lends itself to holding fruit or flowers. Lovely on their own as well. The multitude of colors makes choosing just one hard! 

2. Vases

Vases, floats, and flowers are a part of the production at the studio. One of the most popular new items is the collection of glass votives.

Glass Eye Studio Continues to Create More Art Glass

For more than 30 years, Glass Eye Studio has designed and created exquisite handmade glass. Vibrant paperweights, innovative ornaments, functional bowls, and vases. Our family of glass artisans strives to pass on the marvel and appreciation we have for blown glass. The process, from start to finish, creates the true beauty and mystery of glass. Applying immense heat to a mixture of sand, glass evolves. Each piece begins by gathering a precise amount of glass on the end of a blowpipe or rod.

Our blowing team uses a wide array of glass colors and materials. The blower shapes the molten mass with light but precise touches of manual tools. After a quick fire-polish, the product cools to room temperature. This process is called annealing and takes several days. Next is finishing with a diamond wheel grinder and polishing stones. Each piece is handmade. The color or size may vary, and bubbles may appear in the glass. The bubbles are not flaws, but your assurance that each piece is handmade.

Despite a Glass Eye Studio fire in recent years, the studio continues to thrive. The artists at Glass Eye Studio create each glass item by hand. Many of the studio's designs require days of planning and preparation. A combination of modern glassblowing techniques and traditional know-how is used. With a long history of teamwork among multiple glass artists, Glass Studio continues to design and innovate. They are creating beautiful hand-blown glass for the world.