Presenter recounts founding of family glass studio in Newton City

A presenter at a community event in Newton City described how a childhood spent around a glass furnace led to opening a family-run glassblowing studio in the city.

The presenter said his introduction to the craft came at about age seven, when he "was mostly the boy that swept the floor, opened the doors and stayed out of the way, mostly just trying to soak up as much knowledge as I could." He credited long weekends of lessons in Spencer and a sculpture festival run by DMACC with deepening his interest and connections to the local arts scene.

He described his father, a Marine, as a driving influence and motivation. "My father was a very special man. Hardest working guy I've ever seen in my life," the presenter said, adding that he took on the studio in part to honor his father’s memory after the man died in "leap year 2020." The presenter said a fire in Spencer helped prompt the family’s move to Newton and eventual decision to open the shop.

Speaking about the business, the presenter stressed the all-or-nothing nature of running a hot shop. "Once that furnace is on, it's on. And so you can't really just kind of half do it. There is no option of failure," he said, framing setbacks as fuel for continued effort.

Workshops and classes are central to the studio’s community role, he said. "When we have workshops or classes, the main thing we want is you guys to have fun. Their face lights up. They just can't believe it." He added that classes have been popular: "They have sold out, I think every class that they've done." The presenter noted multi‑generational participation from his family — his mother, cousin, husband and grandmother have all taken part.

He also described teaching his child the craft: "Our four year old is already learning the trade," he said, and framed the studio as a way to teach children to take risks and pursue meaningful work. He closed by expressing a long-term commitment to the city: "Newton is my life. This is where we want to be. This is where we want to grow. This is where we want our family to grow. Newton is our home."

The presentation highlighted local arts activity and a small-business narrative rooted in family, apprenticeship and community engagement.