Glassblowing fascinates students at W&J
Rebecca Rapp, a senior majoring in physics and math at W&J, carefully bends the glass to make a seal during a class. Glassblowing is one of many classes offered during W&J’s January intersession.
Jennifer Wallis, who is majoring in Spanish and computer information systems at Washington & Jefferson College, focuses on her work in a Scientific Glassblowing class during intersession.
Seth Rimdzius, a senior majoring in computer science and art, works on creating scientific apparatus during a glassblowing intersession class at W&J. The glasses help protect students’ eyes as well as help them see better through the flames so they can pay more attention to detail.
From left, sophomore Jeremy Stone, who is majoring in engineering; junior Ravneet Singh, who is majoring in computer information systems and math; and senior Seth Rimdzius, who is majoring in computer science and art, are among the six students who were chosen to participate in the glassblowing class at W&J.
Students in the Scientific Glassblowing class at W&J start by making glass flowers and shapes of their own choosing. They finish the class by making a Liebig condenser, a laboratory glassware piece used to cool hot liquids.
W&J professor Bill Sheers helps junior biology major Jesse Stone fuse together pieces of glass. In the Scientific Glassblowing class, students learn how to cut, bend and fire-polish the glass and create seals.
A single class stood out from the rest when Jennifer Wallis scrolled through Washington & Jefferson College’s intersession options.
Wallis said she always had an interest in glassblowing because of the many documentaries she has watched with her mother on the subject.
“It’s always so fascinating to see all these little things you can make from it,” said Wallis, who is majoring in Spanish and computer information systems. “Upon first sight of this course, I knew I needed to take it.”
Scientific glassblowing is just one of the many classes offered at W&J during intersession, which began Jan. 5 and ends Jan. 27. Intercession offers an intensive three-week study in niche subjects, such as global food production systems, physics and chemistry of taekwondo, plus internship opportunities.
Professor Bill Sheers has been teaching scientific glassblowing for more than 28 years. For half of the course, the six students chosen for the class work on artistic glassblowing, making items like flowers and birds. The other half is spent learning how to create scientific apparatus.
“They have to practice a lot,” Sheers said. “Most of them are self-motivated. That’s the key thing. Some of them come in here with considerable skill, but other students, they get through it not as well, but they probably enjoy it just as much.”
Sheers said in the past, glassblowers could make a good living, but because of an influx of glassblowing artists, it’s harder to make a career of it.
“Maybe now and then if a student needs a piece of glasswork in a laboratory, he or she could make something like that by themselves,” Sheers said.