Glass Oil Dispensers

Glass-blowing is not for the faint of heart. Dating back to the first century, the technique involves heating silica, soda lime and potash until it becomes molten at 2,150˚F. Glass-blowers then add air through a metal pipe, inflating the glass to the desired shape.

Mandy Patchin’s introduction to glass-blowing came in 2011 after signing up for a class on a whim. She immediately fell in love. She opened Canada’s only mobile glass studio in a 40-foot truck, insulating the equipment with refractory material in order to withstand the high temperatures. Patchin continues to use the truck to create and teach her art. She also works out of Fascapple Glass and another private studio.

The idea of working with molten glass may be scary for some; for Patchin, it’s the opposite. “I love glass-blowing because it’s methodical and meditative,” she says.

Patchin focuses mainly on functional glass art — pieces designed for common purposes such as eating, drinking and cooking. The olive oil bottles she creates are some of her most popular items.

“Personally, I always cook with oil, so if I have it in a nice bottle, then it’s something nice to look at on the counter,” she says. Avenue readers seemed to agree, voting Patchin’s glass oil dispensers the winner of this year’s Readers’ Choice Award. Unlike the other judged categories in the Made in Alberta Awards, this award is decided entirely by the public.

It’s no easy feat to curate such a dedicated following, but Patchin has managed to do so through constant engagement with customers and dedication to growing with her work. “The other thing I love about glass is all the various techniques and colour applications, which leads to a lifetime of learning,” she says. “It took thousands of years for glass to evolve, and you can only master a technique with replication.

$98
ghxperience.com

More than 4,500 readers voted online to select the winner in this popular category.