Every so often, I check in to see how the glass blowing scene is going in Buffalo. It’s an artisan form that we don’t hear that much about, but there is one guy who continues to beat the glass blowing drum. His name is Jason Dederich, and he’s holding the torch for others to follow. Currently, Dederich operates a smaller glass blowing outfit by the name of Caveman Glass, and a more refined studio that he is calling Buffalo Glass Company.
Dederich learned his glass blowing skills at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Initially, he went to RIT for metalsmithing, but when he discovered that the school would not allow him to do a double major in that field, he switched over to glass and industrial design. He ended up graduating in 2003 with a glass degree – a BFA in glass techniques.
After RIT, Dederich traveled the country, working as an apprentice for an acclaimed glass blower, working with glass sinks and lighting, and creating glassworks sculptures. He says that one of his greatest thrills was working on large blown sculptures in front of live audiences.
In 2011, Dederich moved back to Buffalo with the intention of opening his own glass business. As luck would have it, The Foundry had started up, so he took up residence within the artisan incubator. That’s when he started to host stationary torch studio classes, which were wildly popular since the onset.
Although the glass blowing classes sold out for two years straight, Dederich decided to part ways with The Foundry, to set up his own studio at The Guild @ ReUse Action (just down the street). Just this week, Dederich has made the transition, which he feels will allow him to grow his craft.
Now that he is officially set up at ReUse Action, it’s time for the classes to begin, starting with a series of pop-ups the second week of May. “I had a two month hiatus to take a break and have just finished moving into The Guild,” Dederich tells me. “I taught over 100 classes of 6 people per class and have had a great time sharing my passion with Buffalo.”
When I asked Dederich his thoughts on the local glass blowing community – or if there was one – he answers, “There is a glass blowing scene in Buffalo. Probably 30-60 stationary torch artists would be my guess. The glass educational scene in Buffalo is very bare except for my classes. I had classes selling out for about 2 years at The Foundry. However after my business started to grow larger, I needed a larger space to expand into. And like many others, The Guild is a great place for artists and businesses graduating from The Foundry, to advance and further their dreams. So the folks at The Guild @980 Northampton were kind enough to rent me a space three times larger than my last space.”
Down the road, Dederich wants to expand his glass blowing offerings to include “soft glass” – his dream is to open a soft glass studio where he can create larger pieces such as vases and glass sculptures. “I plan on expanding my business by having a full soft glass setup going by the end of the year,” Dederich opines. “It’s the sort of setup that people normally relate to The Corning Museum of Glass. Soft Glass is the setup that allows for larger sculptures and blown pieces to be made from 2″ to 3′.”
Aside from offering classes, Dederich is also providing an apprenticeship program, which he feels is the way to build the glass blowing community in Buffalo. “People love glass,” he says. “It’s a social thing – people love to come together around glass. It has to be cool and creative to attract people’s attention. Buffalo is not currently known for its glass blowers, but I want it to be. I would love to have a studio where I could do large demonstrations, with more equipment. That’s going to take time and money, but I feel as if I’m on my way.”
Ornamental Ornaments Hot Glass Blowing Class with Jason Dederich
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The Guild @ ReUse Action | 980 Northampton Street | Buffalo NY
Scalloped Vase Glassblowing Class with Jason Dederich
Friday, May 10, 2019
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The Guild @ ReUse Action | 980 Northampton Street | Buffalo NY