Riddle Farm Glass

Another lazy rainy Saturday in September and what are you going to do?  If you are in or around Mars Hill, NC you could get out and visit the local farmers market to get your produce, homemade butters, flowers and if you want some art - here it is!  Local artist Kristen took a few minutes out of her rainy day to talk about her work and explain the process for creating her "Fairy Balls!"  

The glass used to blow this beauty was mined out of the Blue Ridge Mountains just 40 minutes from where it was blown. Spruce Pine, NC is known for the purest quartz in the world and they make a very high quality of glass. This fairy ball has silver blue frit swirled together with amethyst frit. Where the silver blue and amethyst meet, the silver comes out in unique patterns, making this my favorite piece. Most of these patterns surround the blue, outlining it. No piece ever comes out exactly the same as another. It can be hung in the home, on a porch, or in the garden.

About the Artist:

Kristen Munoz began blowing glass in Austin, TX twelve years ago using a torch and borosilicate glass. She moved to WNC shortly after that to attend the Penland School of Crafts. There she learned from Emilio Santini and Thurman Stattum, among others. It was at Penland that she was introduced to hot glass. She was awarded four scholarships and attended sessions eight years in a row. She credits this school, along with her love of glass, for her passion in the arts. She helped build her own studio in Marshall, NC using mostly scrap metal. Kristen uses local glass mined 40 minutes from her home in Spruce Pine. Spruce Pine is known to have some of the purest quartz in the world and their quality of glass is very high. Along with Spruce Pine Batch Glass, Kristen uses different minerals and metals to get unique designs and patterns in the glass.

She believes glass to be the most interesting material to craft because all elements: fire, earth, air, and water are needed to complete each piece. Kristen does many craft shows and festivals in the area and is known to be one of the best glass artists in WNC. She raises her two sons and home schools them when she is not working. When her boys get a little older, Kristen hopes to be a teacher at Penland School of Crafts and give back to the community that gave her so much inspiration.

Check her Website Out ( http://finehandblownglass.com ) or contact her HERE!

tags:

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