Happy New Year & Happy Mardi Gras!

2022 was a big year for me- I got married and my wife, Allyson, joined me in business, and together we embarked on quite the journey. We renovated the glass hot shop, found new homes for many of my sculptural pieces, visited internationally renowned glass studios, and transformed our operations center to create a unique gallery and venue space designed to provide greater access to the arts for everyone.

2023 is off to a great start! In January, the studio hosted visiting veteran artist, Marcus Eriksen, who commissioned us to make 10 glass hearts for one of his emotional sculptures, known as the Iraqi Angel. Markus painstakingly welded together 70,000 small steel ball bearings to form the shape of a lifesize soldier, an image burned into his memory from when he was a Marine in Kuwait City in the early nineties. Creating the sculpture helped free the image from his mind. It was incredible to work with him, share stories and teach him about glass as he taught me about the importance of persistence and positive attitudes. After multiple models and many experiments we made some really accurate glass hearts. I’m sure we will continue to collaborate in the future.

As I sit here in this newly remodeled space, I am reminded of the joy this place brings me and how lucky I am to be able to share that with you. I am able to do what I love because of your ongoing support now and over the last 8 years as I learned my way. Thank you! Without you, we would not be able to continue to do what we love. We love making glass and we love making your moments extra special. Cheers!

We are excited to have some new things in the works this year. Expect to see a few more limited release collections of designer glasses. The Winter Wonderland Glass, the first glass from the Winter 2023 Collection was released last week and is inspired by our recent ski trip to Crested Butte for our 1st anniversary. There will also be seasonal collections, including a Mardi Gras Glass featuring purple, green and real 24k gold leaf. Keep an eye out for those and other collections this year.

We also plan to introduce 2 new glass shapes into our lineup later this year. It is very exciting to bring both a stemless wine glass and a stemless champagne flute to you! These glasses will feature the same great thick base that we are known for and be customizable like our existing line of glassware.

And lastly, it has been such a pleasure to meet so many of you as you visit the city. Whether you stop by for a quick tour, peruse our gallery, or join us for molten glass experience, we’re so happy you made it down here. It’s a real joy to share our space and craft with you. If your upcoming travel includes New Orleans, please give us a shout. You won’t be disappointed.

Cheers,

Ben Dombey

Winter Wonderland Glass

Mardi Gras Magic Glass on the Punty in the Hot Shop

Melody and Rocky making a stemless wine glass with support from Ben

New! The Winter Wonderland Glass

A limited edition glass that is part of the Winter 2023 Collection. This glass sparkles like the freshest powder snow on a fresh sunny day. These won’t last long, only 3 remaining.

Mardi Gras Magic is Almost Here!

What’s better than a beautiful and delicious gold liquid in your glass? Blinging real 24k gold leaf embedded into your glass! Celebrate another epic year with the Mardi Gras as we revel in the streets for Carnival, embracing the joys of abundance and excess among friends and family. This glass will bring you back to the colorful streets of New Orleans sparkling with a fresh dusting of Mardi Gras Magic.

Make a Wine Glass with Your Sweetie!

Glassblowing is an exciting and fun way to connect with your partner. Let your creativity flow freely in this 90 minutes couples glassblowing glass and make your very own stemless wine glasses. Sessions booked 2/15-2/23 will receive a free bottle of wine from Faubourg Wines! Use Coupon Code “SWEET” for $50 off the “Make Your Own Stemless Wine Glass” Hands-On Molten Glass Experience. Good Thru 2/23/23.

Handcrafted Wine Glasses for The Federalist

Here at Glassblowerben, we are very proud to announce the launch of a new product to add to our growing collection of custom, handblown bar glasses: handcrafted wine glasses for The Federalist, an American-made craft wine company. These glasses were created after the forming of a special partnership between our two companies and they are only available through The Federalist.

About The Federalist

The Idea

The Federalist creates a bold craft wine product that is the culmination of years of development. Their collection is a distinctly American union of wines that break free from wine tradition in the pursuit of perfection. The Federalist’s founders were inspired by the ideal, “Whatever I’m drinking should taste good, dammit,” and their wine lives up to the phrase.

The result is a line of distinctly American craft wines with all of the bold spirit and unwavering character of the revolutionary American icons that adorn every bottle. With its origin arising from the “virtues of every forward-thinking, hard-working, red-blooded American,” this is American Craft Wine at its finest -- bold, original, and revolutionary.

The Barrels

Made from 100-year-old oak and old school friction fit iron hoops, the barrels used in production are every bit as special as the wine that’s made in them. Without these nuances of oak and iron, the end product probably wouldn’t taste so damn good.

The Bottles

The Federalist’s bottles are carefully crafted with every detail in mind to capture the beautiful essence of flavor and forward thinking of the wines contained within them. From the curve of the bottle’s neck to the display of revered American revolutionaries spread across the outside, the thought, care, and beauty put into the design ensures a perfect drinking experience and is entirely emblematic of the quality and craftsmanship that goes into the wines within.

The Glasses

No great craft wine can be complete without excellently custom, handcrafted wine glasses to go with it. As a proud product of our very own Ben Dombey, these gorgeous glasses are the epitome of simple, functional yet beautiful design and are expertly crafted with one purpose in mind: The Federalist and the great American spirit it represents.

We too represent that proud American artistic spirit in our own craft. Glassblowing is a proudly individualistic art that strikes at the heart of what this wine is all about. Hard work, dedication, and a commitment to unrivaled excellence are all hallmarks of this lost art, and we are honored to be able to make our own contribution to this “spirited” celebration of American greatness.

As an expertly handcrafted vessel, our hand blown wine glasses are also a testament to American ingenuity and the roughly refined tastes of our people. Our glasses’ gorgeous design serves as the perfect container to get the most in taste and enjoyment out of any wine you drink. Try these glasses with your next vino and we think you’ll agree. This is one practical piece of art that will make you proud to drink your wine -- and we can certainly all toast to that! Although The Federalist wine glasses are a special collection only available through The Federalist, you can shop for a wide selection of custom, handcrafted cocktail glasses in the GlassblowerBen store.