Third Degree Glass Factory, St. Louis

Aaron Quigley:

‘The thing I love most about working with glass is not one thing but a combination of things. Glass is unlike any other artistic medium out there. It is similar in the way that you start with a blank canvas and make whatever you want out of it, but that's where the similarities end," Quigley says. "Glass is, for lack of a better word, awesome – absolutely fan-damn-tabulously awesomeness. It is so much fun manipulating a hot piece of glass. Also the heat is very comforting,” he continues.

Quigley started blowing glass at Third Degree Glass Factory when he took a 12-week class in 2003 and says he instantly fell in love with glass as soon a he touched it. He mainly does off-hand glass blowing, but also does a little bit of lampworking. He doesn’t specialize in any particular technique, but does what he feels.

In 2005, he attended a class taught by Czech glass master Petr Novotny and assistants Martin Janecky and Rob Stern held at Pilchuck Glass School.

Quigley teaches a variety of classes at Third Degree, from beginning to advanced and also classes through the Washington University College program. “Teaching is a very valuable experience. You learn what can be done on both sides of the scale,” he says.