May I Take Your Order?

“Why do you enjoy making custom orders for people and is there a difference between the customer watching you make it before their eyes or just ordering it and picking it up at a later date?”

This is a great question and topic because we're in the middle of the Renaissance Festival. This is where we do the most custom orders all year long. Well, maybe not, we do a ton during our Harvest season at the Pumpkin shows every fall as well as the Holiday season that is also quickly approaching.

The most unique thing about creating custom glass for folks is the timing. Glass is much different than all other crafts. It needs to be formed very quickly. This is a unique process for the customer because they can see a wine glass, mug or pumpkin made in the colors and shape that they choose in about a ½ hour right before their very eyes. Many other crafts and art forms take much longer.

The other thing is that the customer can’t take the item that was just created home with them. It needs to cool down in an annealing oven for about 16 hours. This really brings out the excitement of the process when they know they can't get it in their hands right away but they need to come back the next day. I’ve joked with clients many times about how they might be tossing and turning all night in there bed awaiting the unveiling of there one-of-a-kind item. Everyone gets a laugh out of that. But when they show up and unwrap the piece they watched being made, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing the look in their eyes when they see it for the first time and can hold it.

The Ren Fest allows me to make items that I would really never make in the studio in Dearborn. Swords, daggers, dragon eggs in a nest, whatever it is it's always a collaboration between the customer and I which brings us closer. Every custom piece I make for a client whether it’s a $120 mug, a $200 pumpkin or a $15,000 sculpture, my relationship with my client grows stronger and more trusting.

I’m a people person and love interacting with my clients. I’m looking forward to the rest of this year. I’ll be making hundreds of custom pieces in all price ranges and building hundreds of new relationships, I enjoy that a lot! 

I hope that I have an opportunity to create something for you as well this harvest and holiday season.

Chris Nordin
Co-owner, Glass Academy