HOT glass will melt your mind.
That’s the slogan printed across the work shirts at Faerie Fleur’s glass studio, Tamborine Glass Blowing, and according to the woman behind the furnace, it’s no exaggeration.
Faerie discovered glassblowing more than a decade ago after working in a glass studio and quickly realised the craft was equal parts art, science and adrenaline.
“As soon as I had my first class, it was like getting your first tattoo,” she said.
“I was stuck there.”
Thirteen years later she’s still hooked, and so are many of the people who wander into her cosy rainforest workshop.
Despite what Instagram might suggest, Faerie said this isn’t a pastime reserved for burly men with sleeve tattoos.
“First of all, you don’t need to be arty,” she said.
“It’s really science-y without being science-y. There’s so much to learn.”
Participants quickly discover that molten glass isn’t just beautiful, it’s hypnotising and meditative.
“When I’m turning in a hole and all you can see is your piece going round and round – nothing else matters,” she said.
“It’s the most amazing thing.”
The studio’s most popular option is the couple’s class, which Faerie calls “the most fun glass.”
Couples get to blow, colour and shape their own pieces, while the solo class is a more technical deep dive into puntying, stamping and timing.
“Solo is full-on, you’ve got hot glass melting your mind,” she said.
“It’s all about learning the steps properly. You’re thinking about eight different things at once, plus you’ve got heat, tools and hot glass in front of you.”
People leave with ornaments, bowls, baubles or the occasional ‘bulbalarium’, a quirky vessel born from a mistake that became a signature.
For Faerie, it’s the smiles that seal the deal.
“It’s all about you guys when you turn up,” she said.
“I support you 100 percent and I want you to have the most exciting, fun time.”
If someone arrives nervous or unsure, she considers it a challenge.
“On the odd occasion someone’s a bit grumpy, I can usually hug them by the end,” she said.
“I love it when they finish a piece and go, oh my gosh, I didn’t think I could do that!”
