There’s a new piece of creative reuse artistry at Resource Central! If you joined us at our Rock & Reuse summer concert series this summer, you saw some amazing live glass-blowers on site. That was our very own assistant manager Brian Cofran and local artist Jacqueline McKinny at work. Over the course of our five Rock & Reuse events, they worked their magic creating a stunning chandelier, using a reclaimed light fixture as the base and creating hundreds of small, hand-blown bubbles to adorn it.
At Resource Central, we’re big supporters of creative reuse, and this chandelier is the perfect example of that. Read on for some fun stats about the piece, and then be sure to swing by our Materials Reuse facility to view it in person where it is currently hanging above the lighting section in our warehouse. While you’re there, you’re sure to find inspiration for your own next creative or functional home improvement project!
- Total glass bubbles on the finished piece: over 500!
- Time spent crafting each bubble: approximately 5 minutes
- Total time spent creating the piece: over 80 combined hours
- Temperature of flame used to melt the glass: over 2,500 degrees Farenheight
- Total years of glass-blowing experience between the two artists: over 40 years!
Artist Bios:
Brian Cofran: Brian’s journey in glass started in February of 2009 when he got an apprenticeship at a studio in Boulder, CO. Brian honed his craft by working as a full-time production glass blower for 10+ years making pipes. His focus of late has been making marbles but he enjoys the versatility and endless possibilities that glass has to offer. While it’s more of a hobby for him now, Brian still likes to make it out to festivals to sell his work. His other works can be found on Instagram: @Cough_Glass and Facebook: Cough Glass.
Jacqueline McKinny: After graduating from CU Boulder, Niwot artist Jacqueline McKinny began her professional glass art career in Boulder in 2001 and later founded Rowan Studios in 2006 to share her work. Her pieces have been featured at festivals, galleries, and seasonal shows across the region. When she’s not melting glass, Jacqueline enjoys gardening, playing board games, and making music. She describes her style as organic and space-inspired, often using silver and gold fuming to add vibrant color and shine to her creations. You can view her works on Instagram and Facebook at @rowanstudios
