<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
<br>
<font size="+1">Google News Alert for: <b>glassblowing</b></font>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif;">
<p style="width: 600px;"><a moz-do-not-send="true" style="color: blue;"
href="http://www.sjuhawknews.com/home/news/2008/01/23/Features/Local.Attraction.Offers.GlassBlowing.Studio.Workshops-3161319.shtml">
Local attraction offers <b>glass-blowing</b> studio, workshops</a><br>
<font size="-1"><font color="#666666">SJU The Hawk (subscription) -
Philadelphia,PA,USA</font><br>
Nestled in a narrow brick building in the Old City section of
Philadelphia
lies Hot Soup, the city's only public-access <b>glass blowing</b>
studio and art gallery <b>...</b><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ncl=http://www.sjuhawknews.com/home/news/2008/01/23/Features/Local.Attraction.Offers.GlassBlowing.Studio.Workshops-3161319.shtml"><font
color="green">
See all stories on this topic</font></a>
</font></p>
<hr noshade="noshade" size="1"><font size="-1"></font><a
href="http://media.www.sjuhawknews.com/media/storage/paper763/news/2008/01/23/Features/Local.Attraction.Offers.GlassBlowing.Studio.Workshops-3161319.shtml">http://media.www.sjuhawknews.com/media/storage/paper763/news/2008/01/23/Features/Local.Attraction.Offers.GlassBlowing.Studio.Workshops-3161319.shtml</a><br>
<br>
<h2><b>Local attraction offers glass-blowing studio, workshops</b></h2>
Cortney Britton '08<br>
Issue date: 1/23/08 Section: Features<br>
<br>
<img src="cid:part1.04030504.07080900@glassblower.info" alt=""><br>
<br>
<br>
Nestled in a narrow brick building in the Old City section of
Philadelphia lies Hot Soup, the city's only public-access glass blowing
studio and art gallery.<br>
<br>
Hot Soup is easy to miss if you don't already know where to find it. It
sits behind a parking lot on Strawberry Street, near Chestnut Street
and Penn's Landing. Two of my roommates and I stumbled upon it by
accident one afternoon last fall. We had parked in the lot in front of
Hot Soup in order to grab some lunch in Old City. On the way back to
the car, we took a detour and discovered a gem.<br>
<br>
Hot Soup was founded in 1996 by Adam Kamens. It is now owned by Maura
Shenker, who has been the owner for about seven years.<br>
<br>
Shenker began her career at Hot Soup nine years ago as an instructor.
She then became gallery manager, and later studio manager. Finally, she
decided to buy the studio and become the owner.<br>
<br>
"There's nothing like knowing your own business from the ground up,"
Shenker said. "I believe in it. I've done every job here."<br>
<br>
Shenker literally worked her way up, motivated by her passion for glass
blowing and love of sharing that passion with others. The studio, she
said, has influenced so many people.<br>
<br>
A person's first experience with glass-blowing can be a life-changing
experience, Shenker explained. She said she loves being present for
those moments to share those experiences with people, and she described
the amazing transformation of the orange liquid changing to clear glass
and how this event can truly affect the artist.<br>
<br>
"Nothing quite prepares you for what a 2000 degree furnace feels like,"
said Shenker.<br>
<br>
Glass blowing originated in Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization, as
far back as 2500 B.C. Glass, made primarily of sand and lime, and
formed by exposure to extremely hot temperatures, was originally
crafted into exquisite works of art.<br>
<br>
Hot Soup is not only a gallery with displays of intricate glass-blown
art but also a store where you can purchase the art, and a large
selection of handmade, glass-blown, one-of-a-kind jewelry. It is also a
studio for employees and students to create their masterpieces.<br>
<br>
In the main room downstairs, visitors can observe men and women working
on their art. Several benches are set up for spectators to watch the
artists at work near the furnace. <br>
<br>
<div id="cp_story_text"> Kim Heuschkel works part-time at the studio in
order to pursue her passion of making jewelry. Heuschkel works
full-time as a professor of education at Rutgers University in New
Brunswick, N.J. Heuschkel explained that the upstairs, while previously
only used for students to make beads and other smaller crafts, is now
open to the public for demonstrations, much like the downstairs studio
has always been.<br>
<br>
Vases,
sculptures, candles, plates, glasses, kitchen tiles, necklaces, and
earrings were only some of the beautiful artwork on display. All the
pieces in the gallery were done by local artists, most either employees
or students.<br>
<br>
Hot Soup also offers a variety of classes. The
least expensive classes offered are a Test Compatible Jewelry Workshop,
and a Valentine's Day Ruffle Bowl Workshop, both at $75 for a
three-hour class. The most expensive class is an eight-week Beginner
Glass Blowing Class, beginning on March 16 and lasting until May 11,
and costing $495. The Glass "Sampler" Class is an eight-hour crash
course covering all the basics and costing $150.<br>
<br>
If all of these
options are out of your price range, it's free to check out the studio
and gallery. A good time to stop by would be the first Friday of every
month, when the art galleries in Philadelphia are open to the public
during the evening.<br>
<br>
Hot Soup is located at 26 S. Strawberry St., in between Market and
Chestnut Streets and 2nd and 3rd streets.<br>
</div>
<div id="cp_continued"> </div>
<a
href="http://www.sjuhawknews.com/news/2008/01/23/Features/Local.Attraction.Offers.GlassBlowing.Studio.Workshops-3161319.shtml"></a><br>
</div>
</body>
<br />--
<br />This message has been scanned for viruses and
<br />dangerous content by
<a href="http://www.mailscanner.info/"><b>MailScanner</b></a>, and is
<br />believed to be clean.
</html>