Certain attractions are a part of the Chattanooga experience. Visiting the Aquarium. Riding the Incline. Seeing the Choo Choo. You have not lived in or visited the Scenic City until you’ve done these things.
A relatively new attraction is quickly becoming a Chattanooga mainstay: making a colored glass ornament at Ignis Glass Studio. Nationally renowned glass artist Chris Mosey owned a gallery and workshop on the city’s Southside for a number of years, but unless you wanted to purchase one of his stunning original sculptures, you didn’t have a reason to visit him there. That changed when Mosey launched a product that makes glassblowing accessible to the masses and then moved his operations to 409 Broad Street.
Have you ever watched an artist blow glass and turn a handful of melted sand into a gorgeous glass, vase or bowl? As someone with no artistic ability, I marvel at how artisans are able to take crude materials and produce a thing of beauty. But Mosey devised a way to allow even me to create something special.
Ignis is housed in a tall, non-descript brick building next to Sweet Peppers Deli on Broad Street. But you can’t miss it. Just look for the large glass door that slides up and allows the air from the street to keep the place cool. And don’t trip over the chain Mosey has strung across the opening to keep pedestrians from wandering in. Simply observe the warning on the yellow caution sign hanging from the links and then enter through the door to the right.
As you walk in to what Mosey calls “the hot shop,” you’ll see several ovens to your left. Mosey keeps the temperature inside of them at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, so listening to and obeying your guide is important. Oddly, despite the presence of hellishly hot ovens, the room stayed comfortably cool during my November visit.
As someone who not only has a remarkable talent but also loves glassblowing, Mosey appears to enjoy walking people through the process of making their own ornament. Some artists exist in a place that’s hard for people to understand, but Mosey clearly gets a rush out of sharing his passion for his craft with everyday folks. During my visit, he and an assistant helped three ladies from a local accounting firm make several ornaments for their clients, and his enthusiasm never seemed to dip.
First, Mosey showed the ladies a pallet of sample ornaments from which each of them selected a color. Several gradations of the primary colors are available, so you should have no trouble finding something to your liking.
Once each of the women had selected a color, Mosey told them to slip on a pair of sunglasses to protect their eyes, then walked over to one of the ovens, opened it, and thrust a long pipe into the searing heat. After turning the pipe for a few seconds, Mosey withdrew it to reveal a glowing orange blob on the end. He then took the pipe over to a table with bowls of colored glass bits and rolled the blob in the color one of the ladies had chosen. Imagine dipping a vanilla ice cream cone in colored sprinkles, and you’ve got the picture.
Mosey then took the pipe back to one of the ovens, thrust it inside, and gave the pipe to the woman he was helping. She gave it a few turns, allowing the glass bits to melt into the blob, and then Mosey withdrew the pipe again.
Without pausing, Mosey walked to another station, attached a hose to the pipe, grabbed a “jack” (one of the basic tools of a glassmaker), and prompted the lady to begin blowing. As she exhaled, he turned and shaped the glass, which slowly expanded from a blob to a bulb. The lady looked pleased with, and slightly in awe of, her handiwork.
Next, Mosey made a hook and then put the bulb in another oven set to 800 degrees to “cool” overnight.
The entire process takes only a few minutes, and the glassblower does the majority of the work. Still, standing a few feet away from the intense heat and watching the colors melt in the white hot glow looks fun, and blowing the air that shapes the ornament provides just enough tactile participation to allow you to claim the piece as your own work.
Mosey has hit upon one of those rare “lightning in a bottle” ideas. Ignis is within walking distance of the Aquarium and nearby hotels, making it easily accessible to visitors, and even people with no artistic skill whatsoever can produce a glittering masterpiece. Also, the process is safe enough that kids can experience the thrill of making their own ornament.
The only issues appear to be the overnight wait to pick up the ornaments (something the science of glasswork necessitates) and the price. Forty dollars apiece might be too steep for a family of four on vacation.
If neither of these things is a barrier for you, there’s no better time than the present to make an ornament. If you celebrate Christmas, one or more of the bulbs could be hanging on your tree in a matter of days. If you celebrate another holiday, an ornament would still make a great year-round sun catcher!
To make an appointment, contact Ignis at 423-265-2565.