High Class Alabama Glass

Perhaps you’ve seen the movie Sweet Home Alabama. For those out there who haven’t, Melanie Smooter (Reece Witherspoon) finds herself in a local Alabama glass shop with her new “Yankee” boyfriend Andrew Hennings, only to discover the magical world of ornate trinkets and luxurious glass sculptures are owned and crafted by her hometown sweetheart, Jake Perry. Remove all the drama and what you have is an Alabama tradition, as boldly historic and beautiful as the great state herself. That’s right, glass blowing is alive and well in Alabama, a must-see attraction and souvenir shop for any visitor and a must-have staple of household dcor for any resident.Of course, as Hollywood tends to do, the movie overblows the glass blowing, telling tales of how the lighting strikes to cause glass formations, real life glass sculptures are commonly constructed through forces of man not nature. Yes, lighting does cause the formation of “fulgarite,” but it is less elegant than depicted on-screen. Present day Alabama is the proud home of more traditional forms of glass art.Orbix Hot Glass, for example, hand crafts each piece of glass with attention to form, balance and charm, turning out exquisitely gorgeous glass art that doubling as useful, around the house apparatuses and decoration (i.e. pitchers, vases, goblets, etc.). Orbix was founded by Cal Breed, dually qualified as both an engineer and an artist, opening his private studio in northeast Alabama after years of artistic study. Why Orbix, you might ask? The name Orbix describes the process necessary to produce properly made glass art. The “gaffer” must keep his pipe constantly in orbit in order to apply consistent heat, resulting in the desired shape.So next time you’re considering new stemware or need a special gift for a friend who appreciates finer thing, think locally, as Alabama blown glass mixes high class opulence with down home southern charm.

Leave a comment