Pilchuck Glass School

Rolling into Northern Washington, we were greeted with beautiful, lush rolling hills, wildflowers and farms. It was like a picture out of a storybook. We made our way to our friends Ben and Kim's house. We knew we were getting close when we saw the sign for Pilchuck Glass School.

All of a sudden I became a bundle of nerves. The idea of visiting the world's premier glass school was a bit overwhelming. A couple more turns and we were at Benny's house. 

Ben Sharp blew glass with us at Somewhere Glassworks many years ago. He has gone on to work at some of the most renowned glass facilities in the country, such as Bullseye, Wheaton and Goggleworks. He is now the head glass technician at Pilchuck. He and his wife  live within biking/ hiking distance of the school. 

It was like a scene from a Thoreau novel with a cute little house and a pond with a rowboat in the back.

The kids wanted to take the rowboat out for a spin and when we flipped it over a red striped rat snake slithered out. Lilye quickly caught and tamed him.  

Evening was approaching and we lay in the fresh cut grass of the backyard and watched the kids explore the lake. With darkness falling, Lotus built a fire in the glass crucible fire pit in Ben and Kim's back yard- how appropriate! 

Kim and Benny made us feel so at home and we couldn't have been more content. We fired up the grill, cooked a delicious dinner, and stayed up late sharing stories about Pilchuck and our adventures. We couldn't believe that William Morris owned the farm across the street, with a big red barn that acts as a warehouse for some of the most amazing art glass ever made. 

The next morning was a typical rainy Washington morning and we were preparing to visit Pilchuck. Before we left, Lotus just had to take the rowboat out one more time, rain or shine. 

We arrived at Pilchuck Glass School, which is surrounded by tree farms, with butterflies in our stomachs. Benny came out to greet us and then gave us an all access, behind the scenes tour including all the equipment, secret places and treasures that Pilchuck has to offer.

It was more than we could have ever hoped for and we were amazed that Benny seemed to know every person that walked by. Besides being an amazing artist,

it is incredible to see how much equipment he has to maintain and how well he does it.

The spaces seem to flow together and work as one. In every corner there are glassblowers,

casters, flame workers, cold workers, engravers, printmakers,

neon benders

and more. The hot shop was flowing with  hot glass and creative people. It's hard to describe what a great experience it was to see a shop of that caliber on such an intimate level with such great friends. 

Next we visited Kim, who runs the Pilchuck store-  a candy land for glass artists.

Then we set off through the forest with our trusty guide

to see Dale's cottage, the Trojan Horse (not a horse at all, but an enchanting structure),

and the creative staff and student housing

nestled all throughout the woods. The forest was  rich with salmonberries, huckleberries, thimbleberries and blackberries. The views were incredible looking out over Whidbey Island and on to Mt. Ranier. 

Ben showed us the tradionally carved Squamish Pilchuck totem pole.

It is a unique mix of old and new. The cedar pole is carved in age old fashion

and tells a story of the founders of Pilchuck and of Dale Chihuly's influence (he's in the middle with a glass eye patch). Artists at Pilchuck combined both cast glass,

blown glass and neon elements in the carved totem pole, making it an amazing one of a kind piece of installation art.

One thing we should add about our spectacular tour is that the cafeteria, the kitchen staff and all the food could rival any five star restaurant. Benny treated us to a delicious lunch in the lodge with all the students and staff. 

All in all, it was one of our favorite stops on this trip, and we can't thank Kim and Ben enough for showing us such a good time. We're both looking forward to coming back one day to visit again.