You’re not likely to see contestants making bongs, but the art of glassblowing is coming to Netflx with a 10-episode competition-style series beginning on July 12.
Blown Away follows a group of 10 highly skilled glassmakers from North America who have a limited time to fabricate beautiful works of art that are assessed by a panel of expert judges. One artist is eliminated in each 30-minute episode until a winner is announced in the tenth and final episode. YouTube star Nick Uhas, best known for his popular science show Nickipedia, hosts Blown Away and renowned artist Katherine Gray serves as the “resident evaluator.”
The series was filmed in the largest glassblowing studio ever built in North America, designed specifically for the scope and scale of the competition. The space allows 10 artists to work simultaneously, using two large glass-melting furnaces, 10 reheating furnaces and 10 individual work stations.
Eric Meek, CMOG’s senior manager of hot glass programs, will serve as the guest evaluator of the season finale, joining host Nick Uhas and resident evaluator artist Katherine Gray for the last installment.
The winner of Blown Away is awarded the title of “Best in Blow” and a prize package valued at $60,000, which includes a week-long Guest Artist appearance at CMoG.
“The Corning Museum of Glass inspires people to see glass in a new light,” said Eric Meek. “Blown Away is a global platform, and it’s exciting to think about how this will broaden glassmaking’s level of exposure.”
Blown Away contestants include:
• Deborah Czeresko – Veteran glass artist based in New York City
• Kevin Kiff – California-based glass artist
• Benjamin Kikkert – Vancouver-based glass artist
• Leah Kudel – Canadian glass artist
• Janusz Poźniak – British born, Seattle-based glass artist
• Patrick Proimeau – Canadian glass artist and glass studio operator
• Alexander Rosenberg – Philadelphia-based artist, educator, and writer
• Momoko “Momo” Schafer – Recent graduate of MassArt
• Annette Sheppard – Former CMoG glass artist and current management consultant
• Edgar Valentine – Tacoma-based glass artist
