Glenn Ziemke began blowing glass in 1976 as a junior at Penn State University. After graduating in 1978,  he did a one year apprenticeship with professional glassblower, Nancy Freeman, in Ashokan, New York.  He then began building his glass blowing furnaces and equipment at his first Studio in Accord, New York. Then it was on to Maine, where he built a new studio in Naples and lived there for 14 years.

“In 1995 my early vision of having a studio where I could work while having visitors be able to watch glass blowing live was realized when I bought 2 acres of land on Route 100, the busiest tourist road in Vermont.”

Glenn designed and oversaw construction of the Ziemke Glassblowing Studio, which was open from 1995 through 2023, when Glenn decided to retire at 67.

“After three years of retirement, I decided to reopen the studio in 2026 in partnership with two other glass blowers… Brian Rospond and Drew Montesano.  I am excited about continuing to blow glass, and continuing to demonstrate to the public the ancient art of glass blowing. The  gallery is filled with my work, as well as my partner’s works, plus a selection of glass jewelry from American artists. We do a wide variety of glass pieces from functional glassware to sculptural art… Using the entire rainbow of rich glass color.

Back to the Furnace

I first learned about glassblowing and the techniques involved while apprenticing and working as a full time assistant for 8 years in a production glass studio in central New Jersey. During a hiatus in my glass employment, I had the pleasure of working with many great glass artists including Bill Happel, Al Hough and Jefferey Travers, at Gillinder Glass Factory in upstate NY, where I was welcomed as a featured artist to tours of eager onlookers.

“Glass is so fluid! There is nothing you can't make it do if you take the time to figure it out!”  I love Nature.  The flow that is inherent in the universe.  This is what I most try to portray in my art.  A visual representation of a flowing stream, a gust of wind, or a wave crashing on the shore.  Each has its own individual properties.  The sound, the reflection of light, the power.  I find that glass has many similar properties when in its molten state.  Working with glass can be a simultaneously joyous and humbling experience.  Aside from the obvious volatile and potentially dangerous environment, when you are working with a substance that starts at 2100 degrees, there is a certain ballet like quality to working in a studio, especially when working with a team.  Being on your game isn't a goal, it's a necessity.  As you gain experience, however, it is an elegant and rewarding process.  Remember: Making it look easy is never easy.

  
 I am extremely excited to have found a haven for my artistic pursuits here in the middle of the Green Mountains.  Working with Glenn Ziemke, Michael Trimpol and Michael Egan has opened my eyes to whole new aspects of what is possible within the world of glass.  I find myself inspired and intrigued daily through learning new methods and seeing techniques which are similar but yet again completely different than the skills I have learned so far.  

The new opportunity to partner with Glenn Ziemke and Drew Montesano in our new endeavor of Mt. Mansfield Glassblowing studio is truly a dream come true!

 I look forward to increasing my skills and knowledge of this unique form of expression and hope to continue pushing the boundaries of both the medium and myself.  One of my goals is to intertwine my love of glass and my love of music into a line of playable creations that will bring a whole new palette of sounds and visions into the spectrum of possibility.

Drew Montesano is an American independent artisan formerly based out of Solebury and Doylestown, Pennsylvania, who specializes in hand-blown, decorative-yet-functional art glass. Over a career spanning more than two decades, he has developed a distinct style focusing on cased floral designs, traditional colonial reproductions, and Art Nouveau aesthetics. 

Background & Training

Early Experience: Drew began his glasswork career at Peggy Karr Glass in Randolph, New Jersey, where he focused on the techniques of glass slumping and fusing.

Apprenticeship: He subsequently honed his professional glassblowing skills by apprenticing under Master Glassblowers Doug Merritt and Stephen Smarr at the reputable Vandermark Merritt Glass Studios in Somerville, New Jersey.

Solo Production: He operates fully independently, personally handling every phase of production from the initial molten gather to the final glass finishing.

Drew’s interest and career in glass began with Peggy Karr Glass (Randolph, NJ) where he practiced the art of slumping and fusing glass into beautiful, yet functional glassware. After 2 years, he continued on his quest to explore glass media through creating ornamental beadwork at Fine Line Glass Studio (Breckenridge, CO), under the supervision of Master Glassblower Kerry Feldman. Upon returning to the East Coast his career ambition led to securing an apprenticeship with Master Glassblowers Doug Merritt and Stephen Smarr, of Vandermark Merritt Glass Studios, Inc. (Somerville, NJ). While working with Vandermark for 10 years, Drew honed his skills in creating cased floral designs, as well as traditional, colonial reproduction, and art nouveau blown glass.

Drew is currently developing his own line of hand-blown, decorative yet functional art glass. He masterfully creates unique perfume bottles, ring holders, paperweights, vases, bowls, ornaments, sun catchers, wall hangings, and free-form sculpture. All done solo, each piece is crafted from blowing to finishing, by Drew. His fine craftsmanship and designs are unique one-of-a kind signed art forms, with custom pieces available by request.