Jennifer Conn, cleveland.com

AKRON, Ohio - An artistic enclave in Akron's University Park has expanded with the addition of Akron Glass Works, which offers studios, a gallery, workshops and now a unique event space.

The public can view the space from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3 and 4. Visitors also can see glassblowing workshops.

Akron Glass Works moved in 2016 to an 87-year-old Presbyterian Church at 421 Spicer St., near the Crouse Street location of Don Drumm Studios, which is marked by exterior installations of the Akron sculptor's aluminum suns and fanciful totems.

Akron Glass Works' exterior features brightly colored glass sculptures by artist and owner Jack Baker, who moved to the church after a decade in the Northside Arts district.

A recent renovation allowed him to double the size of his studio and gallery space, and add enough room for glass-blowing and glass-fusing workshops attended by about 2,000 students per year, he said.

Above the gallery, Baker is opening The Sanctuary, an event space featuring the church's original dark-wood pews and stained-glass windows.

Join us for a tour.

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Jennifer Conn, cleveland.com

Baker originally made a living in the commercial plant business with Architectural Greenery. But exposure to glass artist Chihuly at the Akron Art Museum in the late 1990s inspired him to learn glass blowing at the Steinert Glass School in Kent. That changed the trajectory of his career.

Baker opened Akron Glass Works in 2006, with artist and marketing director Sandy Holata Diehl. Today, Akron Glass Works employs artists Sebastian Shepherd, Nate Avery and Mary Nemeth, who teach workshops and produce art for the gallery.

The gallery is open Tuesday though Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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The workshops

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The workshops teach glass blowing and glass fusing. Baker said he takes pleasure in opening the world of art glass to the community.

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Akron Glass Works staff

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Baker started his glass works in 2006 with artist and marketing director Sandy Holata Diehl.

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Signature art

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This chandelier is one of Baker's signature pieces. He created similar pieces for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and plans to hang others like it in The Sanctuary, the event space Akron Glass Works is opening.

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The Sanctuary

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Baker plans to use the Sanctuary event space for weddings, festivals, art shows or corporate events.

The name "sanctuary" is representative not just of the physical space, but also the sense of respite it offers, Baker said.

The Sanctuary's stained glass was originally created by a Pittsburgh company still in business and the pews are original. During the renovation, Baker reworked the pews, making them movable.

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Handicapped-accessible

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Baker had a chair lift installed to ensure the event space, which is on the floor above the gallery and workshop area, is accessible to all.

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The studios at Akron Glass Works

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Eight studios of various sizes will be available this spring to local artists who want studio space that's somewhat private but in a facility with other visual artists.

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Jennifer Conn, cleveland.com

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An Akron art enclave

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Akron Glass Works is easily identified as an art facility by the brightly colored glass elements installed around the exterior.

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Jennifer Conn, cleveland.com

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Awards and decorations

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Akron Glass Works also fulfills commercial accounts, creating art for awards for organizations such as Leadership Akron.

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Creating glass art

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Sebastian Shepherd, a glassblowing artist/instructor, holds a glass "punty rod" to manipulate glass to make solid paperweights.

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Colors added

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Shephard, who was worked at Akron Glass Works for the past five years, adds small colored pieces of glass called "frit" to the design and reheats in the furnace.

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Very hot

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Shepherd reheats the glass in a furnace.

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Texture and shape

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Shepherd uses various tools to shape and twist the glass.

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Ready to cool

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Once the piece is ready, it goes into an "annealing oven" over night to slowly cool down.

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Paperweights

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The finished paperweights are awards for members of Leadership Akron.

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Jennifer Conn, cleveland.com

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Jack Baker's art

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Baker stays busy with the business end of Akron Glass Works, but when time allows he tries to get into the workshop to create pieces like these for the gallery.

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Jennifer Conn, cleveland.com

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Nate Avery

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Akron Glass Works artist and instructor Nate Avery, of Virginia, is working on a master's degree at Kent State University. Avery designed this rocket.

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Sandy Holata Diehl

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Holata Diehl created this glass-fused platter.

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Jennifer Conn, cleveland.com

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Christian James

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Akron Glass Works artist and instructor Christian James, created these stone sculptures. James once worked at the Janke Glass Studio in Atlanta.

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Jennifer Conn, cleveland.com

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AGW team

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These amethyst-toned pieces were created by the Akron Glass Works team.