Our First Navigators Troop Outing: A Glowing Adventure in Glassblowing

14 hours ago
3 min read

Blown glass sculptures of flowers, mushrooms, and pumpkins

Our Navigators Scouting Troop kicked off its very first outing with a truly unforgettable experience — a trip to The Glass Park, a glassblowing studio owned and operated by local artist Eran Park. This visit wasn’t just an opportunity to watch a master at work; it was a hands-on, immersive look into how passion and craftsmanship can transform a hobby into a profession.

To accommodate all of our Navigators and their families while ensuring safety and comfort inside the studio, participants signed up for one of three time slots. Across the sessions, Eran treated us to a live demonstration of several stunning glass creations — two pumpkins, two flowers, a mushroom, and a shimmering orb. Each piece was made from start to finish, right before our eyes.

What made this even more special was how Eran involved the Navigators in the creative process. Before each piece was made, he invited them to choose the colors. Laid out in small cups were colorful glass granules known as frit — they looked like pebbles, not sharp at all, and were safe for the kids to handle. Our Navigators were welcome to come close and make their color selection either by picking up a piece of frit, pointing to their chosen color, or calling out their choice by name — a fun, meaningful, sensory-friendly, and inclusive way to participate. Their color selections determined the final look of each piece, giving everyone a sense of ownership and artistic contribution.

two Navigator scouts on the right select the colors for the next glass object with the help of two adults. The glass artist on the left with his back towards us, readies the furnace which is out of frame. A table holding glass samples stretches between them.

As the demonstrations began, we watched the transformation unfold. Eran heated the glass in a furnace that burns at over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the glass was glowing from the heat, Eran expertly shaped the molten glass by blowing into a long pipe and turning it constantly, using gravity, breath, and tools to stretch, twist, and sculpt. The colors our Navigators chose began to swirl through the transparent material, catching the light in beautiful ways.

Eran demonstrated the use of traditional tools like jacks (for shaping and opening the glass), shears (for cutting), blocks (wooden shaping tools soaked in water), and punty rods (used to transfer and finish pieces). We saw how glass is inflated using breath through the blowpipe, then gently swung and rotated to form symmetrical shapes. Throughout the process, Eran explained key terms such as gathering, blocking, marvering, and bit work — adding small bits of molten glass for stems or other accents.

A father and son with their back to the camera watch with interest as a artist works with blown glass in a sunlit studio.

When their shaping was complete, Eran placed each piece in an annealer — a special kiln or oven used to help cool glass very slowly and evenly. He taught us that annealing is essential. If glass cools too quickly, it can crack or shatter.

Throughout each session, Eran answered our Navigators’ questions while he worked, explaining not just what he was doing but why. He spoke about how he discovered glassblowing, how it became his career, and what it takes to work with such a challenging but rewarding medium. His passion for his craft was clear, and it enthralled both our Navigators and their adults.

A glass artist on the left answers questions by showing examples on a table to two Navigators scouts whose backs are toward the camera. An adult helper engages on the right

The experience was a perfect blend of science, art, and storytelling — all wrapped in glowing, molten color.

All of the art pieces created during our outing will be displayed at Partners in Autism as a beautiful reminder of the creativity and collaboration that came to life during our visit.

This outing also helped our Navigators work towards a special badge for learning how a personal interest can grow into a meaningful profession.

We’re grateful to Eran for sharing his time, talent, and studio with us, and we can’t wait for our next adventure as a troop!

You can check out Eran's work (https://www.instagram.com/eranparkglass1), mark your calendar for live demonstrations at events (https://www.facebook.com/eranparkglass/), or sign up for a class in the studio (https://www.theglasspark.com/).