Students ‘Blown Away’ by the art of glass flock to local schools

Amanda Gundy is used to hearing the remarks bubbling up.

New customers often tell the owner of North Cambridge Glass School that they were drawn to check out the glass blowing classes because of something they watched on TV.

“They never knew it was something they could try before,” Gundy said. 

Until they saw “Blown Away,” that is. The Netflix show follows a group of glass blowers from across North America as they compete for a prestigious residency at the Corning Museum of Glass.

There have been two seasons streaming with a third season in the works.

The popular reality show is definitely sparking an interest in the craft as viewers, amazed as the skilled artisans shape the molten glass, decide to give it a try.

At NOCA there has been an increase in the amount of younger customers coming through the doors — even some teenagers, Gundy said.

 In some ways, the show is also helping to tamp down expectations as viewers see the challenges the professionals can encounter, she added. 

“People really love it,” Gundy said. 

For Gundy, who took over NOCA in 2016, the spotlight the show has put on her craft has been exciting — and it’s also fun to watch the show where she knows some of the contestants personally. After all, it’s a small community.  

“I always know at least 2-3 people on the show,” she said.

During the show’s first season, Angie McHale, the manager of Diablo Glass School in Boston got to watch her old friend Momoko Schafer compete. Schafer actually worked at Diablo for a time, she added.

McHale said the show has made people more aware of practical things they interact with and use every day — from eyeglasses, to drink glasses or mirrors – and how it comes to be.

“It’s something taken for granted,” she said.

As new students arrive to class, McHale said staff balances out their expectations with what they saw on the show — where eight-plus hours of work on a piece are edited down to a half-hour episode. The goal is to give students a full learning experience, she said.

“Here we do try to let students do a little bit more of the work,” she said.

And so, when the class ends, students have a newfound respect for the craft.

“They’ll say, ‘that was way more challenging than I expected,” McHale said.