by Amber Helsel
Artist Rob Cooper sits at a light table painting a piece of blue glass. The wall behind him is covered in glass art pieces and other art, along with a stereo and CDs, cubes filled with glass sheets and supplies for glass painting.
Amelia Key cuts glass at Pearl River Glass Studio. Photo by Stephen Wilson "The paint is almost like a thin ceramic glaze that you kind of brush directly on the glass and then fire it in the kiln," he says. Cooper is a studio artist at Andy Young's Pearl River Glass Studio in midtown.
The business been a staple in the midtown neighborhood since Young moved it into its current space on Millsaps Avenue in 1976.
The business been a staple in the midtown neighborhood since Young moved it into its current space on Millsaps Avenue in 1976.
RahLeeCoh Ishakarah removes lead from an old stained glass window during a restoration. Photo by Stephen Wilson The business can do everything from architectural glass such as the Holocaust memorial at Beth Israel Congregation, window art for churches, stained-glass-window restoration, and water jet cutting for everything from glass to steel to aluminum.
At 17,000 square feet, the business' space spans through buildings on Millsaps Avenue, and Wilson and Wesley streets. In the front of Pearl River Glass is the Design Arts Market, where colorful plates, ornaments, sculptures and more decorate the walls. Most of the pieces showcase the business' most known technique, fused glass, which is where artists layer thin pieces of glass and then fire them together in a kiln.
At 17,000 square feet, the business' space spans through buildings on Millsaps Avenue, and Wilson and Wesley streets. In the front of Pearl River Glass is the Design Arts Market, where colorful plates, ornaments, sculptures and more decorate the walls. Most of the pieces showcase the business' most known technique, fused glass, which is where artists layer thin pieces of glass and then fire them together in a kiln.
The Design Art Market at Pearl River Glass Studio in midtown showcases work that often features the business’ most known technique, fused glass. Photo by Stephen Wilson A door in the gallery space leads to a small courtyard, and then into the production studio. It's divided into areas for the different glass processes, including ones for cutting glass, layering pieces and firing them.
Young also has more spaces, one of which he plans on converting into a teaching studio, and others he plans to turn into studios for local artists, photographers, writers and more.
Young also has more spaces, one of which he plans on converting into a teaching studio, and others he plans to turn into studios for local artists, photographers, writers and more.
Photo by Stephen Wilson "We're trying to get additional studio spaces in the neighborhood to get more art and stuff going on down here," he says. "We're working on it."
For more information about Pearl River Glass Studio, visit pearlriverglass.com.
For more information about Pearl River Glass Studio, visit pearlriverglass.com.
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