Janet & Rick Nicholson

“Heat tolerance, muscle strength and a sense of rhythm are an integral part of glassblowing. Indeed, while shaping the molten glass at the workbench by using multiple layers of wet newspaper as mitts, he nods his head as if listening to music, twirling the blowpipe, his face dripping with sweat as he peers grimly through the heat waves emanating from the hollow ball…. Rick’s intricate dance is, for the most part, a tense and silent affair…”You just have to follow the tail,” Rich says, “and see where you go.”

This one-of-a-kind work of free-blown glass was created by Rick and Janet Nicholson in the Sierra Foothills of Auburn, California. Each platter form has a unique shape and blending of colors which cannot and will not be repeated. This form, which is one of the most difficult to achieve, requires tremendous strength and technical skill. Only the very best works are released from the studio. Any bubbles and striations are inherent in the free-hand blowing process and enhance the unique characteristics of each piece.

Trained in glass at the University of Southern California and the Pilchuck School, the Nicholson’s’ dedication to glassblowing is evident in the excellent quality of their work. For twelve years their emphasis has been on creativity and innovation. Each piece is a free-hand expression of the excitement and risk-taking found only in the small experimental glass studio.

Their glass is represented nationally and internationally in galleries, and in private and corporate collections.