Glass blowing has always involved putting your mouth on a pipe and blowing air into glass, with artists commonly sharing pipes as they work. How does this work in the current pandemic? It doesn’t. Which is why New Orleans Glassworks instructor Jimmy Ronner invented an air pressure-controlled foot pedal to deliver up to 10 psi of air into a pipe. The result is a faster, safer way to blow glass. Built by Head Glassblower Zach LeBlanc (seen here), the system has not only allowed classes to continue at the studio, but drawn artists from around the country eager to work safely in New Orleans.
