Our Demo Team - Morean Arts Center

More Art More Creativity More Experiences More Engagement More Impact

OUR DEMO TEAM

Ian Billig

Born in 1999 in Tampa, FL, Ian Billig first discovered glass art after seeing a demonstration at the Morean Art Center in 2018. From that point on, he became fascinated with the medium. Ian started attending Craft Schools around the country such as Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, ME, and Penland School of Craft in Spruce Pine, NC, learning as much as he could from talented artists such as Kenny Pieper, Pablo Soto, and many more. During that time, he became a very skilled coldworker and a hot glass artist. Now coming full circle, Ian is currently working at the Morean Art Center, where he took his first class, to continue his passion of coldworking creating many interesting items and learning more about the medium each day from his fellow glass artists.

Harry Boux

It was as a child that Harry Boux became intrigued by the art of glass blowing. As he was first introduced through his father, Chuck Boux, who was taking lessons at Old Brooklyn Glass, New York in 1989. Harry started his apprenticeship at the age of 13 in 1994, at Sigma Glass in St. Petersburg, FL. Once he was tall enough to gather glass out of a furnace, Harry started what would become his lifelong profession. By the age of 16, he worked in his father’s hot shop up to thirty hours a week blowing glass. As Harry got older, he regularly traveled around Florida participating in art shows. Now nearly 26 years into his career, Harry is widely considered to be a master crafter working alongside many artists and helping educate the community about glass blowing. Currently at the age of 39, Harry is a Glass Artist in St. Petersburg Florida working at the Morean Arts Center. He is the team leader for many creative projects throughout the area and is deeply embedded in the local creative community.

Anjali Singh

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Anjali Singh received her 2016 Bachelor of Fine Art with a concentration in glass from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. During her time there, she received the Windgate Foundation Research Award and was a Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award Finalist in her thesis year. In furthering her glass education, Anjali has taken many workshops from Ethan Stern, David Schnuckel, and Stine Bistrup. In addition, she has worked at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York state before working at the Lincoln City Glass Center in Oregon.
Anjali’s passion for glass started immediately after seeing the material for the first time. She was struck with curiosity. She continues to focus around the technical skills involved to create glassblowing.

Matthew Szidik

Matthew Szidik grew up in Marion, IL located in the Shawnee National Forest. The nature surrounding him has had a deep impact on his life and art. Matthew spent a lot of his time exploring the forest and has cultivated a curiosity for natural beauty. After graduating highschool in 2015 Matthew attended Oglethorpe University, John A. Logan, and Southern Illinois University where he studied glassblowing under Nadine Saylor and Jiyoung Lee. Graduating with a BFA in the Arts and a Art history minor, Matthew moved to St. Pete to participate in the glass community. In the hotshop the possibilities are endless. Inspiration comes in many forms, nature, the bustling of the city, a feeling. Creating work that captures the surreal beauty of the world and the imagination of the viewer is my goal.

Benjamin Ugol

Benjamin was born in Woodland Hills, California in 1994. Benjamin began volunteering at a glass studio in his college town. After finishing school, Benjamin went knocking on doors looking for work. He was lucky enough to get an assistant job working for Davide Salvadore, an 11th generation glass blower, getting a traditional Venetian glassblowing apprenticeship. Finishing his apprenticeship get landed a job as a Demo Gaffer at the Morean Arts Centers Hot Shop and Glass Studio. Benjamin has been able to travel and work to a handful of other glass studio around the United State from Disney Worlds Arribas Brother on Main Street to Tulsa Glass Blowing school. 7 years later Benjamin receive the Studio Manger position at the Morean Hot Shop and Glass Studio.

Join our E-Mail List

asd