Eli Mazet may be the most passionate glass artist you will ever meet. Born in Eugene, Oregon, Eli is the middle brother who never considered himself an artist. Now he cannot imagine a life without it.
In about 2000, brother Josh introduced Eli to lamp work glass. He fell in love with it and developed his skills by watching videos, reading books and learning from other glass blowers. He spent hours on the torch practicing and within a few years he had developed the skills that take most people a life time.
He soon engaged his family and they started Mazet Studios. They developed a line of whimsical frogs, turtles, and sea creatures, marbles, pendants and ornaments. He visited galleries on the coast and began to attend trade shows and the local craft market. His fascination with glass has led him to author, “The Contemporary Shot Glass.” While looking for something new to make, it became apparent to Eli that todays glass artists were not making one of the most collected pieces of glass world wide. Eli challenged top glass artists to create a new handcrafted shot glass. Included in the book are shot glasses by over 40 of those artist, along with some of the history and trivia. Eli’s dream of making a “movement in the contemporary glass community” by bringing back the handcrafted shot glass is document in the book. He has also effectively created the largest contemporary shot glass collection known today.
As an award winning glass artist his enthusiasm has never faded and his love of glass has only grown. He is always looking for new things to make in glass and is always inspired by other glass artists. He continues in the family business, attends a few large trade shows and teaches at the University of Oregon EMU and the GlassCraft Expo. He is currently working on a step-by-step/informational shot glass video and a second shot glass book.
You can purchase Eli's book and his latest work here at VortexGlassworks.com!