TZOMPANAKIS HAND BLOWN GLASS

We create to explore the fascination and beauty of molten glass. Our unique designs, techniques and high craftsmanship have earned a reputation for excellence through our unique design work. A wide range of items are available in many designs, colors and shapes. We also design and deliver special pieces that are made to order as one-off items and limited editions. These are truly collector’s pieces.

 

Over thirty years of experience has resulted in the artisan’s superior ability to create imaginative yet functional works, achieving an incredible clarity with the material. The craftsmen of Andreas Tzompanakis forge a new heritage of skills that bear witness to the magical qualities and romance of this wondrous material. Come and watch this beautiful craft performed with dazzling skill and witness the making of truly unique glass.

 

Our process requires various ingredients: pieces of recycled glass, silica sand, stabilizers, flux and metallic oxide colors. The mixture is melted at a temperature of between 1400° C and 1500° (2550° F-2730° F). After cooling to a temperature 1200° C (2190° F), a piece is soft enough to be worked. When the procedure of hand-blowing the glass is completed, the semi-finished piece is put in a kiln so it will dry slowly and evenly. The following day the pieces are selected for quality and their unique aspects.

 

The heritage of crafts and the natural talents of our craftsmen in the high skill of hand crafted glass have become known around the world. These gifts and ideas are handed down and getting better by improvement, since the beginning of time, from the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs, until today. We continue on in our pursuit of excellence.