Risk, chance, opportunity, leap of faith all of these resound when I think about how I started as a Glassblower and small business owner here in Ouray, CO.

I was given the opportunity to begin learning glassblowing in 2017 with my dear friend Sam Rushing, previous owner and glassblower/potter at Ouray Glassworks & Pottery(OGP). Sam and His wife (50 years this June!)Diane started OGP in 1991. They were thinking about retiring and selling their business. I had grown very interested in the craft of glassblowing since I met Sam and saw him blow glass for my first time. Sam and I committed to a 6 month apprenticeship in May 2017. At this time my mind was spinning about the chance I had in my life to attain a thriving business in a place I love to live, and to grow into a craft I admired. I was super enthusiastic about learning, but also had my hesitation that I could succeed in this endeavor, as I had only 6 months to get pretty good at this really intimidating skill and take over the business.  I jumped in with two feet and it was an incredible learning experience. I took the leap of faith and had great belief that I could make this work, with the unrelenting support of Diane and Sam. Many many trials and errors go into learning any new craft. At times you can be in a flow state, at others, frustrated as hell. What I learned during this apprenticeship above all, is that if in your heart you want to learn something and you put the time in to practice, anything is possible. The thing about this kind of craft, is that there is no limit. There is always more to learn. More shapes to learn to make, more color combinations to discover, more skills to master. Glassblowing is a very engaging, intriguing and almost magical craft. Creating objects from molten glass; using gravity, water, air and fire as some of our tools, what I love most about glassblowing is being in the present moment with the material in an alchemistic way. Glassblowing of course has obvious inherent risk to the craft, working with 2,000 degree molten glass and also sharp glass. The commitment to studios that house specialized equipment that are very expensive to run is another risk factor involved which can stress me out too.

OGP customers took a risk with me too. They were of course thrilled that one of their favorite shops was going to stay open, they were so supportive of me through the first years of growing pains and slow development of my skills. I am beyond grateful for the people who have supported my crafts and my learning process. There’s still so much more to learn!

Annie Quathamer, I have always enjoyed working with my hands in a tactile, engaging way. Glassblowing and Pottery are perfect outlets for me to express myself through creative arts. I love living in Ouray, CO for the access to the mountains and our wonderful community. When I am not in my studios or gallery, you can find me out in the mountains skiing, running, climbing and kayaking. My love for nature and being able to enjoy time in the mountains and on rivers with friends is one of the greatest gifts in my life and also very inspiring to bring back to my studios!

Having an excellent location in the heart of Ouray is my biggest asset for growing clientele. It’s an old school model in these modern times, but location for me has paid off tremendously! In addition, having a devoted and loyal clientele from decades of presence here in Ouray has been super important for my business to thrive. Absolutely grateful for the dedicated folks who support my crafts at OGP. Another great element to my business is that I have terrific, honest and dependable co-workers. I am beyond thankful for my team and couldn’t do it without them!

Keep on trying. Keep on practicing. Remember why I love this craft, this place, this life. Resilience for me comes down to gratitude and being kind to myself. Even when I’m at my wits end trying to fix a broken piece of equipment, trying to learn a new shape of a vessel, trying to keep up with the business side of my work, getting frustrated with myself for not performing up to par; I try to be gentle, yet firm with myself. Remember why I am here doing this. For the love of learning and interaction with the craft and the people who appreciate it. Also, for the love of the place I live. We all have to work very hard to make living in this sweet, beautiful mountain town happen. Taking a deep breath and remembering why so much effort is being put into the success of my business is something that helps me remain resilient and keep trying with tremendous effort.