Island Glassworks

Tried going by today a Tuesday at 3:30 PM it’s obvious that somebody was in the shop but nobody answered to repeated calls into the building and phone calls
I was going to order some custom glassware for a wedding gift as we received this artists glassware for our wedding And we have really enjoyed the items but apparently they don’t take new business or answer calls
Wonderful products nobody to sell them or provide customer service
lose money

I took the all day glass blowing class and it was one of the best and most interesting things I’ve ever done. Geoff the owner is a cool guy but the instructor that day was Rod. Rod while I wasn’t sure about him at first grew on me more and more as the day went on. He turned out to be very cool and with teaching skills that cannot be taught. He allowed us to really feel free to play and create and he made us learn the steps and boundaries by not helping us until we really needed it.
All in all it was an amazing experience and I made some very cool pieces of glassware. It was 6 hours, I made three paper weight blobs with flecks of colors that I chose. Sounds silly to make a paper weight but it actually was so challenging and fun! The colors that working with those elements at those temperatures creates were some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I also made two very cool drinking glasses and a bowl. It was challenging but highly rewarding and so fun to watch the progress as the day went on. I was so curious about the process of working with glass, which I’ve always found fascinating. This class has satisfied those basic questions and ignited a whole new set of appreciation and wonderment for the art form.
I highly recommend going and doing a class there. Probably do the all day one. Anything less would have left me wanting more. Enjoy!

Just did the ornament making class with my kids and friends. We LOVED this! Friendly business owners. Thanks for the great experience :-)

I had not realized that this little studio/​gallery existed in Kailua until yesterday. I went from knowing nothing to taking part in a few quick steps. What a fun event!
A friend of mine was not sure what to do for people for the holidays. She wanted to share a thing with her friends, but wanted it to be a warm and personal way to gather her friends together for a bit of time. I’m not certain how she found out about the ornament class, but she knew that it was to be her gift to us for the holiday. At only $ 30 per person it was a reasonable way for her to involve us in something creative.
We met at the studio and were told the basics of staying safe while working around a 2000 degree furnace filled with molten glass. The ornament making process was explained to us, and we were sent to pick our colors We also had to decide if we wanted spotted glass or swirled glass.
Each one of us took a turn directing the work done on our ornament. We were not allowed to handle the tools, but were invited to be a part of the action. Our rolls were simple, choose color, decide how much color we wanted, and then blow through the tube that allowed the molten glass to expand into a rigid bubble.
The ornament was then finished off by a member of the staff and then sent to a low temperature (if 900 degrees can be called low temperature!) oven to cool slowly to room temperature.
The ornaments have to cool for a few days before they can be collected and distributed to the members of my class. Lucky me gets to be the person who picks them up from the studio. I’ll get to see (and photograph) all of them together.
If you are not sure of what to do for a group of friends or family this holiday season, please give Island Glassworks a call. The time goes quickly, but you are left with a beautiful keepsake.

not only is Geoff Lee (
) the owner of Island Glassworks, he’s also a super nice guy.
he’s ALSO an amazing artist, creating incredible pieces out of glass.
his Vases, glass cups, custom lighting, etc., are all top notch.
my office recently hired him to make custom whiskey glasses as a gift, and he delivered… not only were the glasses amazing, but he also managed to get them to us within less than a week. CUSTOM HAND-​MADE GLASS CUPS…
i’ve also seen several vases he’s created, and they are simply amazing. if you’re looking for a classy gift for someone, you can either pick one of his set pieces, or work with him to create a custom piece.
his shop also offers several glass-​blowing classes (check the schedule on their website), and a Christmas ornament class during the holidays.
stay classy kailua :)