Becoming a glassblower has been trial by fire for Nick O’Hara.

“It’s been nine years of hard work, trial and error, and lots of teaching myself new things,” says O’Hara, who named his studio “Tri Pawd Glassworks” after the three-legged pit bull that he rescued.

Learning on his own has allowed O’Hara to experiment in a variety of glassblowing techniques — one of his favorites is linework that offers endless variations. Lately, he’s been focusing on creating fancy, intricate rigs.

“I don’t like to make plain jane stuff. It’s more fun when you’re challenging yourself,” O’Hara says. “If you’re doing the same small thing over and over again it gets to be like a job.

“Occasionally, I’ll make one small piece, like a little micro marble, and then base the entire piece around that,” he adds.

“I try not to follow the other glassblowers that are out there just because I don’t want my inspiration to be swayed by what they have made.

“Just like any artist, you want to express ‘yourself’ into your medium.”

Nick O’Hara
Tri Pawd Glassworks – Warren, Ohio
@tripawdglassworks