La Victoria Studio
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Every time we visit Jerome we always make sure to swing by the La Victoria Studio to watch a glass blowing demonstration. It’s easily the best part of visiting the town for us, besides eating at the Haunted Hamburger. At this studio we get to watch a master at work.
La Victoria Studio is rather hidden away from the frequented areas of Jerome. The only way that most visitors find it is from the few signs that are placed nearby. The studio is in a workshop behind the Raku Gallery and the ruined facade of a collapsed building. The La Victoria Studio name is only seen on an easily missed sign on the lone standing wall of the ruined building.
When first coming upon the unassuming workshop one would think that it was just another part of the ruins throughout the town, but what’s inside is the true gem of this old mining town. This is where Tracy Weisel crafts wonderful pieces of blown glass all day. The studio is open for anyone to wander in and view his wares.
Tracy Weisel started out teaching Industrial Arts but stopped after a hand injury and took up ceramics for therapy. He fell in love with it and packed up his belongings in search of the perfect place to live. He found Jerome in 1975 and has been living there ever since. In 1990 he studied glass blowing and then built the studio he now uses. With help from his wife, he’s been blowing glass full time since 1999.
Throughout the day Tracy holds glass blowing demonstrations for anyone who wants to sit and watch. Here Tracy regales visitors with periodic stories of his life as he goes through the process of making the specific type of glassware. All the while he explains what he’s doing to create each piece. He does talk with visitors, but most are too enthralled with watching him work. Honestly, we could watch him make glass all day long. It’s very enjoyable.
Armed with a hand torch on his back, a blow pipe, jacks (large tweezers), and a wad of wet newspaper Tracy uses his furnace to make translucent, colorful wonders. He uses the wet newspaper to shape the glass in his hand. This causes there to be periodic dark spots in the glass from the paper to which he responds with, “You buy a piece of my glass, you get a piece of my ash”.
We’ve visited the studio many times and always sat through a demonstration. This last time we finally bought some pieces. We picked out two drinking glasses, two ornaments, and a pumpkin to take home. Each piece is unique with different colors and accents throughout. There are other types of glass for sale too, such as holding bowls, steins, hummingbird feeders, and even many ceramic pieces as well.
Next time we swing by Jerome we’ll make sure to stop in again to watch and listen while Tracy crafts wonders out of molten glass. It’s very interesting and quite relaxing to sit as a master glass blower shapes glass in front of you, and we recommend that everyone visit him and his studio.
Google Maps Link: Raku Gallery
Google Maps Link: La Victoria Studio (The Link says it’s permanently closed, but it technically isn’t)
