Eric Covington

GLASS BLOWING

Eric Covington retired from entrepreneurship at 57 and refocused his creativity on the art world. His lifetime collection of rocks and minerals led him to gem and hard rock carving. To display his jade carvings, which are designed to be hand-held, he took a mentor’s suggestion to make blown glass stands.

Eric studied the craft of glass blowing at Montreal’s Espace Verre, the Haliburton School of the Arts, and in private studios. The fluidity and immediacy of the “off-hand” creative process captured him completely and continue to inspire his artistry.

I am inspired by nature and fueled by the discovery of new processes and techniques. When I was a young boy, my grandfather opened my eyes to the beauty around us and I became particularly interested in mineralogy and the seas. To me “off-hand” glass blowing is an exploration of the fluidity of the earth’s core combined with the organic shapes found in ponds and coral reefs.

Learning glass-making processes motivates the gadget maker in me. I am constantly making tools and “whatchamacallits” to allow my senior’s body to achieve the results I aspire to. The process of discovery is as important as the outcome.