Arguing with History through (and about) Kiln-Glass

By Alex December 16, 2019   0 comments


Larisa Palmentere, Bullseye Glass Co. production administrative assistant. Photo by Kenton Waltz.

In a way, when Bullseye’s Larisa Palmentere creates a kilnformed glass tabletop, she’s engaged in an argument with people from all across history.

Take, for example, her argument with contemporary society and our stereotypes about art glass. For us, she makes work that is durable and practical.

“People still think of glass artistry as fragile. But it doesn’t have to be,” Palmentere insists. “Kiln-glass is an incredibly tough material. That’s why I continually turn to making tables and countertops; it’s my attempt to remove the stigma of fragility that’s attached to the material. read more …

Sein de Verre: A Glass for Good Class in Support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

By Alex September 10, 2019   0 comments

Glass for Good and Breast Cancer

After a day spent videotaping a class in pâte de verre, Bullseye’s Hanmi Meyer had an aha moment.

The idea was simple.

Instead of tamping powder into a mold to create elegant thin-walled bowls, students could use the technique to create fabulous granulated breasts. Pâte de verre (French for paste of glass) would become Sein de Verre (sahn duh ver—breast of glass). It would be a Glass for Good class to raise money and awareness for those facing breast cancer. read more …

Bullseye Glass + Friends of Trees

By Alex February 5, 2019   0 comments

30 years, 750,000 trees, and counting…

Friends of Trees was founded in 1989 by a community member who loved trees and started planting them in Portland neighborhoods. Today, Friends of Trees has planted 750,000 trees and is a nationally recognized, regional leader in improving the urban tree canopy and restoring sensitive natural areas—through programs delivered by thousands of volunteers.

On Saturday, December 1, 2018 a group of Bullseye Glass employees joined in a Friends of Trees event, planting trees throughout the Brooklyn neighborhood in Southeast Portland.

In total, more than 200 volunteers came out to plant trees and green neighborhoods all throughout Portland. Bullseye employees have been involved with Friends of Trees individually in the past, but this was the first year a group of us volunteered.

Tentative take-home: volunteering with Friends of Trees is as relaxing as… an Epsom salt bath? Intriguing…

“This was my first (but not last!) time volunteering with Friends of Trees. They were super organized and really fantastic at training up our newbie tree planting team. read more …

The Phantom Limb

By Lani April 3, 2018   0 comments

Low work tables on rollers, adjustable height stools, and mobile sheet pan racks that once anchored the Glass Lab, now in storage.

After blogging last week about a factory tour and my inability to
prioritize the value of its various human parts by comparing them to
organs of the body, a friend pointed out a profoundly simple truth. read more …

It Takes a Factory to Run a Tour

By Lani March 29, 2018   3 comments

“Start time? End time? Breaks? Hourly wage?” Casting Supervisor scrambles to answer a volley of unexpected questions from a Latvian visitor watching his team rolling sheet glass.

Tours of the Bullseye factory can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an
hour or more. Questions range from the tech-nerd’s “Is the coloring
chromophore in red glasses part of the silicon tetrahedra?” to the
sweet-faced 8-year old who wants to know how old he has to be to get a
casting job. read more …

Seeking Still

By Lani March 13, 2018   0 comments

“Now back up against the furnaces and stand still.” With the metabolism of a heavily caffeinated chipmunk and the curiosity of a five-year old, Bullseye’s production manager is rarely in one place for long.

Sam Andreakos epitomizes the best of Bullseye’s people. In the 30 years that he’s been in the factory, he’s met and wrestled to the ground every high-speed challenge I’ve seen thrown his way. read more …

On Aging

By Lani March 1, 2018   1 comments


Dan circa 1975. Forty-something years ago Bullseye’s founder couldn’t decide whether he was prouder of the ingeniously winged glass spreader he’d invented or of the factory surviving its first year in business – a milestone proudly proclaimed on the newly designed T-shirt: “Handcast Glass Since 1974”

We celebrated Dan’s 75th birthday last week with a movie, his favorite fish stew and a wee dram of my favorite single malt. read more …

“Show us your studio” results

By Bullseye August 3, 2017   0 comments

Last week we asked our followers on Facebook to post pictures of their glass studios. And did they ever! Here are a few of our favorites.

Sarah Miller Art Studio: "Well, clearly I enjoy chaos."

Mary E. Garcia Studio: "All the tables in our gallery are made from Bullseye crates!"

Laurie Glasskicker Freivogl Studio: "Hard to get a good shot of my Kiku Handmade narrow studio, but here it is. The floor is glitter."

Carol Carson Studio: "This was taken a couple years ago - it's much messier now."

Carmella Jarvi Studio

Faye Travel-Iron: "Work in progress!!!!!" :)

Thanks to everyone who shared pictures! Keep up the great work!

Behind the scenes: Quick Tip: Fresh Palette Picks

By Bonnie May 31, 2017   0 comments


We set up a color palette exercise in-house to see what would come of it.

read more …

Good things are happening in Open Studio

By Bonnie May 16, 2017   0 comments

Open Kilnforming Studio is one of the great perks of taking a workshop here at Bullseye. It’s open to all levels, whether you’re new to glass or have years of experience. Once you’ve completed one class or workshop at a Bullseye Resource Center, you’re eligible to participate in Open Kilnforming Studio.

read more …