MILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — “It’s like high drama – the fire, the heat, the spark. It’s neat,” says Chris DeMott, the owner of Kinship Glassworks, a public access studio. He teaches young and old the skill of glassblowing.

“We do what’s called a Glass Experience where we have people come in, we have a bunch of stuff you can choose from to make, and you get to work alongside us,” he explains, noting that he discovered the art in 1986 and was immediately hooked. “I tell everyone I’m doing what I love to do, so living the dream!”

He says it’s a team sport, so I get to work, creating a round ornament alongside craftsman Ryan Furbush.

“You’ll be on this side of the pipe,” he says as we gather the hot glass. “I’m just coiling up some glass, constantly turning.”

Then we take the hot glass to a table.

“We’re going to roll, and the goal is to get as much glass off the pipe as we can,” says Furbush.

We press it into small shards of color like sprinkles on ice cream.

“You just keep lifting and tapping,” he says, explaining that the heating chamber allows those glass chips to soften.

This process is repeated as we add more colors. Then, Furbush preps for the unique sculpting by blowing air through the pipe and expanding the orb.

“Now, we know it’s hollow,” he says.

Add more air, and it becomes a round ornament.

Furbush then works quickly, creating a neckline for the piece, breaking it off, and attaching a hook.

“It’s a lot like honey right now, and we only have seconds to do this,” he says.

The creation goes into an oven for hours before it emerges, looking beautiful.

“There was a lot of effort that went into that,” says Furbush, noting it’s more than just a trinket bought at a big-box store.

It’s an eye-opening experience, appreciating an extremely versatile material.

“It’s really a cool thing,” DeMott says. If it’s something you’ve never seen before, just to come down and watch, participate, is even better.”

Kinship Glassworks also offers a class on glassblowing at Milford Adult Education.