A man with glasses, tattoos, and a black T-shirt is blowing a glass bubble, with a workspace and glass blowing equipment in the background.

ABOUT US

The Glass Asylum is Northeast Ohio’s premier glass-blowing studio. Located in the beloved village of Chagrin Falls, our studio is a hot-spot for art and entertainment. At the Glass Asylum, you’ll find a supportive community of glass artists and staff who collaborate with each other and the public to create unique experiences and works of art.

CHRISTOPHER CRIMALDI

  • Once a hobby, Chris took his passion for glassblowing and transformed it into a full-time, full access studio. As the founder and an artist at the Glass Asylum, he is deeply committed to the studio’s vision to be the premiere teaching facility, artist’s studio and gallery in Northeast Ohio. Chris is particularly interested in creating translucent glass fixtures for retail and industrial settings. His custom lighting work is on display in upscale restaurants, as well as in homes and businesses worldwide. A self-taught artist, he encourages everyone to explore the fascinating art of glassblowing by enrolling in one of the many 1-hour workshops offered at the studio throughout the year. Chris attributes his exceptional work ethic to his time spent serving in the United States Marine Corps. He is a licensed electrician and owner of Crimaldi Electric and has just opened his second creative space, Glass Asylum 2. His creative endeavors are encompassed under his parent company, Chris Crimaldi Designs.

@ChrisCrimaldiDesigns
  • A smiling man with glasses, short curly hair, wearing a black shirt with a logo, sitting on a white sofa in a modern interior.
  • A man with glasses and a black shirt that reads 'Glass Asylum, Chagrin Falls, Ohio' attempting to safely catch a flaming glass vessel in a workshop or glassblowing studio.
  • Man with tattoos on arms wearing a black t-shirt with American flag patch on sleeve and blue jeans, smiling and holding a long metal blowpipe, working with molten glass in a glassblowing furnace in a workshop.
  • A man with tattoos, glasses, and a black t-shirt with a patriotic design, holding a metal rod, is heating a large glass or ceramic object in a glassblowing furnace.
  • A man with glasses and tattoos on his arm is holding a long metal rod, standing next to a glassblowing furnace that is glowing orange and yellow, indicating high heat. He is wearing a dark long sleeve shirt and light blue jeans, with a serious expression.

MILLIE AND MILO

  • Meet Millie and Milo, the most popular pups in Chagrin Falls!

    Millie is a lover of all people, and is always excited to welcome you into our studio. Millie loves long walks in the park, eating bacon treats from next door, pup cups from our friends at Starbucks, and giving kisses to everyone coming into the studio. Don't leave town without stopping to get one of her signature Millie hugs!

    Milo is more than just a cute face; he's a tennis ball enthusiast, a professional kisser, and a wine connoisseur in the making. With endless energy and spins to greet you, Milo brings joy to our workspace every day. Don't be surprised if you catch him sneaking a sip of wine when he thinks no one's looking; after all, he's got a taste for the finer things in life.

@ADVENTURESOFMILOANDMILLIE
  • Two dogs sitting on a black mat in a room with people working in the background.
  • A boxer wearing a pink shirt sitting on the floor of a glassblowing studio in Chagrin Falls, Ohio near Cleveland with a man in the background holding a glass pendant, near a black counter and industrial equipment.
  • A boxer dog wrapped in a colorful geometric-patterned blanket with a hood, sitting on a dog bed in a glassblowing studio in Cleveland Ohio
  • A brown and white Boxer dog lying on the floor of a glassblowing studio, looking at the camera with a relaxed expression.
  • Two dogs lying on the floor of an indoor space with people and furnaces in the background.
  • Two boxer dogs colored brown with black markings, lying on a round fluffy gray dog bed near a glass door, inside a building.
  • A cute puppy with a brindle coat and white paws sitting on a bench in a glassblowing studio, looking at the camera.
  • A man with long hair, glasses, and a colorful headband, smiling, holding a large brown and white dog in his arms inside a store. The dog appears relaxed, with its tongue slightly out, and is being held horizontally.

MEET OUR ARTISTS

DOMINIC BENDER

  • Dominic was raised in Avon Lake, Ohio and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in glass blowing at Kent State University. He was first exposed to glass blowing in his freshman year but his small exposure quickly developed into a passion. Dominic found the properties of glass intriguing and unique from any other material. The curiosity is his drive to continue to explore the boundaries of glass working with his creativity as his only limit.

A glassblower wearing a black shirt, jeans, sunglasses, and a bandana, holding a metal tool and a long rod with a molten glass object in a workshop with tools, equipment, and a furnace in the background.

DEAN WEHRENBERG

  • Dean was born and raised in Brecksville, Ohio. He first witnessed glass-blowing in Downtown Cleveland the summer before shipping off to the Columbus College of Art & Design. Freshly inspired, he dabbled in the field his Freshman year, and the rest is history. He completed his BFA degree in 2013 and moved back home to the West Side of Cleveland.

    We discovered Dean while our studio was still under construction. He helped us build the hot shop you see him working in today. His skills have only improved since he has had time to create more of his own artwork in this facility. Dean finds his inspiration within the interactions of nature and society. He is also influenced by street art, calligraphy and typography.

A young woman with glasses, wearing a black t-shirt with paint splatters, is crafting with molten glass in a workshop. She is using tongs to handle an orange-red piece of glass over a furnace.

LINDY CUNNINGTON

  • Lindy is a Chagrin Falls native, recently graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art.
    Lindy has been intrigued by glassblowing ever since she was young. She has always been captivated by the unique properties of glass and the endless ways the material could be utilized. After taking a few classes learning the basics of glass blowing, she was hooked.
    Lindy obtained a degree in Industrial Design; she seeks to combine these two passions. Her goal is to create a harmony between beauty and functionality. Lindy found that glass was the perfect medium to merge these two qualities. Her main interest is to design and create functional vessels and custom lighting.

A woman making glass art in a workshop, wearing glasses and a black t-shirt that says 'Glass Asylum'. She is smiling as she works on a glass fish sculpture.

AMANDA TAKACS

  • Amanda Takacs is a multidisciplinary artist with a passion for glass. She received her bachelor’s degree from The Cleveland Institute of Art in 2019. She uses a combination of techniques in her work including casting familiar objects and blowing vessels, and she often includes found objects in her art. Amanda loves the qualities of glass as an artistic medium, including its properties of physiological inner space and light transmission. She uses glass not only for its natural beauty, but for its potential as a narrative medium. Amanda sees her craft as a magical act whereby she can take the raw materials and infuse them with an essence that radiates beauty. She also works out of her “Phoenix” Mobile Glass Studio. She thoroughly enjoys the economic freedom and versatility starting her own business has provided.

Two women glassblowing glass artwork in a warm, industrial studio with overhead lights and equipment

LAUREN HEROUX

  • Lauren Heroux was born and raised in Northeast Ohio, and developed a passion for art and nature as a child. She achieved her BFA in Crafts, with a concentration in glass from Kent State University. Lauren enjoys working with a variety of mediums including glass, metals, found objects and treasures from nature. An unwavering optimist, Lauren spends her time enjoying the outdoors, creating art and running an Etsy store along with her daughter who recently started high school! She nearly gave up on her lifelong dream to bring a dog into her life, but then she found Millie.

A glassblower is working on a glass piece in a colorful, decorated studio, with vibrant lighting and art display in the background.

AUSTIN TOWNSEND

  • After spending most of his life in the trades painting houses for a living, Austin came into GA for a workshop as a customer, created a jellyfish with our artists and immediately signed up for the 6 week Beginner Course! He was instantly hooked and knew this was what he had been looking for. Every day since then glass has been a part of his life.

    In his free time Austin spends family time with his girlfriend Sabrina and their two kitties Lary and Lola.

A man wearing glasses and a black T-shirt is working on glassblowing in a studio. He is holding a long metal blowpipe with a glowing orange melted glass piece at the end, shaping it. The studio has dark walls, industrial equipment, and a large chandelier with exposed light bulbs hanging from the ceiling.

ALEX NETZBAND

  • Alex was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. He graduated from Twinsburg High School. His time there, and as a child, was mainly focused on sports and living a student-athlete lifestyle. Due to injuries, that lifestyle shifted, leading him to search for a new passion. While working various trade jobs and still feeling intrigued to learn, he decided to pursue that curiosity and enrolled at Kent State University.

    At Kent State, he started in the Exploratory Program, unsure of what would grab his attention. After taking the Intro to Glass class, the passion struck immediately. The heat of the hot shop, the teamwork, the pressure, the drive to keep getting better—it all felt too familiar. He graduated from KSU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, concentrating in glass.

    As a glass artist, he enjoys the properties of the material and how it challenges him both physically and mentally. He finds interest in the optical effects it can create and is also exploring different forms of glasswork, such as flame-working and casting. Still very new to the material, he remains open to exploring it in all aspects as much as he can.

SAM CALDERONE

  • Sam Calderone is a glass artist from Warren, Ohio, currently pursuing a BFA in Craft and Design with a concentration in Glass at the Cleveland Institute of Art. After taking their first glassblowing class, they quickly became drawn to the energy of the hot shop, the teamwork involved in the process, and the endless possibilities of working with glass.

    While glass remains their favorite medium, Sam enjoys working across a variety of materials and processes, including stained glass, painting, drawing, engraving, and mixed media. Their work often explores themes of identity, mental health, personal growth, and finding a sense of belonging. Inspired by both personal experiences and the unique qualities of different materials, they are interested in creating work that balances beauty, meaning, and craftsmanship.

    As an emerging artist, Sam continues to experiment with new techniques and processes while developing a deeper understanding of glass and other creative mediums. Through their work, they hope to create pieces that encourage reflection, spark conversation, and connect with others through shared experiences.

MADISON SCHWAB

  • Madison Schwab is a local glass artist born and raised in the Chagrin Falls area. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Cleveland Institute of Art, where she fell in love with glass through the supportive community she found there. Her work spans a variety of glass techniques, including frameworking, glass fusing, stained glass, and hot shop glassblowing. She primarily creates jewelry and small sculpted animals. Although still early in her glass journey, she continues to learn and strengthen her skills at the Glass Asylum. In the future, she hopes to become a teacher and share the joys of glass making to inspire others.