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The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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Fiery Arts glass sale celebrates the holiday season

A family in the holiday spirit admires ornaments hanging from a twinkling display. All ornaments were sold at the price of two for $30, and would be a perfect gift to give during the holidays. Photo: Sophia Muys
A family in the holiday spirit admires ornaments hanging from a twinkling display. At Palo Alto High School’s Fiery Arts glass sale on Dec 1 and 2, all ornaments were sold at the price of two for $30. These ornaments would be a perfect gift to give during the holidays. Photo: Sophia Muys

Parents and children alike “oohed and aahed”  as they perused tables lined with gorgeous, intricate icicle ornaments, Christmas trees, acorns, and many other pieces of glass-blown art. The festivities were part of Palo Alto High School’s seasonal Fiery Arts sale, in which glassblowing students sell the artwork they have created during the year to raise money for the glass program. This season’s sale took place on Dec. 1 and Dec. 2.

Many parents and students work together to put together an impressive spread that attracts many members of the community.

Volunteer Dawn Billman helps at each Fiery Arts glass sale. She has been a key part in organizing each event, which raises money for the materials needed glassblowing students at Paly to create their works of art.

“Five years ago, I was one of the parents who set up these events to benefit this glass program, to keep the furnaces running, to buy the glass,” Billman said.

According to Billman, the projects the students create vary on the season.

“This is our holiday sale, so we focused more on items people would like to give as gifts, Billman said. “We have ornaments, we have little snowmen, we have trees, a lot of gift items,” Billman said. “We see people buying sets of glasses to give as gifts, which are actually functional.”

The holiday themed display continued with glass candy canes laid out among festive lights. Snowmen ornaments were also featured; they are a new edition to the eclectic array of ornament styles sold. Photo: Sophia Muys
The holiday themed display continued with glass candy canes laid out among festive lights. Snowmen ornaments were also featured; they are a new edition to the eclectic array of ornament styles sold. Photo: Sophia Muys

Junior Phoebe Crabb is one of the students who helped create the pieces to sell in the sale, and also helped to set up the event.

“What I usually notice is a bunch of people who come and basically marvel at all the varieties of glass art,” Crabb said, adding that the artwork makes for a great conversation starter. “It’s actually really fun to talk to adults about glassblowing because it’s such an uncommon form of art. A lot of people draw and paint but glassblowing is not commonly practiced.”

Instructional aide and Paly alum in the class of 2005, Peter Stucky, explains that while there are hundreds of standout items to choose from at each sale, there are undoubtedly some items that are the most popular.

“Pumpkins have been a long-standing item that people come to get, and newer items that we have brought to the program are snowmen and snowmen ornaments,” Stucky said. “Some other items that are really popular are the moose and reindeer ornaments.”

He underlined the importance of giving students the opportunity to sell their own art.

“I think it’s a necessity for educational, personal, and cultural growth, he said. “We need more of these opportunities [for students to sell art].”

Christmas trees are displayed next to acorns and a whimsical slug sculpture. The glass acorns were first introduced at this year's Fall Fiery Arts Sale, and have continued to be included in the winter sale. Photo: Sophia Muys
Christmas trees are displayed next to acorns and a whimsical slug sculpture. These glass acorns were first introduced at this year’s Fall Fiery Arts Sale, and this style has continued to be included in the winter sale. Photo: Sophia Muys

Stucky also emphasizes the positive impact glassblowing can have on the Palo Alto community.

“I got into glass blowing in this class, and ever since I caught the glass bug, I made it my passion and my career,” Stucky said.

Crabb echoes Stucky’s sentiments and explains that she forged a connection with glassblowing despite never being an artistic person.

“I never found myself an artistic person I at all,” Crabb said. “When I took ceramics last year, I had no idea that glassblowing was a part of the class, so it was a pleasant surprise. The more I blew glass, the more I developed a love for it.”

Glassblowing is a part of Crabb’s identity and she hopes to continue making glass art during college.

“It’s something I don’t want to give up,” she said.

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About the Contributors
Soumya Jhaveri, Editor-in-Chief
Soumya was previously the Voice's News Editor. Her journalism work outside of Voice involves serving as the Editor-in-Chief of [proof] magazine; serving as president of SCOOP, a club fostering diversity in journalism; presentations at NorCal Media Day and the national journalism convention about diversity in journalism and an audio piece for KQED on student health and safety. In her free time, Soumya enjoys competing on Paly's tennis team, playing in an orchestra and drinking boba.
Sophia Muys, Author

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