Glass Mountain Gallery & Studio
Hand Blown, Fused & Recycled Fine Art Glass

Hand Blown Glass Artist Phillip Shelby

Phillip began creating hand blown glass in 1985 while studying for a fine arts degree at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville Florida.   Once introduced to hot glass work, Phillip decided to devote himself to this medium.  In 1996, after studying several years with glass artists Bill Slade and Brent Cole, he opened his own studio and gallery in Robertstown Georgia.  Phillip creates fine art glass using both Italian and Scandinavian styles of glassblowing. 

For a limited time each year Phillip opens his studio and gallery to the public giving glass blowing demonstrations and informative tours of the facilities.  When visiting you will see the furnaces operating at 2200 degrees and tour the cold shop where cutting, grinding and polishing of glass takes place.  This is a rare opportunity to visit a working studio and learn about this amazing substance we call glass.  The gallery is a renovated general store built in 1930. The solid oak construction is quite unusual and worth a look.  As you browse the gallery, Phillip and his wife Janine are happy to share their knowledge of glass with you. 

Fused Glass Artist Janine Shelby

After working with her husband in his hot glass studio for several years, Janine decided to try her hand at fused glass kiln working.  She began by taking a couple of introductory classes in Atlanta with John Phillips, and immediately fell in love with this medium.  Janine began experimenting with kiln working techniques in her home studio, discovering she enjoyed creating larger fine art pieces using both cut glass and stringers. 

Many of Janine's designs incorporate hundreds of 1 mm glass strings, fused together to create a single sheet of glass.  By partially fusing the glass she is able to maintain texture and depth in her pieces, qualities that encourage one to experience the piece tactilely, as well as visually.  After completing the fusing process, Janine uses molds to create interesting three dimensional works or frames and mats the piece allowing it to be hung as you would a painting.