Meet Ruth Allen

When Ruth Allen saw glassblowing for the first time, she knew it was for her. While attending a workshop in New Zealand she can only describe the moment as ‘time standing still’, watching renowned American glassblower, Dante Marioni, blow air into hot glass. As he manipulated the molten glass, it wound around the blowpipe like sticky toffee, its vibrant hues dancing and glowing beneath the heat.

Over three decades since that moment, Ruth's passion for glass art still burns brightly. She spends her days alongside her partner, breathing life into their large warehouse space in Coburg North and teaching beginners the beauty of this age-old craft. Their vision? To create a space for anyone to make anything. Complete with glassblowing equipment, pottery wheels, woodworking stations and a lush garden and pizza oven for entertaining, this studio has become a haven for artists and aspiring beginners—just like you.

Ready to be mesmerised by this fascinating art? Read on to learn more about Ruth, her love for glassblowing and why you should try it too!

When I'm working with molten glass… 

“I feel like I’m dancing.”

Three things you didn’t know about glassblowing… 

“Gravity is your main too, you don’t need special lung power to blow and it's a team sport.” 

Helping my students tap into their creativity makes me… 

“Feel like I’m opening a door to their inner soul.” 

My top tip for first-time glassblowers…  

“Dive in, don’t hesitate.” 

You’ll leave my class feeling…

“Confident and understanding of one of the most unique materials on Earth. Hot glass has infinite possibilities and is a complete marvel to work with.”