News
November 9, 2020Corina Contemporary Jewelry and Glint Glassworks Studio Open in Ballston Spa
The Chamber was honored to take part in a double ribbon cutting on Friday, November 6th at The Garage in Ballston Spa, where both Corina Contemporary Jewelry and Glint Glassworks Studio officially opened their doors.
Corina Contemporary Jewelry:
Corina was eager to open up her first little shop in Ballston Spa 14 years ago. As time went on, she longed for a larger space to showcase more and more artists and craftspeople. Last year, in a series of happy accidents, Corina and her husband Jim were able to buy the old garage around the corner from her original shop. They have spent the last year transforming a tired old building into a fabulous, bright, happy space and The Garage was born.
The Garage features an amazing work space for Corina’s jewelry studio, where she can continue to explore and enjoy her craft everyday. The space also allows her to represent many more local craftspeople and artists, fair trade goods, work from emerging women artists from across the country and also houses Glint Glassworks Studio.
Corina started young! In high school, she started making jewelry, participating in craft fairs, farmer’s markets, and selling to friends and to shops. Silver became her favorite metal to work with and smooth, colorful semiprecious stones became her passion. For 43 years she has worked at her craft most everyday and loves it as much now as she ever has before.
After 20 years of selling wholesale to galleries across the country, Corina realized how much she enjoyed working with customers to create their own unique pieces. And along the way she had been collecting artists and craftspeople, with each person bringing their own perspective on their craft that adds another facet to the gallery. One plays off another and together we all create a bright, happy shopping experience.
As soon as Corina happened upon Ballston Spa 15 years ago she was smitten. She loves all the wonderful restaurants, shops and businesses and feels proud to be a part of this dynamic community. Corina knew she wanted to open Corina Contemporary Jewelry and Fine Crafts there and over the last 14 years, it has grown to lovely little jewelry shop where she makes and sells her jewelry, represents 30 local craftspeople and artists, and teaches her craft.
Glint Glassworks Studio:
As a child, Heather was always making things as an expression of herself. Whether it was sewing, drawing/painting, embellishing her clothing, stringing beads or making simple silver jewelry, it was her creativity that would guide and comfort her, when looking around in a world where she didn’t always seem to fit.
Heather initially brought this creativity to a career as a rehabilitation speech-language pathologist, while simultaneously using craft as a form of stress relief and an opportunity to give unique gifts to friends and family. Heather took her first hot glass class, working with both soda-lime and Borosilicate glass, in 2004 and was instantly captivated by this medium of expression. Her private home studio was soon created and she spent long hours after work and on weekends honing her craft.
In 2006, Heather opened her first glass teaching studio in Ballston Spa, joined a local arts cooperative, and hasn’t left Washington Street since. She passionately supports the arts in Ballston Spa and is proud to be a member of such a vibrant and eclectic small business community. Heather is a maker of many things and enjoys a whimsical translation of our natural world. She creates each and every glass treasure with joy and hopes that the each piece she creates lightens the heart and makes you smile.
Heather’s love for the medium of glass and her background as a therapist are reflected in her teaching style. She is grateful her teaching studio remains on Washington Street, housed in this beautifully renovated space created by Corina and Jim. The Studio offers classes in flameworking, kilnworking/fused glass, glass enameling, and stained glass for youth, teens and adults. Glint Glassworks Studio also offers regular free events and educational opportunities to make the art and science of glass accessible to all.
