Funktional Glassworks
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Custom kid's glass

Go beyond the fridge!

If you have kids you know the drill; from the very first moment your baby holds a crayon in his chubby little fist your job as art director and gallery manager begins. At first their masterpieces will hold a place of honor on the fridge or taped to a wall which is all well and good until...Kindergarten, when they start coming in fast and furious! Soon you are drowning in a sea of construction paper creatures and dry macaroni glued to a plate. The fridge is full and the gallery starts to host "revolving exhibitions". Eventually, they migrate to a box that will inevitably end up in the basement or the attic. (God forbid you throw one of these  priceless objects away - your kid will find it and you will pay for your mistake for years to come). It happens to the best of us. My son is almost 21 and I still run across these stashes occasionally. So, what to do?

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"Kevin's World" drawing by Kim Phan
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"Kevin's World" glass by Gen Cole
Turn your Mini Monet's drawings into a piece of fused glass art that will last a lifetime!

For me it all started a few years ago when I was asked to participate in an exhibition called "Vermont Kid's Glass" hosted by the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center in Brattleboro, VT. The concept was simple - local elementary schools asked kids in K-6 to draw an imaginary creature and submit a little background information on the characters. Hundreds of drawings were submitted to a group of local glass artists to choose from but only a select few made the cut. The resulting exhibition was a smash hit (no glass pun intended). As the years went by the show was repeated, the name changed to "Glasstastic" and the submissions reached 1000 drawings! Twenty artists were asked to pick favorites and create their own version of the creatures out of glass. The finished works were displayed at the museum along with all of the drawings that were not translated into glass. Seeing this made me think - "what about the 980 kids who weren't picked?" It wasn't because  they weren't good. They were all fabulous. But there was only so much room and so many artists. I had such a great time translating their drawings into fused glass pieces that I decided to make it available to anyone who might be interested.
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"Doreto Disco Donny" drawing by Anna Van Osdol
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"Doreto Disco Donny" glass by Gen Cole
Every piece is custom made to order!

You may have noticed that I added a few extra details or changed a color here and there. That is because each glass piece is an original interpretation based on the written description that came with the drawing. There are no blown up photo copies here. All of the glass is hand cut, painted, stacked and fired in a kiln at 1475F. You get to decide the size, shape and how to display the finished masterpiece. I can make an exact copy of a drawing or add my own special touches. It's all up to you! We will work on it together and I'll send a proof sketch for approval before making the glass. Below you'll find basic a list of sizes and prices to get you started.

Please note that these are based on a square or rectangular panel. Custom shapes are available for a small up-charge and discounts will be applied when you order two or more of the same design so why not order an extra for grandparents and aunts and uncles?
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"Catcar" drawing by Connor Brior
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"Catcar" fused glass by Gen Cole
Size
Price (2 or more same design -20%)
​Up to 6" x 6"
$75.00
​> ​6" x 6" up to 6" x 12"
$150.00
​> 6" x 12" up to 12" x 12"
$250.00
​> 12" x 12" up to 12" x 18"
$350.00
​> 12" x 18" up to 18" x 18"
$450.00
Shape
Price
Round
Add 10%
Custom
Add 20%
Wall mounting hardware and display stands are sold separately. Prices based on size.

    GET THE BALL ROLLING!

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​Have you purchased or commissioned a piece from Funktional Glassworks? We'd love to hear about your experience!

"I am an independent journalist who writes extensively on the arts in New England and upstate New York. Genevieve Cole, the mastermind behind Funktional Glassworks is, in my opinion, not only a gifted artist and craftsperson, but also a consummate professional who has a thorough grasp of both marketing and sales of her work, and how the needs of customers is tied to it.

As a result, if you are buying a product made by Ms. Cole, you are not only getting a beautifully crafted work of art, but more likely than not getting a pretty good deal on it in the open market. This explains why Ms Cole's customers keep coming back for more."    

​Telly Halkias                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

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Visitors by appointment only! Please  call or email ahead - we'd hate to miss you!
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Glass Roots Panels
    • Water's Edge Collaboration
  • Custom Kid's Glass
  • PHOTO ​JEWELRY & GIFTS
  • Fossil Vitra