Spees Studios
As a lifelong sports enthusiast, Sam was initially drawn to the physical demand and teamwork aspect of glass blowing. He spent his time refining a style that blends classic Venetian techniques with modern American twists, resulting in a voice that is all his own. In 2022 he met his future wife Blaine, a large scale glass sculptor, who preferred to challenge the expectations of glass as a material.
Between Sam and Blaine, Spees Studios utilizes traditional techniques like cane working, encalmo, murrini, lost wax and hot casting. These are all done alongside experimental material inquiries, like combining metals with glass, playing with surface textures, and working with color theory. This body of work features glass that is both handblown, solid worked, and cast.
Samuel Spees began his glass career at Centre College, studying under the world renowned glass artist Stephen Rolfe Powell. From college he interned in glass studies and worked for many independent glass artists, all while honing his own unique skill set. While working at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, he met his future wife Blaine, who received her MFA in casting from Tulane University.