Description
J Draper Glass is an artistic, educational and entertainment studio, dedicated to providing hands on opportunities.
Mission
J Draper Glass offers a complete understanding of hot glass as a studio movement in America by engaging the community through hands-on opportunities, classes, tours, team-building workshops and open houses. By encouraging in-depth exploration of this beautiful medium, J Draper Glass cultivates a deeper understanding of the art of hand blown glass.
JEREMIE DRAPER
INSTRUCTOR, OWNER and founder
ARTIST STATEMENT
Glass is the dance in still life. Capturing this moment of vitality, an instant of inspiration and epiphany; marrying it with the delicate skill of blowing glass, result in a still piece — fluid, and somehow moving. Since I learned to hand blow glass, I have been enthralled with the amorphous nature of the medium; its potential to breath and flow with the rhythms of the artist.
Biography
Under the tutelage of Che`Rhodes, Jeremie became a passionate student of glass, curious about the most primitive processes of Roman & Egyptian forms and honoring the great traditions of Italian color decoration. Her influences are Lino Tagliapietra, William Gudenrath, Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslave Brychotva, William Morris, Fabiano Armani, Dino Rosin, Andy Goldsworthy, Javacheff Christo and Mother Nature.
background
A Central Illinois native, Jeremie received her B.F.A. in Glass from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 2002. She was a Rickert-Ziebold trust winner in spring ’02. After graduating she traveled to work with other glass blowers in Oregon & Washington and even spent some time at The Corning Museum of Glass. It was there that she was inspired to move back to her hometown area and share her knowledge of glass blowing with the community. J Draper Glass LLC was established in 2009 and is now located at The Studios on Sheridan, in the heart of Peoria, IL. The public can view her glass galleries and take a class with no prior experience. She wishes to create a warm environment where one can have fun, learn, and explore the amazing material of hot molten glass.
* Note: portfolio items are a representation of work and are not for sale *
Brandie Centi-Fislar
Instructor and Studio coordinator
ARTIST STATEMENT
Everyday objects and designs influence my desire to create glass. Whether I am walking down the street, reading magazines or sitting in a park, I can see colors, patterns and designs. Seeing and crafting those ideas into drawings begins the journey of morphing those designs into beautiful glass vessels and utilizing glass, whether it is clear, pastel or bold hues, gives me the opportunity to create a unique piece of art that is shared with others so that they, too, will enjoy the beauty of glass.
background
Born in Clearfield, Pennsylvania, Brandie moved to Central Illinois once graduating high school in 2010. In 2012, she graduated with her associate in art from Lincoln College in Lincoln, IL, and transferred to Illinois State University where she would begin pursuing a bachelor’s in art education. However, in 2013 after taking her first glass blowing class, she decided to switch her major.
During this time, she worked for Africano Studios as a Studio Assistant. In 2014, Brandie graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelors in Science in Studio Art with a concentration in Glass Blowing. Currently, she works as the lead Instructor and Studio Coordinator at J. Draper Glass.
Olivia Petta
Instructor and hot shop manager
Biography
Olivia is a multi-media artist born and raised here in Peoria, Illinois. Holding a lifelong passion for the arts, she attended Illinois State University as a Metalworking and Jewelry major. It was during this time that she decided to add a glassblowing class to her curriculum and became completely enthralled.
In 2020 Olivia moved back home and quickly found a position to be an instructor and hot shop manager for the studio.
Olivia’s current focus is strengthening skills and figuring out how to best translate her vibrant ideas into glass. She enjoys experimenting with color, pushing her skill level, and trying new techniques. Much of her inspiration is sourced from weekly trail hikes and mid-century modern architecture & design.
“Glass keeps my creativity sparked and pushes me to never give up. It is a true passion.” -Olivia Petta
