Sitting in the heart of Salem, Oregon, there’s a hot new spot where creativity flows like molten magic. Welcome to The Glass Union, where dreams are forged in fire.
Envisioned by glass artist and owner of Heady Didys, Otto aka HoodRattShit and brought to life with the helping hands of Johnny Carcass, this stylish, street-front studio is so much more than just that – The Glass Union represents Otto’s vision of fostering a vibrant artistic community. From glass to graffiti, Otto envisions it as a nexus of creativity, where diverse talents converge to break down barriers and cultivate a sense of belonging. “I want to bring different kinds of artists together,” Otto explains. “We’ll have art walks, demonstrations and classes, where people can learn and create together.”
But this vision took some soul-searching. Before friend and fellow artist Hex Glass convinced Otto to move to Oregon just five years ago, he had dedicated much of his life to raising daughters Hannah and Destiny and his son Dallas solo in Salt Lake City. When they began having kids of their own, Otto knew he was ready to set out and “find his place.” He bounced around for a bit (including back to his home state of California), but was drawn to Eugene’s culture and robust gathering of glass artists. Hopping in the car with his glass collection and two dogs, he made the move.
For months, Otto lived out of a Eugene glass studio office and relied on the facilities of friends and fellow glassblowers Hex, Rob Morrison, Cowboy, Gabe Mac and Bucho to get by. But during the pandemic, fate would find his fiancé Alena Stewart (owner of Salem restaurant and bar Amadeus and Alleycat). He’d soon move in with her at the building where his dream would blossom. A supportive landlord and the seed of a simple request to add a studio in their living space opened the door to opportunity and the street-front location attached to the couple’s home.
First opening back in February of 2023, Otto hasn’t wasted any time making the rest of his dreams a reality. This prime downtown location is already a creative sanctuary to Flexer Jones, Rosburg and Scomo. With talent like this, Otto explains that it’s even attracting the attention of locals new to the molten arts. “We’ve been having Scomo working in the shop window for the past few weeks doing marbles. He gets huge groups of people out there just watching him and taking video.”
The location even hosts classes like their most recent offering “Back to School: Sculptology 102,” featuring the guidance of Grime Glass, Big Tom, Johnny Carcass and Hoodrattshit himself. He shares plans for a whole range of community options, like one-on-one instruction and couples classes. So, if the flame is calling your name, make sure you follow along for opportunities to sign up and soak in skills from some serious talent!
