Owner: Glen Tullman
About Glen Tullman
Bio coming soon
Glen Tullman
Owner
Owner: Trish Tullman
About Trish Tullman
Bio coming soon
Trish Tullman
Owner
Co-Founder & Creative Director: Ben Tullman
About Ben Tullman
Ben Tullman is one of the founders of Ignite Glass Studios and is the Creative Director and Studio Manager. He first encountered glass at age 12 making glass beads. Over the past 16 years, Ben has honed his skillset studying with master glass artists such as Davide Salvadore, Karen Willenbrink-Johnson and Martin Janecky. The focus of his artwork is taking traditional techniques, pushing the limits of scale and developing new techniques through experimentation.
In his words, "I love the inherent unpredictability and mystery of glass. You have to be adaptive and flexible to work with it because it has a life of its own. Every time you work with glass it challenges you and gives you new opportunities to learn and grow."
Ben Tullman
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Director of Sales & Marketing: Sean Thorndike
About Sean Thorndike
Bio coming soon
Sean Thorndike
Director of Sales & Marketing
Executive Venue Sales Manager: Genevieve Manning
About Genevieve Manning
Bio coming soon
Genevieve Manning
Executive Venue Sales Manager
Artist, Instructor & Assist Hot Shop Manager: Josh Laabs
About Josh Laabs
Josh Laabs is a 3D artist with a focus and passion for the medium of glass. Originally from Central Wisconsin, Josh studied under glass artist Jon Chapman at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He graduated in the Spring of 2015 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 3D design emphasizing blown glass and cast glass. Between his junior and senior year of college during the Summer of 2014, Josh started his glass career as an Intern for Ignite Glass Studios. Upon graduation, Josh accepted a position at Ignite in June 2015 as an Assistant Studio Technician. Through Josh's exceptional work ethic and positive energy, he quickly became an integral member of the Ignite team and within 90 days, he was promoted to Lead Studio Technician.
Josh is also a well-loved instructor-mentor for lgnite's nonprofit partner, Ignition Community Glass, an organization that offers tuition-free glass art programs to under-resourced Chicago youth.
Josh Laabs
Artist, Instructor & Assist Hot Shop Manager
Artist, Instructor, & Production Manager: Josh DeWall
About Josh DeWall
Bio coming soon
Josh DeWall
Artist, Instructor, & Production Manager
Artist, Instructor, & Hot Shop Technician: Charlie Matz
About Charlie Matz
Charles Matz is a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago (BA Photojournalism '16). He discovered glass art through a chance encounter with a lamp worker in his sophomore year of college and he has pursued flame working ever since. Charlie is Ignite Glass Studios' staff photographer, studio technician and manager of the newly developed flame working shop at Ignite.
Charlie's photographic work focuses on numerous aspects of glass art, documenting the many types of glass artists and their studios, which vary greatly in size and capability. The potential for high detail in jewelry, marbles and other flame worked sculptural forms brings exciting new opportunities for Ignite and Charlie intends to continue exploring these possibilities in the foreseeable future.
Charlie Matz
Artist, Instructor, & Hot Shop Technician
Events & Operations Specialist: Amanda Burchfield
About Amanda Burchfield
Bio coming soon
Amanda Burchfield
Events & Operations Specialist
Artist & Cold Shop Specialist: Sam Akainyah
About Sam Akainyah
Samuel Akainyah is a multi-dimensional artist and one of Ignite Glass Studios' most valuable utility players. In addition to being instrumental in Ignite's Cold Shop, Sam is the Studio's #1 event facilitator, or 'wrangler'; and a key member of the front desk team. Sam began Cold Working and Kiln Casting in 2014 and has become Ignite's 'go-to artist' when it comes to cold working. Whether it's putting the finishing touches on glass pieces in the Cold Shop or helping wrangle guests during glassblowing events in the Hot Shop, you can find Sam's smiling face all around the studio.
Alongside his talent at Ignite, Sam is an accomplished musician and singer-song writer who has begun to perform locally and nationally under the name of Solo Sam.
Sam Akainyah
Artist & Cold Shop Specialist
Artist & Instructor: Arvin Makhsous
About Arvin Makhsous
Arvin Makhsous is a multitalented artist in several mediums, including music, film, painting, sculpture, and glass. Arvin started his career in glass during his senior year of high school, doing mosaic, fusing, and flame working projects. Upon discovering his passion for glass art, he was introduced to a young Ignite Glass Studios by his peers. Shortly after, he started an apprenticeship under lead Ignite artist Ben Tullman, who trained him specifically in Italian techniques and larger scale blown glass art.
Arvin enjoys exploring new forms through creating abstract three-dimensional vessels and flat fusings through the use of murrine and canes. He also enjoys putting together large installations that require multiple components.
Arvin Makhsous
Artist & Instructor
Artist & Instructor: Joe Waropay
About Joe Waropay
Joe Waropay joined the Ignite team in 2013 and is a resident artist and instructor at the studio. He is also the lead youth instructor for Ignite's nonprofit partner, Ignition Community Glass, developing and implementing glassblowing programs for under-resourced youth in Chicago. In addition to his glassblowing skills, his capacity in sculpture and printmaking have brought a new dynamic to Ignite. His artwork reflects themes of Growth and Development and Memories into glass and mixed media conceptual sculpture.
Joe was born and raised in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, where he was active in sports throughout his youth. He attended Western Illinois University and the University of South Carolina-Beaufort as a Division-1 baseball player while also majoring in art and developed his passion for glass under John Miller at Illinois State University.
Joe Waropay
Artist & Instructor
Artist & Instructor: Connor O'Brien
About Connor O'Brien
Connor O'Brien is a Chicago-based artist currently completing his final year at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). He first discovered glass at the age of 14 in high school, and by the end of his high school career, he fell in love with the material and the art he can create with it. Since then, he has been studying glassblowing and has also been a teaching assistant at Ox-Bow School of Art in Michigan.
Connor has been a part of the Ignite team for the past two years and has proven to be an invaluable member. He has also expanded his horizons in sculpture creation at SAIC through studying bronze casting and neon bending. He is looking to bring his glass background to the practice of metal casting by making traditional glass vessel forms out of bronze and implementing glass carving techniques.
Connor O'Brien
Artist & Instructor
Artist & Instructor: Kat Skinner
About Kat Skinner
Kat Skinner was born on the Naval Air Station Sigonella located in Sicily, Italy, in 1993. She was born to Michael and Judy who met while both being in the military. Kat grew up in the rustic countryside of Misterbianco, while she attended a private Roman Catholic academy in the neighboring town of Motta Sant' Anastasia, where Italian was the only language spoken. Kat was able to attend this academy till she was about 10 years old and then she and her father had to relocate to Hayward, Wisconsin.
Once she graduated from Hayward High School she went on to further her education at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point (UWSP) in central Wisconsin. Originally she attended UWSP for Interior Architecture but she didn't find this to be the right fit. She was introduced to glass and metalworking which initiated her switch to a more hands-on degree. Kat graduated in the spring of 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Art with a Three-Dimensional Emphasis and an Art History Minor.Kat is currently in Chicago, IL as an Artist/Instructor with Ignite Glass Studios and Ignition Community Glass.
Kat Skinner
Artist & Instructor
Venue Liaison: Leticia Martinez
About Leticia Martinez
Bio coming soon
Leticia Martinez
Venue Liaison
Instructor & Venue Liaison: Alan Robles
About Alan Robles
Bio coming soon
Alan Robles
Instructor & Venue Liaison
Venue Liaison: Mary-Kate Moroney
About Mary-Kate Moroney
Bio coming soon
Mary-Kate Moroney
Venue Liaison
Instructor: Eli Faloona
About Eli Faloona
Bio coming soon
Eli Faloona
Instructor
Instructor: Acacia Way
About Acacia Way
Bio coming soon
Acacia Way
Instructor