
Flame-Off Competition
Sponsored By Glass Torch Technologies

12 glass artists compete LIVE creating amazing works of functional art to win amazing prizes from our sponsors, including amazing, high-end torches from Glass Torch Technologies
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This year's theme: Halloween Icons
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Each artist donates an item to our charity raffles and auctions to help benefit the Kansas City Public School Foundation. You get the chance to score an amazing work of art from your favorite artist while helping fund art and music programs in under-funded schools!
2023 Judges Panel
We are honored to have some amazing artists join us as this year's
Flame-Off Judges

Hicdogg
James has been working with glass since 1996. At 16, he discovered flameworking and began learning in his dad's garage. At 18 he moved to Colorado to work at Diablo Glass. Since then he has worked independently under his business, I Blew It Glassworks, and his nickname, Hicdogg.
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He has received awards from Glass Vegas World Series of Glass including 2nd place for his collaborative work "Koyaanisqatsi" with Windstar Glass.
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James currently lives in Phoenix Arizona where he works from a home studio.

Shayla Windstar
From an early age, art in all shapes, forms and techniques were encouraged however it wasn’t until Shayla was 23 that she found lampworking; “It was the closest I have ever come to Love at first sight".
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Flame working since January of 2014 Shayla has received numerous awards at various events across the United States.
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Looking forward you can find Shayla at several upcoming events including competitions, demos, classes and art shows across the country. When asked what her future plans are Shayla replied “my current goals are to continue learning and evolving in my art, as a mother and all other aspects of my life"

Bob Dawg
Bob was a New construction plumber for almost 20 years who found glass blowing after a bad motorcycle accident that nearly left him dead. Bob has since crawled back and buried himself in glass knowledge and has led a burning path of sharing knowledge with everyone willing to learn from his you tube videos, live twitch streaming, FB and IG streaming as well as teaching classes around the US and even Canada.
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Bob is widely known for his NSOD ( No Sense of Direction) series and his evil sculpting style. His sculpted horns are like no others and his attention to detail in the sand blasting cabinet.

Niko Cray
Niko cray is from St. Louis, MO and was born into glassblowing.
His father is a soft glass artist which led into him working with soft glass at the age of 6.
He started working with borosilicate glass on his own when he was 18 in 2010.
He is inspired by pop art and lowbrow art. He likes long walks by the kilns and digging his toes to vermiculite.

Lewis Wilson
Lewis C. Wilson was born on January 14, 1949 in Roswell, New Mexico. In 1972 Lewis got an old book on scientific glassblowing from a local library and taught himself how to make small glass figurines by using the Bunsen burners in the medical lab. In October of 1973 he approached the Arribas Brothers who held the concessions for the glass blowing at Walt Disney World. Lewis worked for the Arribas Brothers for 3 months under a transition program from the Air Force.
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One of the highlights in Lewis’ career was the dedication of a building named after him at Art Glass Invitational in September of 2005.
In 2011 Lewis married glass artist Barbara Svetlick. Together their work made it to the cover of Glass Art Magazine in Jan/Feb 2012
2023 Competitors
We are proud to present our local and national competitors for this year's Flame-Off Competition