I absolutely love working with glass. Below is a list of some of the items I make on a regular basis:

Glass from Munkin Arts is available online and select local shops.

During various points in the year I set up and sell my pieces at craft shows around the area. If you're interested, drop by and say hello.

You'd like to see the goods, I know. I'm working on getting a gallery integrated nicely into this page.
For now though, have a look at one I have up but don't nearly as much. You can also have a look at some of the online links on the 'Buy' page. Go ahead, I won't be insulted if you just want to browse.

In the mean time, here's the other gallery.

Who is Tom Kies and who let him have the matches?

Ah, all good questions. In short, I'm just a average person who got fed up with making non-tangible goods. I'm a computer geek by day, and when you turn off the computer at the end of the day, there's no guarantee your work will still be around when you come back. There's nothing to hold in your hand to show for your time.

This drove me nuts.

So about 5 years ago I started taking some classes at the Worcester Center for Crafts where I jumped right in to working with borosilicate glass. I was hooked.

I found my creative outlet, somewhere to channel all that negative energy, stress, and anger, into something I could hold in the palm of my hand.

When I'm not in my shop or in front of the computer, I enjoy spending time with my wife and family.

You've got questions, I make up answers. And somtimes questions.

A. Is there anything you won't make?

Q. There are two things I currently don't/won't make. I don't make pipes merely because I don't like smoking and don't want to facilitate it. It's not a moral judgement. To be honest, I know a lot of pipe makers, and many of them do color and sculptural work that's absolutely brilliant.
The other thing is adult toys. I've stopped making them as a condition of my business insurance coverage so sorry if you were looking for some. Get in touch and I can most certainly put you in touch with another good maker.

A. Do you blow the glass?

Q. Yes and no, it depends on what I'm making. If I'm making something hollow, then yes, what I do is glass blowing. But if I'm making something solid, it's really more like making insanely hot balloon animals or a playdough sculpture that you make without touching it. What I do is often called "lampworking". The name stems from an early practice of heating and melting the glass over an oil lamp that the artist blew air into to help intensify the flame.

A. So you're sitting there with a straw blowing at the fire?

Q. No, that's really old technology. These days we use tanked oxygen which has adjustable pressures and higher purity making it a much better accelerant. The flame I use is about 4,000 F, and a lot of fun

A. I've seen you mention it in other places, what's "boro"?

Q. Boro is the nickname for borosilicate. This is a type of glass that's a bit more thermal resistant, giving it the ability to easily go from fridge to freezer or fridge to stove and, typically, not break from the temperature shock. It's commonly known by the brand name Pyrex, though not all borosilicate is Pyrex brand. Interestingly, the Pyrex name, in regards to cookware was sold long ago and much of the Pyrex bakewear on the market now isn't borosilicate.

A. Do you do custom orders?

Q. Yes I do! Feel free to use the contact link to get in touch and make an inquiry. In most cases I require a 20% non-refundable deposit on custom jobs. This is a commitment from you the customer, but it also helps cover the cost of bringing in colored glass that I might not normally stock for your project.
There are instances where I may not require/request a deposit from you. Most often this will be a case of "let me see if I can do it first."

I do keep a blog.

Before you continue on, I'd like to point out that it's occasionally glass related, but it's often not. I've been told it's sometimes funny, but some folks might be offended. Consider yourself warned.

If you're still interested, you can find it...here.

Do you need more information?

If you're the pen and paper sort, you can write to me here:

Tom Kies
c/o Munkin Arts LLC
PO Box 193
Auburn, MA 01501

Need to call? Try this number: 508.930.5399

Want to email instead? You can use this address (remove the celebrity name first): infokermit@munkinarts.com.