LONGWOOD, Fla. — It’s believed the ancient art of glassblowing began in Jerusalem during the 1^st century BC.

Glassblowing is a technique of inflating molten glass into a bubble using a blowpipe.

If you think that amazing skill has disappeared, well think again. Every week, people meet at a warehouse in Longwood to learn from Justin Ferrell, who teaches classes on glassblowing.

“We recommend 12 (years) and up for these workshops and 16 (years) and up for classes,” said Ferrell.

At The Orlando Glassblowing Center, guests will get the opportunity to make something for the first time, and the first class will cost $75.

Visitors will learn how to shape, mold and even blow into a tube to help create a piece of glass of their choice.

Guests cannot be afraid of heat and warm temperatures where they will often stand next to an open glory furnace used to heat the glass.

“It’s the same temperature as an active volcano," said Ferrell. "It’s between 22 to 23 hundred degrees.”

Ferrell says understanding the art of glassblowing, or glass turning, has a learning curve and guests need to be patient when developing the skills. 

"It’s just like a musical instrument and if you don’t practice it regularly, those skills diminish pretty quickly.”

Ferrell, a combat veteran who served in Iraq, came home from overseas not sure what to do with his life prior to glassblowing.

“Before that I owned a roofing company with by brother," he said. "And i decided i didn’t want any more hot jobs. So, you see how that worked out.”

He worked to get his bachelor’s degree in fine arts and then learned everything he could about glassblowing.

“It’s really dedication," Ferrell said. "It’s putting in those 10,000 hours just to get competency.” 

If you would like to give glassblowing a try, you can make a reservation online at The Orlando Glassblowing Center.