Thursday, September 6, 2012
Lillie Glassblowers is owned and operated by Don and Thom Lillie. The father and son team have more than 60 years of glass blowing experience between the two of them. Lillie Glassblowers is located in a small compound in Smyrna. The front building is the duo’s showcase. Glass pieces of all shapes and sizes adorn the walls. The back warehouse is where the magic happens. Benches set up with propane and oxygen torches fill the space and projects both finished and in the process of being worked on sit on shelves and in kilns. I photographed Don and Thom for a Three of a Kind photo feature for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
A gas torch sits ready to use at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie (right) heats glass rods using a torch as his father Don gathers material to start on a sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Don Lillie uses a torch to create a glass flower, part of a larger sculpture he is working on at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Don Lillie uses a torch to create a glass flower, part of a larger sculpture he is working on at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to heat glass rods as he creates a sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie pulls a piece of molten glass off of a rod at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to heat glass rods as he creates a sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to create a glass sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to fuse pieces of glass together as he creates a sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Don Lillie uses a torch to create a glass flower, part of a larger sculpture he is working on at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to create a glass sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to fuse pieces of glass together as he creates a sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to shape a piece of glass as he creates a sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie (right) uses a propane torch to shape a glass sculpture as his father Don uses a smaller torch to work on a detailed glass flower at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to shape a piece of glass as he creates a sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Don Lillie uses a torch to create a glass flower, part of a larger sculpture he is working on at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Don Lillie uses a torch to create a glass flower, part of a larger sculpture he is working on at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie (right) uses a hand torch to shape a glass sculpture as his father Don uses a smaller torch to work on a detailed glass flower at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie swings a piece of hot glass back and forth to help give the sculpture a sweeping shape at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Thom Lillie uses a torch to shape a piece of glass as he creates a sculpture at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.
Don Lillie’s complete glass flower sits on a heating torch to bring the temperture of the sculpture down at Lillie Glassblowers in Smyrna on Thursday, September 6, 2012.