Based in Greenfield, Massachusetts, Madeline & Ori Shir of Shir Glassworks create collaborative glass art inspired by the natural world, their gardens, and their apiaries. Working side by side, they blend distinct backgrounds and techniques into a shared artistic practice that celebrates connection, curiosity, and craftsmanship.Madeline first discovered glass through a teen summer program at Snow Farm in western Massachusetts and was immediately captivated by the material. She went on to study Glass Art at the Rochester Institute of Technology, developing a signature style rooted in flameworking and sculptural detail. Ori’s path began in ceramics before a winter assistantship at Wheaton Arts introduced him to the world of hot glass. What started as an escape from a cold pottery studio evolved into years of apprenticeship in Venetian glassblowing, large-scale sculpture, and intricate color work. Together, they founded Shir Glassworks in 2022.
Their work reflects both artists’ deep connection to nature and belief in the interconnectedness of living systems. “Watching seeds grow into fruit, honeybees collecting nectar from flowers, or the way the edge of water transitions into the landscape can all spark visions of patterns and sculpting techniques in glass,” they explain. Beginning with sketches and shared ideas, their creative process moves fluidly between furnace work, flameworking, coldworking, and multimedia elements, combining Madeline’s detailed sculptural forms with Ori’s mastery of pattern, color, and blown glass techniques.Madeline continues to revisit and refine her signature glass octopus, a form she has explored for more than fifteen years, inspired by the fluid movement of molten glass itself. Ori draws upon his background in production glassmaking, incorporating Venetian techniques and decorative patterning that evoke woodgrain, honeycomb, feathers, scales, water, and light. Together, they create work that ranges from delicate figurines to monumental installations, including chandeliers and large-scale public art.
“From fantastical to functional, Shir Glassworks celebrates the beauty of connections within the natural world,” they say. Whether through sculptural animals, lighting, or conceptual works inspired by beekeeping and ecology, their art invites viewers to look closely, discover unexpected details, and recognize the wonder fused into everyday life.
