All throughout the month of October, The Arts Commission and The Toledo Symphony will be celebrating creativity in music and glass in our community through a series of events called Hot Glass Cool Music. Hot Glass Cool Music is a sneak peak at the community festival that will take place next year. By connecting all things music and glass in Toledo, The Arts Commission and The Toledo Symphony will celebrate Toledo’s heritage as the Glass City and highlight its history as the birthplace of the studio glass movement.

Dominick Labino was largely responsible for Toledo’s glass movement. His serious research into the development of color resulted in glass compositions with unusual and exciting effects. He had such a command on the chemistry of glass, that he was able to achieve colors that were uniquely his own.

Labino created free-hand blown glass; designing and building his own furnaces, annealing ovens, glass-blowing tools and finishing equipment. At thefirst Glass Workshop, held by the Toledo Museum of Art in 1962, he redesigned a furnace that has been brought to the museum. He also furnished the glass, #475 marbles for the first experiments in studio glassblowing. Later, he crafted a portable furnace and an annealing oven and sent them to the World Crafts Conference at Columbia University in 1963, enabling them to offer glassblowing as a program.

Labino held four seminars on glassblowing in his workshop for the Toledo Museum of Art until the Crafts Building was opened in 1969. He then helped setup a glassblowing class at Bowling Green State University in 1972.

Thanks to his tireless dedication to glass, and the large participation in his seminars and workshops, Labino played a very important role in the establishment of studio glass as a medium of art in Toledo.

MONTH OF GLASS AND MUSIC CALENDAR 2016

Hot Glass | Cool Music encompasses many music and glass-related events in September and October 2016. Stay tuned to our website for the most up-to-date calendar.

• Hot Glass Gallery, Open Daily, September 15- October 20, 2016, Edison Building, 300 Madison.
• Toledo Lucas County Public Library Main Library, 325 Michigan, welcomes the public to view its own glass treasures during regular business hours.  A Dale Chihuly sculpture titled Reeds can be seen on the first-floor Wintergarden area. A black marble plinth with a wood underbelly supports 23 red glass spikes ranging from 3-8 feet tall.  The library is also home to a Vitrolite mural highlighting the various fields of knowledge and literary characters.
• The Difference Between Jelly & Jam, September 27- October 22, 2016, BGSU Glass Alumni, Faculty, Students and Friends Exhibition at the Parkwood Gallery, 1838 Parkwood, Monday- Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Toledo Stained Glass Guild, October 1, 2016, 11am-6pm, Toledo Botanical Gardens, 5403 Elmer Drive, Studio #2, Toledo.
• Hot Shots, October 1, 2016, 6:00-9:00 p.m., Edison Building, 300 Madison. For tickets: 419.246.8000 or toledosymphony.com.
• “Murder Set in Glass” Murder Mystery, Thursday, October 6, 2016, 6:00 p.m. Toledo Club. For tickets: 419.246.8000 or toledosymphony.com.
• Firenation Pumpkin Blow, October 7, 2016, 6:00-10:00 p.m., 7166 Front Street, Holland, OH.
• Toledo Symphony Presents Heroes Symphony, Thursday, October 13, 7:00 p.m., Valentine Theatre. Tickets $30 (Student $10). For tickets: 419.246.8000 or toledosymphony.com.
• Schmidt Messenger Studio OPEN HOUSE, Friday, October 14, 2016, 4:00-9:00p.m. and Saturday, October 15, 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.. The gallery features the work of Shawn Messenger, Jack Schmidt, Ian Schmidt and Tim Stover. 340 Morris Street, Toledo.
• Hot Glass Gala Auction, October 20, 2016, Edison Building, 300 Madison, 6:00-10:00 p.m. For tickets: 419.246.8000 or toledosymphony.com.
• Gathered Glassblowing Studio featuring Julia and Robin Rogers,  October 21, 2016, 23 N. Huron St., Toledo.
• Glass Fashion Show Gala, October 22, 2016, Toledo Museum of Art.