Cal Breed: Functional Art in Glass

Cal Breed was raised in Alabama, and chose a beautiful setting in rural Fort Payne for the site of his glassblowing studio.

Since 2002, Orbix Hot Glass has distinguished itself through its refined handmade glassware and its connections with those who appreciate clean design and excellent quality in studio art glass. In 2013 the Huntsville Museum of Art recognized Cal’s influence and contributions to glass art with a solo exhibition.

Making pitchers by hand was never their intent as a company, but the Orbix pitcher has come to be one of their defining pieces. The starting point goes all the way back to Cal’s first class in glassblowing when his instructor demonstrated a clear glass pitcher. "When Orbix opened in 2002, making a pitcher began as a daily exercise to understand glass more intimately — a training tool in the refinement of the connection between eye, hand, and idea. Recognizing balance, grace, and proportion takes attentive practice for the craftsman and artist.”

“We make one pitcher at a time, stripping down decoration and focusing on form day after day, year after year. There really is no shortcut. No shaping molds, no machines, just a solid glassblowing team, a lot of sweat, a lot of laughs, and a lot of broken glass. Hard conversations are never easy, and getting to know glass as a material stands as no exception. We would like to introduce you to the Orbix Pitchers.”