Specialties
Avolio GlassWerks specializes in artistic, hand blown, kiln formed, and flame worked glass, both functional and decorative. With more that 50 years of combined experience Michael and Judith are capable of designing and creating beautiful one-of-a-kind works for your home, garden or office, lighting and wall treatments, unique gifts, corporate awards, memorials, commercial / architectural installations.
History
Established in 1999.
Avolio GlassWerks was started in 1999 as Michael Fortin began his professional glass arts career as a flame worker, specializing in jewelry, perfume bottles and functional art. In 2002 Michael began experimenting with traditional furnace blown glass, expanding his work to include larger items; vases, bowls, paperweights and sculpture. Judith Konesni and Michael Fortin joined forces in 2006. As a team Judith and Michael were able to take on larger more demanding jobs including residential and commercial lighting and large scale installations.
In 2014 Michael and Judith built a home studio for glass blowing, and continue to maintain the gallery space within the Park Trades Center, located in downtown Kalamazoo.
Meet the Business Owner: Michael and Judith A.
Michael Fortin was born in a place some call, "God's country," the upper peninsula of Michigan in 1973. As a youth, Marquette's picturesque location along the Lake Superior shore offered him countless examples of art in nature. Michael has been involved as an artist for most of his living years, first as a musician and now as a glass artist.
Judith Konesni was born in "The Glass Capital," Toledo, Ohio in the summer of 1959. While growing up in the Toledo area Judith was exposed to glass, both the industrial process and the artistic endeavors that have earned Toledo it's rightful place in the history of the American glass movement. After studying painting, and sculpture at the University of Toledo she was given an opportunity through a joint program with the Toledo Museum of Art to redirect her efforts toward glass. She received her B.F.A. in 1981 as a painting major with a double minor in sculpture and glass.