Mack Glass brings 20-ft glass Christmas tree to Coliseum
What starts as a spark can ignite a whole community.
Your support can help Mack Glass and The Baby Fold as they partner to create a transformation during the 17th annual Festival of Trees.
Join Jason Mack, owner of local glassblowing studio Mack Glass, and his team of artists as they wind hot glass into a 20-foot tall glass Christmas tree. The public is invited to view this process, which will take place during the Festival of Trees. Join Jason and his team November 12 and 13 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day and on November 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to watch the tree take shape.
Mack and company will have their furnace on site in front of the US Cellular Coliseum along U.S. Route 51. They will be melting recycled container glass at 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. After the glass liquefies overnight, they will gather it from the furnace crucible and trail it onto a large steel armature, while rotating the frame to create a spun effect. The tree will remain on display until Feb. 1 and will be lit up each night.
“I am honored to team up with The Baby Fold, a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for today’s most vulnerable children. The work they do is immense and they truly make a difference.”
In addition to supporting The Baby Fold, you are encouraged to help Jason and his team by donating clear and green glass of any kind, with the exception of window glass. “The community helps build the tree and becomes a part of the work. That’s what makes the tree event so exciting; it’s about building something together.”
Mack Glass will have an array of hand-blown glass items on sale to help fund the building of the tree. Thirty percent of proceeds from the sale will be donated to The Baby Fold. For those who donate $25 to help support the glass Christmas tree project, they will receive a Christmas ornament hand-blown from recycled glass. Fifty percent of donations will in turn be donated to The Baby Fold. If interested in contributing to this project, contact Jason Mack at (630) 303-0493.
Mack Glass Company, LLC was established by Jason Mack in April 2008 as a vehicle for producing glass sculpture and fine art events. Currently, their home base is situated in a late 19th century factory in Bloomington, Ill. The company is composed of three core members and a number of freelance artists who vary depending on the production. You can find Mack Glass online, including photos of last year’s Christmas tree, at http://www.mackglass.com.
