Dog and Pup Studios
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Cell  208-755-2119
Cell  208-771-2660
Shop IP 425-216-9475
dogandpup@roadrunner.com

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About us and our glass

In the early 80’s my wife tells me that I was whining because I wanted a new toy...she said, “you poor Dog”.  One thing led to another and from that time on, our nick names became Dog and Pup...but then again isn’t that better then Johnson’s glass?  My wife is still the best Pup that I know...it’s been that way for 28 years!  (and hopefully many more years to come.)

Our glass is formed from pure silica with additional chemicals that affect it’s expansion rate, working softness, and set-up time.  Our particular glass silica comes from Lane Mountain Inc. in Valley, Washington...near Chewelah.  The silica rock is shipped to western Washington State where it’s made into glass.   Color in glass is a specific mixture of silica and chemicals...as an example, gold is used to make some pinks and silver can be used to produce some shades of yellow...but this list certainly includes hundreds of different combinations for a rainbow choice of colored glass.  We blow our glass at about 2,200 degrees F. and then slowly cool the finished product to room temperature.  We use a furnace to melt a large container of liquid glass...the container is called a crucible...a blow pipe is dipped into the crucible to obtain enough glass for each item.  We work with large blow pipes and of course...stainless steel construction is mandatory to reduce heat conductivity in all of the tools.  All of the color that we use in our glass product is colored glass, we never use paint of any kind.  Mount St. Helen’s ash does not make glass, however the ash is added in a small amounts to add value as a souvenir...glass is very caustic when liquid and will dissolve small amounts of rock and brick.  Glass has very specific qualities in that it will only mix with a similar type of glass...different formulas can not be mixed….leaded glass, pyrex, soda lime glass, or even window glass...won’t intermix without producing a failure.  Glass is a material that will never truly harden...it’s in a constant state of flux.

Darlene and I sincerely appreciate your purchase of our glass art.  I hope you enjoy your item for years to come...by the way did I mention that all items are signed and dated.     

John and Darlene Johnson