New glass blowing studio, gallery opens in Dayton; grand opening this weekend

Owner Dustin Wagner is originally from Findlay, which he described as once being known as the glass capital of the country. He’s been living a minimalistic life, traveling and working every day to become a glass blower.

He recalled family trips to Estes Park in Colorado where he and his brother were fascinated with watching the art of glass blowing at a local studio.

“There was an instant attraction because there’s such a physical part of blowing glass,” Wagner said. “You have to be strong and precise like a boxer, but yet graceful like a ballerina.”

His brother learned how to blow glass in college and taught Wagner the art when he was a senior in high school. Wagner initially went to California for glassblowing right after high school, but it didn’t workout. He spent his 20s playing and writing music, joining a band and working for different glass blowers.

“All the stuff in my 20s was really preparing me for this bigger, greater thing that I didn’t even think I could do,” Wagner said.

What really changed the direction of his career was when he moved to Springfield about six years ago.

“I encourage so many people to move to a smaller town, hone in on your craft, keep doing it, save money for 10 years and then you can invest in yourself,” Wagner said.

With the support from his family and friends, Wagner and his girlfriend purchased the building at 1900 E. Second St. The 10,000-square-foot warehouse space features 5,000-square feet of space filled with artists and creators. Nyminal Glass takes up the other half of the space.

“I realized about two years into working on this place, that it’s really not about me anymore,” Wagner said.

Nyminal Glass is for the community. Wagner is looking forward to helping people understand their strengths as they perceive glass in their own unique way. He hopes to team up with places like Dayton Children’s Hospital to create sponsorship programs.

The 38-year-old is an explorer of art and jack of all trades. When you walk into the studio, he may be playing the banjo or carving arrowheads out of glass using simple tools like an antler or stone. He also does metal working and creates custom molds for himself using items he finds on the streets.

Wagner’s style of glass blowing features a lot of texture. In his mid-20s he started collecting tools from antique stores and using them to sculpt glass and make it look different.

“I really want people to interact with the glass,” Wagner said. “Not just look at it, but really be able to feel it.”

He has spent the last eight years traveling all over the Midwest building and finding his clientele.

“It took everything for me to put this together,” Wagner said. “Anybody that walks through the door to me is a blessing in disguise.”

More details

For more information, visit nyminalglass.com or the studio’s Facebook or Instagram pages. To book a class, call 419-348-9203 or email nyminalglass@gmail.com.