Hot Shop Staff

Jacob Pfeifer

OWNER & HEAD ARTIST
Read more about Jake’s story here.
Eric Warren

GAFFER
As a glass artist, I am focused on showcasing the simple beauty of glass through my work. My goal is to create pieces that are clean and elegant, highlighting the natural qualities of the medium in all their glory. I approach each piece with a meticulous attention to detail, honing my craft over years of practice and heavy experimentation. I believe that the true beauty of glass lies in its transparency and its ability to bend light, and I seek to highlight these qualities in new and unexpected ways. Through my art, I hope to inspire others to appreciate the unique qualities of glass as a medium, and to see the beauty in simplicity. Each piece I create is a reflection of my passion for glass art and a testament to the endless possibilities of this fascinating material.
Cristian (Jimmy) Maldonado

GAFFER
Glass blowing is one of the most difficult crafts I have ever learned, but the chance to challenge myself in a new artistic way has opened my eyes to a plethora of possibilities. I love the satisfaction of making something out of nothing and watching the fruits of my labor take shape as I am creating. Through all the good and bad days I know my day is fulfilled by doing something I love. Glass has consumed me and I’m in the belly of the beast!
Hannah Strunk

GAFFER
Hannah Felix Strunk is a queer feminist glass artist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hannah works in blown glass, stained glass, soft glass, and casting, often combining the different techniques in singular pieces. Much of Hannah’s work centers around the concept of dismantling social stigmas and stereotypes. Hannah has a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in Glassblowing from Georgia Southwestern State University and has been practicing in glass art since 2018. Hannah welcomes all pronouns without preference.
Greg Vriethoff

GAFFER
Greg Vriethoff has been a glassblower at Hot Glass Alley for a year and a half. He experienced glass blowing for the first time as an undergraduate sculpture major in 1998. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, he spent four years in Seattle working as an assistant for several glass artists in the area. He continued to hone his skills in glass making attending classes and workshops at various schools such as Pratt Fine Arts Center and Pilchuck Glass School. In 2003, he moved to southern California to pursue graduate studies at the University of California Fullerton with an emphasis in glass art. Prior to relocating to Charlotte in 2014, he worked for numerous artists’ studios, as well as the commercial glass manufacturing industry in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon. Greg specializes in blowing, hot sculpting, casting, kiln forming, and cold working. His work often references the body, and anatomical structures.
Paige Browning
John Shoemaker