Netflix reality show winner creates new glass specifically for one type of drink
A glassblower from Wolverhampton who won a Netflix reality series about the trade has created the world's first sparkling water glass.
Elliot Walker was crowned the winner of the second series of Blown Away for his impressive glass art, and has now taken on a brand new creative challenge.
The 35-year-old was contacted by SodaStream about designing and creating the world's first especially designed glass for sparkling water, for people to use with their new Art Sparkling Water Maker machine.
Elliot, who is originally from Wolverhampton but now lives in Kinver, said: "The idea was that most of the time, you just get a non-specific beaker for sparkling water, but you do get specific glasses for wine and champagne.
"I was working with one of only two water sommeliers in the country, Doran Binder, who gave me two requirements for the glass. These were a narrow top and a wide base, so the glass collects the bubbles and sends them up to your face."
Elliot picked up the skills of the trade in the Black Country - studying at Dudley College before completing a master's degree from the Wolverhampton School of Art in Design and Applied Arts, which later became Design and Applied Arts - Glass.
Sadly, the course has now been axed by the university which has scrapped 138 courses due to a £20 million deficit and 10 per cent fall in UCAS applications.
"It's a shame, there are so few places where you can learn these skills," Elliot said.
The glass artist is based in the heart of the Black Country, at Stourbridge's Red House Glass Cone, where him and his partner Bethany Wood run Blowfish Glass - a leading hybrid hot shop and exhibition space.
"We started our studio at the worst possible time," Elliot admitted, "when we started, the country was facing transportation issues, and now there's the energy crisis.
"We're looking at future-proofing, but electric furnaces are more expensive than gas ones as gas is cheaper than electric.
"Everyone's struggling with energy prices but luckily we've been very busy and people are really interested in the process. We're seeing a renaissance of glass.
"But it's going to become increasingly difficult for other studios, I've heard some places with previous bills of £14,000-£20,000 facing bills of £200,000. The new quotations are ridiculous."
Elliot's sparkling water glass has a nucleated, bubble texture base, which ensures a constant vertical stream of bubbles, as well as a wide base and narrow top to allow the bubbles to concentrate in your mouth as you sip.
However, it is a strictly limited product, with the first 100 shoppers of the Art Sparkling Water Maker who use the ARTOFGLASS code receiving one of the free glasses.
For more information on Elliot's studio and art, go to blowfishglassart.com.
