One of the best arts and crafts you can find on the coast is glass blowing. You don’t want to miss the Alder House III.

This picture was taken while the artist was blowing a beautiful vase. It started out as a glob and ended up as a very pretty vase. It is very fascinating watch him work and they have some beautiful pieces on display. I always wind up buying something from him.

You will find many great glass artists along the Oregon Coast.

When visiting the Oregon Coast, you can find beauty not only in its natural surroundings, but also, in all that’s inspired by it. Not surprisingly, artistic expression flourishes in the region and whether it’s watercolors or metalworks, stoneware or porcelain, glassworks or bronzes, beautiful creations is seemingly everywhere.

Indeed, the difficult part will be choosing what to see first and next. To help, you might wish to narrow down your choices to a particular art form. For instance, ever wish to see the ancient art of glass blowing live and in-color? You need not travel to Italy to do so. In Oregon, famed studios open their doors year-round, welcoming visitors up and down the coastline.

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On the Oregon Coast, it’s easy to see where local glassblowers get their inspiration. The coast, with its canvas of texture and color, is a very natural fit for the hued art of glass blowing. In your travels, map a few galleries that specialize in this art form and make a journey of it. Not only will you get to see an eye-popping craft up-close, but you’ll also get to visit some lovely towns along the way. It’s win-win!

Starting from Astoria, the Oregon Coast meanders along the Pacific Ocean all the way down to the California border. All in all, it travels some 370 miles and along that route, there are a number of spectacular art galleries and studios to visit. For glass blowing, a fine first stop would be Icefire Glassworks in Cannon Beach.

The gallery itself features the aesthetics of the 1970s and the artwork within also reflects an unconventional, sensual approach to the art. There, visitors can watch Icefire’s leading artists James Kingwell and Suzanne Kindland transform “smooth as water” glass into one-of-kind pieces. After your tour, take a trip out to the eponymous Cannon Beach for a peak at local landmark Haystack Rock.

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Back on the road, you’ll next come upon Oregon’s Central Coast, where Alder House III and Earthworks can be found – both in Lincoln City. If you’re only able to make one stop along the coast, make it Alder House III, the oldest glass-blowing studio in Oregon. From vases and bowls to paperweights and pipes, the only limit to what can be made seems to be the calendar.

Open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily, visitors are welcomed to come and observe glass blowing starting March 15 through the end of November each year. Alder House III is located just four miles south of Lincoln City, where you’ll also find the Connie Hansen Gardens (free admission), the Cascade Head Trails, and during spring and summer, kite-flying festivals.

Finally, if you make it to the South Coast, stop by the Bandon Glass Art Studio and Gallery in the seaside town of Bandon. It too offers tours of its master glass blowers, like Dutch Schulze, famed for his kaleidoscope use of color. Owned and operated by Dutch and Aro Schulze and their son, Jaffy, the family has been creating glass-blown art for over 15 years (and counting).