William Chris Lowry
With his career in glass beginning as early as age seven, Chris Lowry has spent most of his life improving his art. Functional glass with a strong aesthetic appeal, his work has been described as “natural” and “captivating.” In his words, Chris states, “My work has a strong personality. A piece should grab your attention and then be able to keep it.”

Growing up in his father’s glass shop on the Northern Oregon Coast. Chris became serious about his art at age 18 when he moved to Oahu. Working as an assistant teacher to glassblower Hugh Jenkins at Punahou School, Chris found himself with the freedom to explore the different possibilities glass had to offer. Feeling more like a student himself, Chris credits Hugh as being his first real teacher, “Hugh taught me that fundamentals you limit your capabilities.

With skills learned on Oahu, Chris’ move to Maui and a job with Bill and Sally Worchester at Hot Island Glass taught him the importance of developing a sense of marketability.

Christopher Scott Richards
Chris grew up in Issaquah, Washington, just outside Seattle. His first exposure to glassblowing was as a child, on frequent trips to Cannon Beach, Oregon, where his Aunt and Uncle Sally and Bill Worcester, owned a glass studio and gallery. Growing up, Chris had always loved to tinker and build things, but never saw himself as an artist. Before eventually finding his way back to Bill and Sally’s glass shop as a young adult, he had already become an accomplished musician, and had worked as a mechanic, a painter, a welder and a baker.

In 1992, Chris moved to Maui to apprentice with Bill and Sally at their new studio, Hot Island Glass. After a year, he moved back to Seattle to blow glass full time. The allure of glass as a medium had taken hold by this time, and he was ready to learn as much as he could from the thriving community of glassworkers in the area.

In 1997, Chris moved back to Maui and began working with a friend and fellow glass artist, Chris Lowry, at Hot Island Glass. In May of 2000, Chris and Chris bought the business, and have continued to make and sell their unique designs there.