Blown Away Contestants John Sharvin and Minhi England Collaborate in Corning

Join us at The Museum over Spring Break as we host stars from the hit Netflix show Blown Away, John Sharvin and Minhi England! John, from Pittsburgh, PA, came third behind season runner-up Minhi of Seattle, WA, in the popular third outing of the show streamed around the world in 2022.

Both artists will be at the Museum for meet-and-greet opportunities in The Shops on Friday, April 7 from 1-2pm, and will be demonstrating live from the Amphitheater Hot Shop that Saturday and Sunday culminating with a brand-new collaboration between the two on Monday.

Ahead of their visit, we caught up with the pair to see what they have in store for us.

• Is this your first time at The Corning Museum of Glass and what expectations do you have?

Minhi: “I grew up in upstate NY in a small town called Carthage. After high school, I attended Alfred University and after finding glass there, my summer intensive glass class went to The Corning Museum of Glass for a field trip. That was my first and only time going to the Museum. We went to watch glass legend Dante Marioni do a live demonstration and drove there in a white-out blizzard. Luckily, we made it there just fine with a big group of very happy glassblowers.

“I am incredibly excited to return for the first time in over a decade. It will be very fun for me to compare this visit with my previous one and to reminisce on how far I have come. I expect to see some familiar faces and to make some new friends as well. I intend to visit the Rakow Library because it was one of my favorite parts of CMoG. Mostly I’m hoping to connect with some Blown Away fans and that everyone enjoys watching the pieces that I make!”

John Sharvin: “The first (and only) time I have been to The Corning Museum of Glass was for the 2016 GAS Conference (I think that was the year, maybe 2015). It was an incredible time to finally visit the Museum! The Museum’s collection was stunning, and it was also the grand opening of the new contemporary wing. I was particularly inspired by the Blaschkas exhibit (Fragile Legacy) that was on display and also the miniature diorama of a traditional sheet glass factory. I hope this visit to CMoG will be as exciting as my last one. Things have definitely changed for me since that first visit as I had just started my full-time position as a Studio Glass Technician. It seems like a lifetime ago and looking back on that time I view myself as still a beginner in the glass world. I hope this trip will not only provide the chance for visitors to watch me work in person but also for me to be inspired again by the Museum’s collection.”

• What do you hope to share with our visitors during your visit?

John Sharvin: “I am excited to release a few new products during my visit. My demonstrations will be a brief overview of some of my production work of barware inspired by automated machining and 3D modeling processes. This work is a merging of traditional glass-blowing techniques with new technologies, they are sort of a representation of the way I approach glass as a medium. I will also be making some of my more sculptural work which will be more familiar to viewers who watched Blown Away. I hope that visitors will get the chance to meet me and ask questions and learn a little more about me as a person off-camera. I love talking about glassmaking and my artwork!”

Minhi: “During my visit, I will be sculpting some floral pieces that I have been working on over the past year. John Sharvin and I have also been planning a collaborative demonstration which is a mashup of our interests and sculpting styles. The two of us have had a few opportunities to demonstrate together since the show, so I’m sure it will be a lot of fun. Besides that, I am an open book! I love to answer questions and share parts of my life with anyone who is curious. Meeting viewers of Blown Away has been the most rewarding experience since the premiere. Tell me all the things, ask me all the questions! I am 100% here for it.”

• How has being on Blown Away impacted your career?

Minhi: “As an artist, it’s so important that my work has deep ties to me and my story. I think about everything I create as giving a little part of me to the world. First and foremost, Blown Away has given me the opportunity to expand my network. This kind of exposure has linked me with so many people, near and far. It gives me a little comfort knowing that I have already shared so much of myself with anyone who has seen the show. Lots of people have told me that they feel like they already know me, and I believe that alone has opened the door to many new opportunities. Sharing my story has introduced me to communities beyond the art world. Since glass is such a big part of my life, I am able to take it along with me and create new connections between these communities. I think that’s pretty incredible.”

John Sharvin: “It has been a massive game-changer in my glass career! Blown Away helped me gain confidence in my glass-making abilities and led to the pursuit of my passion as my full-time career. Blown Away also has helped me connect with a global audience that otherwise may never have seen my artwork. It has been rewarding to hear from fans from all over the world about how my work has touched and inspired them.”

• And finally, how have you spent the last year following the release of Blown Away Season 3?

John Sharvin: “This past year has been a whirlwind of new things!!! I left my full-time employment as a studio technician to pursue glass art full-time. It has been a steep learning curve but has also been very rewarding and fulfilling. I have been traveling a lot blowing glass and have had some really memorable experiences such as TA-ing for some amazing artists out at Pilchuck, my first artist residency, and my current exhibition with Minhi England and John Moran at Pittsburgh Glass Center. Collaborating with John and Minhi has been really exciting, and we have made some pretty fun work together! I have also been hard at work designing not only new functional ware but also developing and exploring a new body of artwork.”

Minhi: “The best way I can describe the last year is that it has been a marathon. Every time I reach the finish line to one goal, the next challenge is waiting for me on the other side (now that I think about it, it’s been similar to competing on Blown Away in that sense). For the most part, I am a one (wo)man show. Every message/email, every piece of glass, and every package has been made possible through my fingertips. There has not been a single dull moment. I’ve ventured to glassblowing studios and galleries across the United States that I previously never knew existed, doing demonstrations, exhibitions, and viewing artwork by other artists. I have participated in artist residencies where I was able to experiment with new ideas and was honored to co-teach a class at Pilchuck Glass School last summer. I’m most proud about finally creating several large-scale works that I have dreamt about for many years. This last year, I have given myself permission to lean into the unknown and live the life that I never knew I could have.”

Join John and Minhi at the Museum from Friday, April 7 onwards.

Friday, April 7, 1-2pm

Don’t miss a special opportunity to meet John and Minhi in The Shops. Both artists will be available for photos, questions, and to sign autographs.

Saturday, April 8, 10am-4pm

John will demonstrate live in the Amphitheater Hot Shop.

Sunday, April 9, 10am-4pm

Minhi will demonstrate live in the Amphitheater Hot Shop.

Monday, April 10, 2-4pm

Watch John Sharvin and Minhi England collaborate on a brand-new creation live in the Amphitheater Hot Shop. This exciting collaboration will also be livestreamed on the Museum’s YouTube channel.

And, while you’re here, don’t forget to visit our special Blown Away Season 3 mini-exhibition to see artworks from the show by both of these artists and all of their fellow contestants.