Studio Inferno

Studio Inferno was founded in 1991 as an artist space and a hot glass studio in the New Orleans neighborhood of Bywater.

All of Studio Infernos’ production is hand cast on site and uses 100% recycled glass. Color glass is made by the addition of metals and other chemicals to the raw sand and fluxes. For example, blue glass is made with the addition of cobalt oxide.

Since all of the glass is recycled and colored, they do not need to add any chemicals. The glass is melted in a large furnace that holds 600 lbs of molten glass. The furnace is fueled by natural gas and forced air. The temperature required to melt glass for casting is around 2300 degrees fahrenheit. The energy bill can run as high as $5000 per month. The glass is scooped out of the furnace with a metal ladle, and then poured into the mold and allowed to cool.
Once it has cooled to a temperature of around 1200 degrees, it is placed into an electric oven to finish cooling in a controlled manner. This process is called the annealing process. Most molds are made out of carved graphite or formed sand.

New Orleans and its cultural gumbo of people and customs, music and carnival, has always been a strong inspiration for their production line. Each piece reflects the distinct flavor of our city and is designed to bring southern elegance and a little bit of decadence into your home.