‘Hottest show in town’

When glass artist Andy Libecki and his wife, Mylee Franscisco, moved to Chico from Bellingham, Wash., eight years ago, Bryon Sutherland was the first to welcome them. He drove up from his Gridley glass studio with a six-pack, walked in to Libecki’s studio and gave him a hug. The two have been friends—and co-creators—ever since. When the Camp Fire forced Sutherland (pictured, at left) out of his Gridley rental, the two decided it was time to join forces. So, they opened G-Town Hot Shop as a community space. They’re perhaps most excited about the Hot Glass Royale dinners they host, complete with catered dinner and live glass shows. This Saturday (March 16), they’re holding a “Break It or Buy It” auction starting at noon, where unclaimed items get smashed, and they often do live demos on Friday evenings, when neighbor Eckert Malting & Brewing’s tasting room also is open. Francisco, who also blows glass, runs a dance studio adjoining the space. The shop is at 2280 Ivy St., Ste. 120 (take Park Avenue to Meyers Street, which turns into Ivy), and the showroom is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays. Call 899-9533 or go to gtownhotshop.com for more info.

Any pieces you’re working on now that stand out?

Libecki: Right now we’re working on this frozen waterfall chandelier. It’s phosphorescent, so when all the lights are out it glows in the dark.

Sutherland: And I’m starting to monument heirlooms and relics from the fire. So, I’ve been scavenging in the scrap yards and looking for cool things from the Camp Fire to monument it.

What got you into glass?

Sutherland: At Chico State, I took the glass program and got a glass sculpture degree. I was addicted since the first semester. There are no words—I just thought, this is the only way to live, is to blow glass.

Libecki: My core being is an adventurer, thrill-seeker. I’m always seeking that present moment. My friends had a shop and they needed somebody. I fell into it. But once I touched the glass, I knew it fulfilled that …

Sutherland: Adrenaline rush.

Libecki: Yeah. It forces you into the present moment, the glass—there’s nowhere else you can be.

What do you hope for this place?

Libecki: It’s gratitude town. It’s this place where, first and foremost, we’re happy to be alive. Then it’s also a space where you can leave everything you’re worried about out there [pointing to door] because it doesn’t belong in here; you have to be present in the moment.

Sutherland: It’s therapy.

Libecki: One of our students … said she’s stopped her therapy sessions with a counselor because this is her therapy. That really brought a lot of joy to us.

Tell me about your workshops.

Sutherland: We teach classes every weekend. And we have private classes, where people can rent us, almost any day of the week.

Libecki: People come in with their ideas and we literally help them build it. This one woman is a ferret freak. She came in and said, “I just want to learn to sculpt ferrets.”

Sutherland: And we’ve never sculpted ferrets before.

Libecki: We spent like four hours straight sculpting ferrets. And they’re beautiful—they’re amazing.