It starts as a powdered mixture known as Soda Glass.

However, after being placed in the furnace and reaching a temperature of 2300 degrees, the glass melts into a shapeable liquid that looks like the inside of a lava lamp.

The glass student can then shape and mold it into anything as it sticks to the end of a steel rod known as a “punti,” and is reheated in a small opening in the furnace known as the glory hole.

These are just the basics for the members of the Student Art Glass Association, a group comprised of various art students and glass blowers.

“We all depend on each other most of the time,” said Danny White, secretary for SAGA, who has been working with glass for two years now.

SAGA allows students to develop their glass skills by bringing in visiting artists for demonstrations and providing members with field trip opportunities to established glass art schools across the country.

Student’s glass work, which range from intricate floral designs to drinking goblets, are found all around the studio.

“We’re a hugely tight organization,” said Jared Rosenacker, a film and art major as well as vice-president for SAGA, who got into glass blowing through a roommate and decided to take a second major in art his senior year. “In that room, everything is so hot and loud we can still band together to produce something that’s shiny and nice. I haven’t seen another organization with so many aspects that has this much fun doing it.”

The glass studio is separated into two sections known as the “hot room,” where glass is heated and shaped; and the “cold room,” where the glass is ground and polished in its tempered state. According to White, this is the room where most injuries occur.

“We’re not just a bunch of dirty hippies,” said Alexander Zimmerman, a Liberal Studies major in his second year of the glass blowing program. “Bowling Green actually used to be called the ‘Crystal City.’ There were several glass factories here that used natural gas from the swamps.”

According to members of SAGA, Bowling Green is an excellent school for glass blowing.

“It’s really rich in history,” White said. “The Mid-West has a dominant glass trade. Our equipment is outdated, but we’re getting new grants and I think Bowling Green is going to be the new hotspot.”

Throughout the year, SAGA puts on sales as fundraisers.

“Only so much [money] is in our budget. We try to raise money to bring in visiting artists [who are] successful in the business to work hands on with,” Rosenacker said.

This month, famed glass maestro Elio Quarisa will be stopping by, an event not just for glassblowers, but open to any students interested in attending.

“We also use the money for new equipment to keep us on the cutting edge,” Rosenacker said.

Right now, members of SAGA feel their equipment is outdated.

“We’re going green,” Rosenacker said. “We’re getting two, 500 pound electric glass furnaces. Everything we use now is gas, so we’re cutting our gas bill by 75%. Our new glory holes can go off and on in the flash of a second. Right now it’s the difference between a chainsaw and a jet engine.”

SAGA has sales during St. Patrick’s Day and live demonstrations at the Black Swamp Arts Festival, among other events.

The next event will be taking place this week through Friday in the lobby of the Student Union and will accept cards, checks and BG1 cards.

The sale will include hand-crafted glass such as hearts, flowers and other valentine themed art.