South Jersey’s World-Class Glass Legacy: The 2025 International Flameworking Conference at Salem Community College
South Jersey’s World-Class Glass Legacy: The 2025 International Flameworking Conference at Salem Community College
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the 2025 International Flameworking Conference (IFC) at Salem Community College (SCC) in Carneys Point. I left with a fresh appreciation for just how much South Jersey contributes to arts and culture—not just locally but globally. The conference, hosted in SCC’s top-notch Samuel and Jean Jones Glass Education Center, gathered glass artists, scientific glassblowers, students, and cultural professionals from around the world for three days of demonstrations, lectures, and community building.
Salem County Community College might not be the first name that comes up in national arts conversations—but it should be. This is one of those underrated treasures that South Jersey is known for. The Glass Program at SCC is not only well known across the U.S.—it even draws attention from overseas. It is, in fact, the only college in the nation that teaches students to work with scientific glass. Students from across the country and overseas come to Carneys Point to study here, and it was clear from the talent and diversity represented at this year’s conference why that reputation continues to grow.
What really sets SCC’s glass program apart is its location within a region historically tied to the roots of American glassmaking. Southern New Jersey—Salem County in particular—has been a center for glass production since the early 18th century, thanks to its rich natural resources. The abundance of high-quality silica sand, nearby woodlands for fuel, and easy access to waterways made this area ideal for glassmaking. In fact, the first successful glass factory in the United States was established just down the road in Alloway Township in 1739. Over time, this legacy grew into a vital part of the region’s identity, from industrial glass and bottle factories to the rise of studio glass artistry in the 20th century. Today, institutions like Salem Community College and nearby WheatonArts continue to honor and evolve this tradition, reminding the world that South Jersey has deep roots and a leading edge in glasswork.
One of the standout moments for me was attending the lecture by Michał Adamski, a scientific glassworker from Poland. Adamski is a self-taught glassblower who now works at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Wrocław, designing and fabricating high-tech equipment from materials like borosilicate and quartz glass. His story stood out—not just because of what he’s accomplished, but for how he built his career from the ground up. Working in a makerspace he founded, Adamski taught himself the skills necessary to innovate in the flameworking space. He shared plenty of images showcasing the precision and artistry of his work, but what stood out most was the personal story he wove into his presentation: when he was courting his partner, a fellow flameworker, she couldn’t find the necessary mold to bend neon glass locally—so he built one for her himself, crafting a custom aluminum mold from scratch! It was both a resourceful, creative solution and a romantic gesture—a sweet example of how this hands-on work can carry a lot of heart.
Throughout the event, I chatted with artists and cultural professionals from WheatonArts, SCC students, and conference goers. I also had the opportunity to speak briefly with Melissa Daly, Director of the SCC Foundation. She talked about how the Foundation helps students—from down the road or across the ocean—through scholarships and endowments. The Glass Program at SCC is thriving not only because of its exceptional faculty and facilities, but because there’s real support behind the scenes to help students succeed. There are multiple programs and opportunities for the community to engage, and Daly hopes they do just that.
This type of excellence—in a small-town college tucked into the Salem County landscape—really shows the kind of talent and creativity coming out of South Jersey. Too often, the region is overlooked in statewide conversations about the arts. Still, places like Salem County College (SCC) make it clear that we have institutions doing remarkable work right here. South Jersey has a cultural landscape alive with energy, new ideas, and strong local history, from historic towns and museums to our performing arts centers, creative entrepreneurs, and community-based organizations.
The International Flameworking Conference is an excellent example of how our local institutions link South Jersey’s makers and artists to folks working all over the world. It’s also a reminder of why supporting and investing in our region’s cultural infrastructure is important—because it’s not just about what we offer locally, but also how we’re part of the larger ecosystem of arts and culture.
If you haven’t visited Salem Community College’s Glass Center or attended the IFC before, I encourage you to check out their website, https://www.salemcc.edu/glass/experience, for ways to engage. You’ll leave with a whole new respect for the skill—and a real sense of how much history is here.
Visit SJCA.net for all the latest info on South Jersey Arts & Culture!
