Contrary to what you might think, Flame Run Glass Gallery and Studio’s name has nothing to do with glass blowing.

“It comes from an unofficial custom at Centre College,” said owner Brook White, a Centre alum. “It involves a late-night streak across campus, around the flame statue and back to where you live – The Flame Run.”

“I cannot confirm, nor deny, that I have ever taken part in that,” he added.

White opened Flame Run, 828 E. Market St., in 2004 after apprenticing with Center art professor Stephen Powell, then launching the flameworking studio at Glassworks.

“At Centre, I took a glassblowing class to fulfill an art requirement,” he said. The rest, as they say, is history.

Flame Run is one of the few galleries and studios in the area completely dedicated to glass. A variety of one-of-a-kind glass art and jewelry are on display – and up for sale – in the gallery.

Patrons can also watch the  resident artists work on their latest creations.

“I wanted to offer an engaging experience with glass. The studio and gallery are open to the public. Everyone who works here has a deep knowledge of and interest in glass – you’re not dealing with a salesperson,” White said. “We want people to talk and ask questions.”

For the hands-on type, Flame Run offers a variety of classes and workshops, including beginning paperweights, beginning glassblowing and combined introduction to glassblowing seminar (basically the other two classes rolled into one).

Beginning paperweights and beginning glassblowing are two-and-a-half to three hour classes and cost $200 each. Combined introduction is a three-day course (each day is two-and-a-half to three hours) and costs $575.

Flexible scheduling is available.

You’ve likely seen pieces by Flame Run artists around town. Its client list is a Who’s Who of Louisville.

Artists have created pieces for GLI Greater Louisville Inc., Brown–Forman, Kentucky Center for the Arts, Yum! Brands, Jewish Hospital, the Fillies Derby Ball and WHAS Crusade for Children, just to name a few. White is creating a piece for the new Kosair Childrens Hospital wing in East Louisville.

Mark you calendars
Flame Run will debut its new exhibit, “The Usual Suspects,” at the First Friday Trolley Hop Friday night, Feb. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibit will feature a number of current and past Flame Run artists and will run through March 26.

This summer, Flame Run will host glass artists visiting town for the 40th annual Glass Art Society conference. White, the event’s co-chair, said the conference should attract 1,500 to 2,000 people.

“This will really put Louisville on the map when it comes to glass art,” he said.

Visit Flame Run online at flamerun.com or call them at 584-5353.