Get Creative: Steal like a glassblower!

The Art of Creative Theft

I am not talking about stealing the cutlery from a restaurant. I am not talking about stealing toiletries from hotels. I am talking about stealing ideas and inspiration—the kind of creative theft that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.

The Fear That Holds Us Back

"I'm just not a creative person." I hear this phrase often in my glassblowing classes, usually whispered by someone who's just walked through the door with nervous excitement and visible apprehension. They've booked a private glassblowing experience, but they're already apologising for what they assume will be their inevitable failure.

I understand that fear. Creativity can feel intimidating, like stepping into a room where everyone speaks a language you've never learned. We tell ourselves we're not artistic enough, not imaginative enough, not talented enough. But here's what I've discovered after years of teaching: creativity isn't a fixed trait that some people have and others don't. It's more like a muscle that grows stronger with use, and sometimes all it needs is the right medium to help it flex.

handblown drinking glass

Shell inspiration

handblown glass

patterned glass

When Nature Becomes Your Teacher

This summer I found a beautiful shell, I saw something else entirely: the blueprint for my next glass design. Back in my studio, I carefully studied those shell markings, then I began the process of translation—taking nature's three-dimensional masterpiece and reimagining it as patterns on drinking glasses. The result? A tumbler that captured the essence of that beach discovery, each one bearing the ghost of ocean waves frozen in glass.

This is what Austin Kleon calls "stealing like an artist" in his brilliant book of the same name. It's not about copying—it's about transformation, interpretation, and finding your own voice through the work that moves you.

The Magic That Happens in the Studio

The same person who walked into my studio convinced they lack creativity will, within two and a half hours, choose a stunning combination of emerald green and deep amber. They'll shape their piece with an intuitive grace they didn't know they possessed. They'll step back and look at what they've created—something entirely unique, something that carries their personal vision—and the transformation is remarkable.

"Did I really make this?" they ask, and I can see the moment when they realise that creativity was there all along, waiting for the right medium to coax it out.

Glass has this incredible power to inspire. Maybe it's the way it captures and plays with light, or how it responds to heat and breath and gentle pressure. Maybe it's because working with molten glass requires you to be completely present—there's no room for self-doubt when you're focused on the rhythm of the work. Whatever the reason, I've watched countless "non-creative" people discover their artistic voice through this ancient craft.

The Difference Between Stealing and Copying

True creative theft requires something that mere copying doesn't: your unique perspective. When I translated those shell patterns onto glass, I wasn't trying to recreate the shell exactly. I was asking myself: "What is it about these patterns that speaks to me? How can I capture that feeling in my own medium?"

This is exactly what happens in my classes. Someone might see a sunset photograph on the wall and feel drawn to those orange and purple hues. They don't try to recreate the photograph—they steal its emotional impact and translate it into their own glass vessel, adding their personal touch through shape and form.

Don't Let Fear Win

If you've been thinking about trying a glassblowing class but hesitating because you don't think you're creative enough, let me share a secret: your creativity will flow when you're here. I've seen it happen hundreds of times. The combination of the warm studio, the mesmerizing dance of molten glass, and the supportive environment creates a space where creativity can emerge naturally.

You don't need to arrive with a masterpiece in mind. You don't need artistic training or natural talent. You just need to be willing to play, to experiment, and to trust that your instincts will guide you toward something beautiful.

The Ethics of Creative Inspiration

There's an important distinction here that every creative person must understand: you can steal from the world, from nature, from the way light falls or water moves, but you must be respectful when drawing from other artists' work. When you're inspired by another creator, acknowledge it. Transform it. Make it unmistakably yours.

The shell that inspired my glasses? Nature created it over years of oceanic pressure and time. I'm not competing with the ocean—I'm celebrating it, translating its beauty into a new form that can grace someone's dinner table.

The Beautiful Cycle of Influence

The truth is, we're all part of an endless cycle of creative influence. The shell that inspired my glasses was shaped by countless tides and storms. My glasses might one day catch someone else's eye and inspire their ceramic work, which might influence an architect's building facade, which might inspire a poet's metaphor.

This is how culture moves forward—not through isolated genius, but through the beautiful, interconnected web of shared inspiration. We steal from each other, from nature, from the world around us, and in doing so, we create something entirely new.

Every student who walks through my studio door becomes part of this cycle. Their unique perspective, combined with the infinite possibilities of glass, creates something that has never existed before. They steal inspiration from everywhere—from memories of their grandmother's jewelry, from the way light filters through autumn leaves, from the colours in their child's finger painting—and transform it into something tangible and beautiful.

Take the Leap

So yes, steal like an artist. Steal from sunsets and subway tiles, from the way your grandmother folds laundry and the sound of children playing in the park. Steal from everything that makes you pause and wonder. Just remember to transform it, to make it yours, and to create something beautiful from the theft.

And if you've been holding back from exploring glassblowing because you're afraid you're not creative enough, I have news for you: you are. Your creativity is waiting, ready to flow like molten glass. Don't be scared of booking that glassblowing class at my studio where you will have the space to yourself and whoever you bring with you. Book your own session here or see more clips of my shell inspired tumbler on insta here