Born in Trinity County, Michael Hopko graduated from Trinity High School in 1990. He then enrolled at Shasta College, where he took art classes. As is so often the case, one inspiring teacher ignited a spark in Hopko’s mind and heart. The teacher was Cliff Sowder, who emphasized following one’s own creativity in interpreting nature — in Hopko’s case, through the art of glass. Hopko got hooked and was launched on his own lifelong pursuit of this calling.
After leaving Shasta College, Hopko worked as an apprentice for several years in a number of glassblowing shops around Northern California. In 1997, he returned to Weaverville and opened his own shop, Hopko Art Glass. Hopko soon became known for his richly colored aquatic creatures — yellowfin and bluefin tuna, mahimahi, great white sharks, sea turtles, tarpon, and especially his strikingly beautiful octopuses, each with the finest of details. Closer to home, he has produced glass replicas of subjects for which Trinity County is famous: salmon, steelhead, trout, and bass. When asked how long one piece might take to produce, his usual response is “25 years plus one hour.” (One example of his impressive talent is his creation of glass fly-fishing reels and line that he produced at the behest of a fly fisher.)
Glass blowing, which can be traced back to antiquity, is not easy to master. Like all glass, the process begins with sand, which is melted down in Hopko’s workshop at over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit and transformed into clear molten glass. Color is added in powder form. Hopko creates each design on his own, never using any prefabricated molds. Such “free blowing” involves blowing short breaths of air into a molten portion of glass, called a “gather,” that has been spooled at one end of a blowpipe. An elastic skin forms on the interior of the glass. The glass worker can then quickly inflate the molten glass and work it into a desired shape. The constant pull of gravity requires that the pipe be constantly turned to maintain shape and form. The final piece is then placed in an annealing oven to cool slowly overnight.
Michael Hopko gains his creative energy from his family, friends, and many interests associated with Trinity County. He is inspired by fishing the local waters, hiking the scenic mountains, and biking to beautiful overlooks. He states that he is “driven by a desire to be seen as a person who dedicated his life to interpreting and re-creating nature and preserving it in glass.”
Hopko’s glass artwork is sold in over 100 galleries throughout the United States and Canada. You can see it at www.Hopkoartglass.com.
