08/28/2026
We’re proud to celebrate John Shepherd, who has officially graduated from Blenko’s five-year Apprentice Glassworker Program!
John joined the Blenko family in August 2021, and over the past five years, he has put in the time, patience, and hard work it takes to learn this centuries-old craft. Reaching this milestone is no small accomplishment. It represents thousands of hours in the hot shop, learning by doing and building the skills that can only come with time and experience.
Around Blenko, John is our resident jokester, meme maker, and all-around good guy, but he’s also someone you can count on when it really matters. A longtime volunteer firefighter, John has even put that training to use right here at Blenko, helping save a life when a coworker needed it most. That’s Shep. Always ready to step up, whether it’s in the hot shop, at the firehouse, or for a friend.
Our apprenticeship program is about passing the knowledge of glassmaking from one generation to the next, and graduates like John are helping ensure that handcrafted glass continues right here in West Virginia.
Congratulations, Shep! Five years of hard work paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate you.
