Artistic Mission

My mission is to share the joys of glass art and glass science with as many people as possible. Art and Science are two sides of the same coin, and I'm committed to sharing this value with as many people as I can.

2025 Artist Bio

Max Duffy Rodriguez started teaching himself glass art in 2020. Building a glass studio in his South Chicago garage, he explored kiln forming and flameworking. In 2022, he moved to New Jersey to pursue a Scientific Glass Technology degree. He was the 2023 Summer Flameworking Intern for the Corning Museum of Glass, where he was able to learn classic Italian techniques from Eric Godlschmidt (@EricSGlass). After recieving his glass degree, Max worked at SCC as a Teaching Assistant for industry-leading artists like Amy Lemaire (@AmyLemaireStudio) and Angela McHale (@RoseGlassArt). He is currently acting as educator and operations manager at Gonzo Glass Studio in Mt Holly, NJ, while also working a scientific glass position during the day.

2022 Artist Statement

My name is Max Duffy Rodriguez. I’m an American Craftsman and Artist.

I moved to Oak Lawn, IL in 2018 with my brother to become full time caregivers for our grandparents. Although it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever chosen to do, I’m eternally grateful for how profoundly it changed the trajectory of my life. After they passed, I spent time on sabbatical trying out different crafts, like wire wrapping and woodworking. As a person who spent their life performing music and editing media, I fell in love with working with my hands. Wire wrapping and woodworking were fun, but I wanted something that would outlast me. Metal tarnishes and wood rots. American Borosilicate has a half life of 1 million years. For me, the sense of exhilaration I get from performing in front of a crowd is immense, but fleeting. There is something unexplainably rewarding about making Art that Stays.

I purchased a kiln in May of 2020 and began experimenting with mold formed soft glass. It sparked my passion for working with dichroic, but I needed something more active. In July of 2020, I finished building a vent hood in my garage and started melting random boro colors together with my GTT Cheetah. Until September of 2022, I was completely self taught. I’m happy to share that I’m currently enrolled in Salem Community College for their Scientific Glass degree. It’s the best school in the world for glass, and I’m eternally grateful to be chasing my dream. Any purchases or donations will be used to pay for glass classes and supporting my journey. Thank you so much for interest and support.