Dougherty Glassworks
Meet Cameron, the artist, founder and namesake behind Dougherty Glassworks.Cameron’s obsession with glass began the moment he first gathered glass on the end of a rod. Since 2007 he’s been honing his craft, beginning his formal education at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, followed by a 5-year apprenticeship in California, and stints in studios up and down the west coast.
In 2017, Cameron moved to Vancouver, BC where he launched Dougherty Glassworks out of the Terminal City Glass Co-op, where he was studio manager from 2018-2021.
In 2024, Cameron built his own studio in Aldergrove, BC When he’s not working on his own business, Cameron is passionate about training students and apprentices, building the glass-blowing community, and cultivating a love for glass in everyone he meets.
Originally from California’s central valley, Cameron now lives and works in Langley, BC.
"The Glass Process"
Every Dougherty Glassworks glass is made by hand in a multi-step process that involves glass, steel, wood and fire. The creation process blends centuries-old mold-making techniques with modern technology.
First let’s look at the mold. Vancouver’s beautiful cherry trees are world-famous for their display of color every spring. These cherished trees are so sweet, in fact, that the wood is full of sugars. This makes cherry wood the finest choice for making the molds used for hand-blown glass. The wood for my molds was salvaged in Vancouver by my wife, who is an arborist.
I begin creating each glass using digital 3D modeling software. Once the design is finished, I send it to a CNC machine that cuts two identical halves of the mold into the wet cherry wood. I then add a hinge and handles to complete the mold, and store it underwater to maximize heat resistance and prevent cracking.
