For Kids
Ars Vitrum Institute is an organization dedicated to promoting glass arts and the tradition of learning skills by apprenticeship. Founder and director David Gover is a glassblower specializing in the Bohemian Lampworking technique, which can be traced back to Italy over 500 years ago. During the Expo ’74 era, David performed live demonstrations and sold hand-made glass pieces with teacher Wayne Meyers at Artistry in Glass in Spokane’s historic Flour Mill. Throughout his career, David also became proficient in neon glass, glass engraving, mosaic rod construction, and laboratory glass. In the early 1980s, David was summoned to the Harvard University Glass Flowers exhibit to consult and attempt repairs to several pieces in the collection. From 1991 to 2016, David was the resident laboratory glassblower at University of Idaho, where he repaired and designed custom scientific glass equipment. During his time at the University of Idaho, David also taught the basics of glassblowing to over 200 students. Today David continues to create hand-made pieces and educate young people about the glass arts.
