Blow, blow, blow your (glass) heart, or flower, at Vetro Glassblowing Studio in

Grapevine

Michael Ainsworth/Staff Photographer

Kevin Doerner, finishes off a glass flower for a

customer, in advance of Valentine’s Day, at Vetro Glassblowing Studio &

Gallery in Grapevine.

David Gappa likes it hot. He’s the gifted artist who owns Vetro Glassblowing

Studio & Gallery in Grapevine, and on a recent Saturday, he wore a T-shirtcovered by a long-sleeved flannel shirt. “It’s cold,” he exclaimed when Icommented on his warm attire.

OK, it was 55 degrees outside, and to be fair, he did have the studio door open.This is a guy who’s used to working with glass that starts out in a white-hotfurnace, in a glowing molten pool that’s about 2,100 degrees. The glass heats upto 2,400 degrees in the “glory,” or reheating furnace, and the final pieces thenget transferred into a “cooling area.” Yeah, cool: a mere 850 to 900degrees.

Gappa, 39, who started his career as an architect and has been a glass blowerfor 12 years, says road trips with his wife are awful. “She likes it about 70 to72 degrees. I need more like 85 to 90,” he says with a laugh.I got a taste of the blaze last weekend, when I attended a heart- and flower-making event for Valentine’s Day, which the studio will also offer Feb. 11-12.For $25 (flowers) or $39 (hearts), visitors can choose from pink, purple, red ormulticolored glass chips to color their delicate baubles.You also get to try your own hand at glasswork — Gappa teaches attendees howto smoothly turn the rod holding a blob of red-hot glass, then press it gentlyinto the bowls of colored glass chips. He and other glass blowers take it fromthere, shaping the blob into a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind piece of art as youwatch.

Jennifer Farrar, her mom, Dorie, and daughter Reese, 6, were in town fromAbilene and stopped in. Reese, who chose red and pink for her glass heart, isclearly a big fan of the romantic symbol — her blouse was covered withmulticolored hearts, and she says they’re one of her favorite things todraw. Roxanne Carder of Dallas was making a trio of hearts in red, pink andpurple, for Christmas presents. “It’s something so different and unique,” she says.Jennifer, Roxanne and I can all now legitimately say we’re glass blowers — Igot to blow for about five seconds on my personal blob.Gappa says the studio offers events like this during all three biggift-giving seasons: Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day (bowls and flowers) andChristmas (ornaments). For those who really get into it, classes are availablein glass blowing and in making glass jewelry and paperweights.For Valentine’s Day, the studio is also encouraging “hot dates,” with couplesevents on Feb. 13-14 that include making hearts and flowers, wine and horsd’oeuvres.

The studio is at 701 S. Main St. at Cotton Belt Depot in historic downtownGrapevine.

The hearts-and-flowers event will take place Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to6 p.m. and Feb. 12 from noon to5 p.m. (although the studio is usually closed on Sundays).

No reservationsare taken; it’s first-come, first-served, but you should call ahead for partiesof 15 or more. All ages welcome; must be accompanied by an adult if under 18. The “Hot Date Night” events are Feb. 13-14 from5 to 10 p.m. (expect to stay about an hour), and reservations are required(online only). $125 per couple; must be 18 or older to participate and at least21 to drink. Glass objects can be picked up after cooling, or the studio willFedEx them to participants for an extra fee. 817-251-1668. vetroartglass.com.