Prepare to be “blown away” by the breathtaking and unique glassblowing sculptures seen on the competition show “Blown Away,” featuring Cal State San Bernardino’s art professor Katherine Gray as a judge, when the series launches on Netflix July 12.
 
The show, which originally aired in Canada, is hosted by pop-science YouTuber Nick Uhas, who has also appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and “Big Brother.” It features 10 master artisans who are given an art or design challenge each episode, with one contestant eliminated each time. The contestants came from across the United States and Canada.
 
“Some tended towards making something functional; other challenges were more sculptural. Each contestant had to respond with creativity and originality, as well as technical acumen,” said Gray, who was a judge for the duration of the show, which also featured a guest judge for each challenge.
 
“We would all look at the finished works together and give a little critique, voicing our individual opinions, bringing up good and bad points about each piece, and then deliberate and choose a winner,” Gray said. “I would also walk around in the glassblowing studio while the glassblowers were working and check in with them about what they were thinking or making (or thinking about making). I would offer encouragement or ask about potential pitfalls or technical challenges. Kind of a combination of Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum on ‘Project Runway.’”
 
The winner of “Blown Away” receives $60,000 in prizes, including a weeklong residency at the Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, where they could use the facilities and the resources at the studio for a full week to make their own work.
 
Follow Blown Away’s Instagram at @blownawayseries for sneak peaks of the upcoming Netflix series.