Moments: Therapy Through Glass

Asher Antoine became interested in glassblowing the summer after his freshman year. Now 15, he makes ornaments, jewelry and other things in his basement studio in Northeast Portland. For Antoine, glassblowing is a way to center himself and decompress from the stresses of the day.

“I’m working with solid glass right now. If I’m melting something big, then I’ll turn it up so it’s hotter. It melts the glass faster. It’s gravity, too. With this, you always have to be turning it so it heats it up all evenly. When I first started Grant, I was stressed. I didn’t really know any of the teachers. I kind of winged it. So I went in, got a lot of homework the first couple weeks, a couple essays. So I just came down here and made some stuff for me or my friends and kind of relaxed. It brings you back down to your own head. You’re not really thinking, ‘What if I’m bad at this? What if I’m not doing so well? Or if I’m going to fail this test.’ You just focus on what you’re doing right now.”

-Asher Antoine, sophomore

About
Joshua spent his first two years of high school at De La Salle North. Aside from photography and coding, he enjoys writing raps for a mix tape that he has been planning, playing drums, hanging out with friends, and helping people out. “In my future, I see myself owning a software company and giving back to the community I grew up in. Most of all, I want to be able to make a difference in the world while enjoying the people I’m around. Aside from meeting great people and learning new skills, I hope that as a member of Grant Magazine I can help the community.”

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