The premise of the show is relatively easy to understand, but it's the craftsmanship that truly makes it addictive. Viewers get to watch 10 of the best glass artists in North America compete for $64,000 and a residency at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. The show itself is filmed in Canada, but many of the guest judges are from the United States.
Blown Away is hosted by Nick Uhas, a former Big Brother U.S. contestant and science YouTuber. Katherine Gray, an artist and professor at California State University, San Bernardino, is the head judge, with a new guest evaluator every episode to keep contestants on their toes. Guest judges for Season 1 included restaurant designers, the president of Sheridan College, and the National Ballet of Canada's principal dancer!
Season 2 left viewers in suspense, but the final round came down to a face-off between contestants Cat Burns and Elliot Walker. The two artists had to fill half a gallery space with original designs, created and blown in just eight hours. Both designers were able to choose a theme for their work.
Nick Uhas told Cat and Elliot that they were looking for a “cohesive, original and immersive experience that will truly blow us away.” This left plenty of room for interpretation, and boy did the competitors deliver! The guest judge for the finale was Rob Cassetti, who is the senior director of creative strategy at the Corning Museum of Glass.
And the winner is .... Elliot Walker! His final design was created based on the idea of inept tools. He created oversized screwdrivers and hammers which resembled balloons. Feeling daunted by the task at hand, Elliot’s installation idea came from his own feelings of “not having the tools” to complete the task. Its title was “Bodge Job.”
After this win in the Season 2 finale, he said, "It’s such a good feeling. I can’t really get to grips with what it’ll mean, what will happen but I think it’s all going to be good."
Fans of the show will be able to check out his beautiful designs on Instagram to keep up with what he's doing next! In fact, Elliot has a show opening on Jan. 26, 2021 at Messums Wiltshire. You will be able to view Elliot’s show online on its website.
What an exciting, beautiful new show! While Season 2 arrived on Jan. 22, 2021, you can catch the previous season and any potential new seasons exclusively on Netflix.