Blown Away is the hit Netflix show that has had us on the edges of our seats. This incredible glassblowing competition gives talented designer-makers the chance to win $60,000, an artist residency at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York, and the title of Best in Blow! We were hooked as soon as we watched season one which aired in 2019 and this year's competition was even better. If you've never heard of Blown Away, or just want to learn more about the show, then this is the guide for you. We're going to introduce you to the ten master artists that took part in season 2 and give you all the background and gossip from the show. And you best catch up quickly because season three is already in the making!
Need more crafty TV? Once you’ve become a Blown Away expert check out our guides to The Great British Sewing Bee, The Great Pottery Throwdown and Grayson’s Art Club. We’ve also got a whole host of free daily craft patterns which will keep you entertained while you watch all the seasons of Blown Away!
Warning: There are spoilers below!
Where to watch Blown Away
Blown Away is a Canadian TV show which originally aired on the Canadian channel Makeful. Now the show is hosted on the streaming subscription service Netflix. You'll need a subscription to Netflix to watch both seasons one and two of the show. Season one aired in 2019 and season 2 was aired on Netflix on the 22nd January 2021. Each season has 10 25 minute episodes making great binge-worthy TV!
Who hosts Blown Away on Netflix?
Seasons 1 and 2 of Blown Away were hosted by the lovely Nick Uhas who you may recognise from Big Brother USA! He's joined by judge Katherine Gray who's an artist and associate professor at California State University. This talented pair help Blown Away run smoothly and we absolutely love them. Here's a little bit more about our favourite duo so you can get to know them better.
Nick Uhas
Nick Uhas is an actor, writer, TV presenter, and Youtuber whose content you can find all over the web. In 2013 he took part in Big Brother but it was his show Brain Storm and science Youtube videos that helped him rise to popularity. We love his enthusiasm on Blown Away seasons one and two and can't wait to have him back on our screens for season three.
Katherine Gray
Katherine Gray is a legend in the glass blowing industry having created many iconic pieces throughout her career. Katherine's known for her pieces that fit inside each other which include everything from vases and candelabras to goblets and glasses. Her work has been exhibited in internationally renowned museums including the America Museum of American Glass and Glasmuseet Ebeltoft in Denmark. She's won several awards and opened a solo show 'Katherine Gray: As Clear as the Experience' in 2018. Not only is she a talented glassblower but she's also a professor and now Blown Away's top judge.
Where is Blown Away Netflix filmed?
Blown Away is filmed in Canada, specifically Hamilton, Ontario. The contestants compete in the Imperial Street warehouse which is an hour's drive southwest of Toronto. 10 furnaces had to be installed into the warehouse and is now known to the contestants and public as the Hot-Shop. The Craft and Design Glass Studio team from Toronto’s Sheridan College helped transform the space and we're pretty jealous. We want our own Gathered Hot-Shop!
Blown Away Netflix cast 2021
The talent in season 2 of Blown Away was unmatched and we loved every contestant (if you're starting from the beginning of the show then read our interview with the Blown Away contestants from season one). Each member brought their unique style to the show and it was one of the hottest competitions of the year. We're going to introduce you to each of the ten contestants so you can get to know the Blown Away cast and follow them on Instagram. Keep scrolling to learn about 2021's winner but beware if you haven't seen season 2 yet there will be spoilers.
Andi Kovel
50-year-old Andi is an experienced glassblower from New York. She's a hardworking crafter and feminist icon whose work was as beautiful as it was intricate. We especially love her glass mushrooms over on Instagram!
Ben Silver
38-year-old Ben is an incredible self-taught glassblower from America. His work plays with colour, pattern, and unusual shapes and he owns his own studio in Eugene. Definitely check out his oil burner candles over on his Instagram.
Brad Turner
Brad Turner aka Glass Turner on Instagram is a 42-year-old fine art framer from Toronto, Canada. We love his futuristic designs that capture the light beautifully.
Cat Burns
Firey Cat Burns came out with some great one-liners in season 2 and made us fall completely in love with her! This 30-year-old from New Jersey got to the final of Blown Away 2021, creating stunning pieces throughout the competition that took our breath away. Read Corning Museum of Glass's interview with Cat to learn more about her.
Chris Taylor
Artist and lecturer Chris Taylor is 49 and brought 30 years of experience to the show. His textured pieces are just amazing and he even previously influenced some of the other contestants on the show.
Eliot Walker
31-year-old Elliot Walker is representing us here in the UK! From St. Albands, Elliot got to the final of Blown Away by creating some stunning sculptures based around the natural world. We love his fishbone sculptures and so does the rest of the country since he's exhibited in several galleries and museums since the show.
Jason McDonald
35-year-old Jason is a master of fine arts student who's empowering more young black people to get into glassblowing. He now runs workshops and classes. His incredible ornate glasses on Instagram are a thing of pure beauty!
Mike Shelbo
Mike, 39 from California, was Blown Away's self-proclaimed wild card. His quirky creations including his goblins and eyes are truly unique. He also created the Glass Grab app which is the largest online glass marketplace!
Nao Yamamoto
Tokyo-born Nao Yamamoto is a glass event instructor and artist. She's 31 years old and makes lovely floral sculptures as well as colourful homeware in a range of pastel shades. We want to buy her rainbow glassware on Instagram.
Tegan Hamilton
Tiegan from Pun and Ink is an Australian personal trainer, artist, and glass assistant. Her Instagram is full of her interesting pieces including octopus tentacle cups and a glass anatomical heart sculpture.
Blown Away Netflix winner 2021
Elliot and Cat battled it out in the final of Blown Away season 2 for the title but it was Elliot's pieces that won Katherine and guest judge Rob Cassetti's heart. The two contestants had to fill half of the gallery space with sculptures all designed and blown-in eight hours. Elliot created pieces around the theme of inept tools with balloon-like giant hammers and screwdrivers hanging from the ceiling. He received high praise from the judges and his performance throughout the competition was continuously brilliant making him a very worthy winner.
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.
Elliot Walker Blown Away 2021 winner
Elliot is now back from Canada and in his hometown of Hertfordshire. He works in his own studio with his sidekick Bethany owner of Blowfish Glass. He now facilitates a number of creations for other designers and has been invited to lecture at many art universities. He's also still making his own creations which you can see over on Instagram.
What happened to the runner-ups of Blown Away?
Every contestant in Blown Away is amazingly talented so it's no surprise that everyone's wondering what they're up to now. 2021's runner-up, Cat Burns, is still selling her original artwork over on Etsy and has become somewhat of a Tik Tok star! Cat shares her glass blowing process over on Tik Tok and has become a hit with crafters and millennials alike. It's safe to say she's doing well since Blow Away season 2 and we can't wait to see what she gets up to next.
Blown Away 2022
We don't have a confirmed date for season three of Blown Away but we know it's happening! The official Blown Away Instagram posted that they're looking for contestants which has made us very excited. Make sure you bookmark this guide as we will be updating it with all information, dates, and times for Blown Away 2022 as soon as they're released.
We hope you've enjoyed our little guide to Blown Away. Check back for Blown Away 2022 updates and make sure you head to our latest craft trends article and our craft hobbies quiz to discover more crafty content.
