Orient and Flume

"When I first came to Orient & Flume, there was an explosion of techniques all around me. I wanted to do them all and I'd get excited just thinking about it. There was so much to learn. Creative ideas have always been freely exchanged here, and this is where I learned to design in glass.“  - Scott Beyers of Orient and Flume    
                           
About 1893, a home with a carriage house was built in the historic Oriental section of Chico, California. Located between Orient Street and Flume Street, the house was purchased in 1972 by Douglas Boyd and was transformed into an art glass studio. By 1973 the carriage house proved to be too small for a rapidly growing business and was relocated to 2161 Park Avenue. The work of Orient & Flume can be found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum, Smithsonian Museum, Chicago Art Institute, Chrysler Museum, and Corning Glass Museum.  Their work is highly collectable and attracts both seasoned and new customers with an appreciation for their style and history.

Early work of the studio focused on recreating the silver-luster of iridescent glass similar to that of turn-of-the-century artists such as Tiffany, Steuben, and Loetz.  This initial interest in iridescence has carried on throughout the years and is used now in the majority of their collections. Drawn from nature, most Orient and Flume designs echo a common theme.  Examples of motifs drawn from nature are, spider orchids, acorns, and calla lilies.  These motifs are commonly seen on the side of small and large vases.  However, Orient and Flume also specialize in sculptural glass such as glass fruits, animals, and paperweights.

Orient and Flume employs several glass artists including Bruce Sillars, Scott Beyers, William Carter, and Richard Braley. Artists at the Orient and Flume Studio work individually or in collaboration. However, each artist enjoys the creative freedom to develop his or her own unique style.