Pair of Blue Ribbed Glass Votives, "Blue Spark"

"Seeing rough pieces of glass transformed into magnificent colors has always fascinated me.

"I am Shahid, and I work together with my son, Omar. I started this venture in 1999.

"I was born and brought up in Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh. It is a hub of the glass making and is known for its variety of glassware and glass bangles. I grew up witnessing the brilliance of glass-making from my childhood to youth. I think my interest and keenness in it led me to learn this art.

"I never had any professional training but simply watching the way people work let me learn this craft. It was difficult to get started on my own as it required more funds, labor and space than I had but, by God's grace, everything worked out in our favor. Slowly I introduced my family to my work, including my son who now manages the workshop.

"We have groups of artisans and craftsmen who work with us. Apart from the artisans group, we also have people technical expertise to create and design the products with perfection, and others who make sure that each and every piece of glass we create is of finest quality.

"Over the years we have been in this field, we have introduced many new designs, including decorative glassware, barware, lighting, home decor accessories and many more. Much of our glass is hand blown. We make sure that all our work is eco-friendly and all our tableware is food-safe.

"For me, all our designs and techniques are priceless but, if you asked my favorite, I'd say it's the process of finishing glass with a gold coating. To this day, I prepare this process myself.

"I'm so happy to be able to do what I love most. What I do, I feel, is a gift from God and being able to give jobs to my community is an awesome feeling. I hope you appreciate our work and come to love it like we do."