Charles Lotton was born in 1935 in a little Southern Illinois town called Elizabethtown. Charles grew up in a one-room log cabin. He recalls his mom washing clothes down in Peter’s Creek to make ends meet.
In May of 1970, Charles went to The Art Institute and spent the day there to watch glass blowing. He came home that day and told his wife that he was going to be a glass blower and started building a furnace in the back yard.
By January of 1972, Charles met up with the Tiffany expert Lillian Nassau. She had insight that Charles would become great one day. Lillian bought all of Charles’ glass for the first five years which enabled him to transition from his hair salon into the world of art glass. Little did anyone else realize fifty years later Charles would still be creating beautiful, one of a kind works of glass art along with his children.
Throughout the years, Charles’ glass has continued to evolve from simple paperweights to Vases, Bowls, Flower Forms, Persian Water Sprinklers, Pendant Lighting, Lamps, and Chandeliers. His designs have also evolved from a molten blob made from melted pop bottles in his backyard into the most beautiful creations in the world today. Charles is completely self-taught, down to his own formulas that create the color of his glass.
Charles has a strong determination to succeed yet has one of the most humble natures of anyone that you will meet. He is a true man of God. Charles attributes his success with his strong faith. He prays that the Lord will continue to bless him and his family with making beautiful glass each day.
Today, Charles is world-renowned for the most beautiful designs in art, like the ‘Multi Flora’ and ‘Cypriot’ styles. These trademark designs have put him into hundreds of major museums and private collections.
