Debra VanTol

Debra VanTol and her husband own Village Glassworks in Auburn, MI. The two opened the business in 1985 and have been creating beautiful pieces of art out of glass ever since. She describes her entrance into the business as “being resourceful” because she had to learn and apply business, publicity, building, and design processes specific to the business. Debra graduated from SVSU in 2002 and 2006 with teaching degrees, where she then worked as a special education teacher for 18 years while also running Village Glassworks. Debra loves to teach classes to people of all ages to share her passion for stained glass and glass blowing. If you are interested in taking a class, or purchasing a piece of art, visit Village Glassworks at https://www.villageglassworks.com/.

Debra's journey into the world of glass began with a class at Delta College. That creative outlet soon blossomed into a business primarily focused on custom stained glass work for churches and restorations. As her skills and confidence grew, so did Village Glassworks. The studio expanded its offerings to include classes, diverse glass products, and more.

While running the business, Debra pursued another passion - education. She earned teaching degrees from SVSU in 2002 and 2006 and spent 18 fulfilling years as a special education teacher. Her experience coaching Special Olympics and witnessing the joy of her students reinforced her belief in the underrated potential of children with special needs.

The early 2000s brought a lull to the studio, prompting Debra to balance both her teaching career and the business. Today, she shares the reins of Village Glassworks with her daughter, Sarah. Debra focuses on her first love - teaching glassblowing, infusing lessons with the math and physics behind the art. She delights in sharing her passion, which has been amplified by the popularity of Netflix's "Blown Away."

The heart of Village Glassworks is the diversity Debra loves. Beyond an artist, she's a salesperson, accountant, and more. In the early days, she and her husband even built their own glassblowing equipment, including a gloryhole. That scrappy spirit remains, fueling the studio's success.

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