The Six Artists of Everdream Create Dreamy, High-End Glass

On the side of a mountain in Evergreen, six glass artisans have carved out paradise — a space they call "Everdream." In the center of a large studio is a workspace shaped like a hexagon. Ventilation tubes rise from the middle of the marble work table; the tubes are painted like the cosmos. Each artist has a side of the hexagon as his work space. This is where they create bongs and other smoking devices that run from $5,000 up to $100,000. 

Other shops around the country — 99.99 percent of them, according to Everdream artist Nate "N8" Miers — have wooden counters, so getting the marble instead was a big deal.

The six had met each other through local art connections over the last decade. They all had other jobs while they worked in glass on the side. "We were just doing it for fun," Miers says. "It was a hippy stoner job."

But a few years ago, they decided to get their own place and devote themselves to art.  WJC says he didn't really feel like he'd "made it" as an artist until the six of them bought the building in 2013. "After we got this place, we got this countertop," he explains. "I have to attribute it to the countertop specifically, because once it went from wood to fucking marble, that was it."

For Miers, it was important to commit to making his art over everything else. "We hung a Target application on our shop wall one night because we were like, if you hate it that much, go look at that Target application and you'll instantly turn around and go back to the torch," Miers says. "You have to get to that comfortability point where you're not stressing about the phone bill.... I've paid those dues to create that space in my brain to think of weird things."

Adam G says he knew he'd made it when someone came up to him and said he'd buy anything he created. "This guy doesn't just want this piece that I made, but he's interested in anything that I might make, and that's pretty cool," he says. "When collectors are so open to colors or shape just to get something you made, that's pretty special."

Today each of the artists is well known. Although they all create their own pieces at Evergreen, they sometimes work collaboratively. For example, they're working together on a pipe that will be part of a show of Everdream work at Space Gallery December 9-10.

Keep reading for a look at work of the artists of Everdream:

1. Adam G
In his first collaboration with Puntington Rainbow Wig, "Garbaggio #3," Adam G created this homage to graffiti.

2. ELBO
Elbo's "Watermelon Tourmaline" is a solo 10mm Serium/Haterade raptor made with a palette from Glass Alchemy.

3. Eusheen Goines
Goines created this white-and-rainbow piece in collaboration with Harold Williams Cooney.

4. Joe P
Joe P. is known for his honeycomb work. This piece was created in collaboration with Jupiter Nielsen.

5. Nathan "N8" Miers
Nathan explores space in most of his work; this pipe displays the swirls of the cosmos.

6. WJC
WJC collaborated with Japanese artist Junichi Kojima on this piece.