As a department head and professor of chemistry at UNI, Bill Harwood is used to teaching students how to solve chemical equations and conducting research in the lab. But in his downtime, he applies the principles of chemistry and physics to the art of glass blowing, where he has created numerous bowls, vases, paperweights and more. He’s created such a rich inventory of work that he is providing the art for an upcoming show at the UNI Gallery of Art. 

“I'm sort of adding artist to my repertoire, and it really is good fun,” said Harwood. “I think doing chemistry is good fun, too. I encourage people to find the fun things they always wanted to do and get going at them. I wish I hadn't waited so long. I should have found the room and time to get going with this sooner.”

Harwood first took a scientific glass blowing class back when he was studying for his undergraduate degree. He enjoyed the process but put the activity on hold for many years. In 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided to pick up the hobby once again at a studio in Des Moines. Pretty soon, he had blown more glass than he knew what to do with, often gifting his creations to others.

Last summer, Harwood took his new passion one step further by enrolling in a summer class with the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. He discussed what he learned with Elizabeth Sutton, head of the Department of Art at UNI. Sutton suggested he display the glass he’d worked on in the Gallery of Art in the Kamerick Art Building.

Harwood assumed that he would get a single display cabinet for his artwork. Instead, he got four. He quickly realized he would have to expand the theme of the show beyond what he’d learned from Corning if he wanted to fill all four cases.

“I'm calling this whole thing ‘Four Stories’ because I’m telling four stories: the story of taking a class at Corning, the story of learning to blow glass in the first place and then two other artistic stories,” he explained.

For the artistic stories, one case will be full of items that demonstrate the language of color, a topic that fascinates Harwood. The other is called “Look to Your Heart” and features various hearts Harwood made in Des Moines.

The Gallery of Art show isn’t the only way Harwood is showing his love for all things glass. He is also teaching an online class through the Corning Museum of Glass about the scientific properties of glass color. Enrolling in the class was so popular, quickly filling to 13 students, that it will once again be offered again in the spring.

Although some might see Harwood’s work in chemistry as being very different from his love for glass artwork, he is quick to see the parallels between his passions.

“Chemistry itself has been described as perhaps the most visual of sciences,” he said. “We're always trying to imagine and picture molecules and how they interact and things like that. While that isn't connected to the glass blowing per se, it's still part of it. You're using your imagination and trying to see in your head something that has a real effect.”

Harwood also believes there are benefits to putting himself in the mindset of a learner since he is used to being the educator. He even shows some of his less-than-perfect items to his new students to demonstrate that it’s okay to get things wrong in their early chemistry courses.

“This experience certainly reminds me of what it's like to be new, which is always a good thing, because all our students are new at this when they come in, and it does get difficult,” he said.

Although Harwood is certainly looking forward to the upcoming exhibit, he is also nervous.

“If you're any kind of artist, you're putting yourself out there,” he said. “That's very exposed. It's true in science that you're putting your ideas out there, too, but you're a bit protected by data. So even if somebody doesn't agree with you or doesn't like what you're telling them, you can talk about the data. But a lot of art is a lot more nakedly personal. So that’s new for me.”

Harwood’s artwork will be on display at the UNI Gallery of Art from Nov. 15 through the end of the semester, with gallery hours being 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.