I have always been fascinated by glass blowing/glass making since I was a child and my mom took us to a glass making factory in Mexico. We would stand watching  them make glass flowers that they gave us afterwards. Years later I was in Vancouver BC at Grandville Island wat hing glass blowers. Locally, there is a older man who took up glass blowing after the pulp mill where he worked shut down. He took his severance pay and enrolled in glass blowing as a way to make a living. I have stood in his studio here and watched him create beautiful items. I wish I lived closer to a glass school! 
Thanks for the really interesting article !