Celebrating 75 years in 2026, the Village of Yesteryear is an exhibit that demonstrates traditional handicraft and heritage skills. Held every year at the N.C. State Fair, the village has featured more than 100 artists and crafters creating, displaying and selling time-honored handmade crafts. “A Maker’s Dozen” is a series that tells the stories of these artisans and educates about their heritage crafts.
“The only limitation is imagination,” said Curtis Cecil, a craftsman and artist. Cecil has been a glass artist for over 48 years, many of which were with the Village of Yesteryear. His glass creations range from marbles, figurines, perfume bottles, lamps and whatever his inspiration leads him to. His inspiration starts from when he was 12 and his older brother showed him how to blow a bubble in a lamp with rubbing alcohol.
“I realized my true passion in my high school chemistry class,” said Cecil. “My teacher used a Bunsen burner to blow glass bubbles. I saw the process and was instantly hooked. Without permission, I tried to blow glass bubbles myself to make a glass unicorn. It crumbled in seconds. But I kept pursuing it. Bit by bit, I taught myself the craft.”
“My process starts first with a creative mind,” said Cecil. “I get a blowtorch that can produce a 3,000-degree Fahrenheit flame. I take glass rods and/or tubing and soften it over that flame. Once softened, I bend, smash, twist and mold it into what I am looking for. I then put it in a 1100-degree Fahrenheit oven to cool. The process of cooling usually takes a couple hours, mostly overnight. It doesn’t always work, but it’s always rewarding when it does.”
Once the cooling process is over and the creation comes out correctly, Cecil then puts on the finishing touches. “Depending on what I made, I paint, stain and use gold to decorate. I usually put my creations on a wooden or stone base,” said Cecil. Once all of this is done, it is ready for sale.
“I have different phases of creativity for glass,” said Cecil. “I enjoy nature as an inspiration. Frogs, nautical creatures and all types of little critters. I also enjoy mythical things like dragons and wizards. Regardless of what it is, I enjoy seeing those colors blend together.”
Cecil’s biggest frustration is not having enough hours in the day. “I will get in the middle of a project and before I know it, it’s already midnight and I won’t get to finish,” he said. “I just get inspired and I just can’t stop.”
“The greatest part of my career was the fact it was built by turning a dream into reality,” said Cecil. Before the COVID-19 pandemic changed large group gatherings (such as craft fairs and markets), Cecil did around 30 showings of his product a year. Nowadays, he only does six. He enjoys shows that last longer than a few days, as they allow him more time to meet people and showcase his art. Cecil said his favorite part of the fair is being with his fellow artisans at the Village of Yesteryear and seeing all their handiwork. “Everyone there is just so talented. All of us are like one big family,” he said.