At a makeshift glassblowing workshop in a backyard in Northridge, glassblowing instructor Brendan Heilke lights the flame on a table-mounted torch. A kiln sits on the table beside him glowing red, warmed up and ready for work. Rows and rows of glass tubes of all shapes and sizes are lined up in two racks. Several students gather around while Heilke sits at the torch and begins the lesson.

One of those students is Bryce Canepa, a 19-year-old business major at Moorpark College. He met Heilke last fall while writing a paper for an English class. It was a profile on Hielke and during the interview he gave Canepa a lesson.

“I came out here and got on the torch and fell in love with it,” Canepa said. “I come out here one, maybe two times a week [and] I’ll stay for 12 hours sometimes.”

Over the last six months Canepa has become more involved in the industry and has met a lot of talented glass artists who are great at making their work, but not always as good at selling it or marketing themselves. That’s where Canepa decided to apply his business acumen.

“It’s really difficult to establish any kind of online clientele,” said Heilke. “I tried to gain some kind of following using similar techniques to what (Canepa) uses, but he’s way better at it.”

Two months ago Canepa started an Instagram account, @glass_shop420, in order to advertise glass for some of the artists he represents. He now has 4,800 followers and it’s growing by around 50 per day.

“I’m building a website right now,” Canepa said. “I also go to stores and try to whole sale, as well as glass events and trade shows. I rep for around 30 artists.”

Canepa describes his relationship with the artists as a partnership. He hustles to find buyers for their work and takes a percentage for himself. He also works to get them discounted prices on the raw material they need. He works hard to maintain the value he adds to the relationship because he recognizes that he needs them more than they need him.

“They can exist without me, but I can’t without them,” Canepa said.

Canepa is in his third semester at Moorpark, but uncertain about where he wants to go next. Wherever that is, he’s sure that his future is in glass.

“For me it’s a little bit more than just a hobby, I’m trying as hard as I can,” Canepa said. “I think that any student on campus, if they find something that they really enjoy doing and they’re passionate about, run with it.”