If you’ve ever been to services at Isaac M. Wise Center in Amberley Village, you probably noticed the glass Mezuzah and Ner Tamid (Eternal Light) in the sanctuary.  They bring a deep sense of awe and inspiration to those who stop to admire the smoothly curved glass, fused with an array of colors that play off of each other in unique patterns.  This is exactly what the artist had in mind and is the driving force behind all of his glass creations.

Darren Goodman is a man who knows his purpose in life: to bring happiness and joy to the world.  His intentions are echoed in the glass artwork he molds, which vary in an array of styles.  His sets of Fantasia forms look like warped vases balancing on three small legs, with intricate color patterns flowing throughout the glass.  His colorful long-stemmed Vetrobottles demonstrate a balance between using heat and gravity to create intricate sculptures.  Darren makes one of a kind fused panels, delicate chandeliers, and inspirational grouped glass displays.  Rather than concentrate on a single piece, Darren likes to group works of different styles together so they can influence and affect each other. 

Darren’s claim to fame is the work he has done with Ferrari North America.  When they approached him to design a series of trophies for the 2009 Ferrari Challenge, Darren jumped at the opportunity and began to play around with designs right away. A week later, after showing them his prototypes, the Ferrari staff offered him the job. 

Darren grew up in Maineville, Ohio, where he graduated from Kings High School.  He then attended Bowling Green State University to study Marketing.  Darren constantly looked for ways to express himself and enjoyed doing it through music. As a singer/songwriter, he loved performing for different crowds in the University’s bar scene. In university, Darren took a class on glass blowing. Something about the different colors infusing together in the glass intrigued him and he fell in love. It was the defining moment in his life. 

Although he still didn’t consider glass blowing as a profession, from that point on, Darren devoted all of his time and energy into learning and experimenting with shapes and colors.  He traveled around to study the styles of well known artists and find sources of inspiration. 

After college Darren went to Memphis to pursue a career as a musician, but was guided in a different direction.  While he was looking for an apartment, he met a couple who wanted to set up a glass blowing studio but didn’t know how.  Darren got busy and put together a business plan with the help of his Dad.  For whatever reason, the couple never went through with it.  It was at this point in his life that he realized, “music is not going to bring me what I want to get out of life.”  Since he already had a business plan and had researched all the steps necessary to start a glass blowing studio, he decided to do it himself.  In fall of 2004, Darren bought a house in Waynesville, Ohio. By February 25th, 2005, he had a fully functioning studio in a building behind his house.  That same year, he got his first big break and was asked to create the Mezuzah and Ner Tamid for Isaac M. Wise Center.

Working on the projects for Wise Temple opened Darren’s eyes to a spiritual path that would reconnect him to Judaism, something not previously a big part of his life.  Creating pieces of art for the Temple of his childhood reignited a spark for his thrill and interest in Judaism, and also built the foundation for his strong love of life. “It prepared me to get in the right frame of mind,” Goodman explained. “Judaism is all about being grateful, thankful, living with great morals and values, all for the sake of life.”  A very spiritually guided person, Goodman knows he is going down the right path, and could never imagine doing anything else. “You know it’s important when it makes you happy.”

The glassblowing business has been a learning process for Goodman.  Finding a balance between production orders, Gallery work, and time for exploration is a challenge he is learning to overcome.  Taking things one step at a time can be a setback for the motivated artist.  “In the words of my friend Kiwi Steve, ‘to truly go fast, you must go slow.’  Learning how to step away from work sometimes is a good thing.”  Goodman likes to get up at 5 a.m. and work until the late hours of the night under hot and exhausting conditions. He is inspired by glass artists such as Lino Tagliapietra and Dale Chilhuly, although Darren has developed his own unique style.  “I like to make pieces that are pretty and playful.” He uses century-old Italian techniques with sophisticated color styles and patterns.  Goodman plans to expand his business this summer and hire three additional employees.

Darren continues to build bigger, better, and more complicated pieces to bring happiness and joy into the world.  “I want a team to make a glass sculpture like the world has never seen,” he states with a gazing smile.  Throughout his life, Darren has wanted to bring joy to as many people as possible.  It seems only fitting that he has learned to do it with art pieces that stir feelings of inspiration and beauty, and will last forever.

Much of his work can be seen at Darrengoodman.net, including the Ferrari trophies and the Wise Temple mezuzah and Ner Tamid.