Rockford's Own Local Hot Glass Master Craftsman, Jim Kahle, has been featured in 1/2 Hour Documentary - aired on Channel 16 Dayton PBS Think-TV, Thursday, March 2, 2006 at 8 PM and March 5, 2006 at 6 PM. 

Over eight years ago, the PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) in Dayton, OH began shooting footage of the toils and trials in the art glass industry known as Glass by James Michael from Rockford. As recently as 2 1/2 years ago, the PBS writers began to talk seriously with Jim about shooting and writing a documentary on his glass-blowing techniques which have won him many awards and the recognition as a master craftsman with many major, solo exhibitions around the United States and overseas. Click on the small pictures to enlarge it.

Kahle's unique glass art, secret formula for "mixing" hot glass and metals, a genuine desire to share his talents with school students of the Northwest Ohio Communities, and his philanthropic donations to the PBS Blues Fund-Raising Campaigns (10 PBS large bowls, vases and paperweights ~ in all 150 pieces), over the last six years, have earned him a feature on the 29 minute documentary that is an accounting of his life's work of "Turning Fire Into Ice." The program is intended to help raise awareness of his work and the items that he is donating for their fund-raising event in March.

The documentary was written and produced by Julie Davis and covers all aspects of Jim's life and work as he goes about his creative routine. Other locals featured on the documentary are: Rachel Harshman of Rockford, Duane Darland of Peru, Indiana (formerly of Celina), and Erin McMillen of Van Wert. Kahle is pictured on the cover of the March 2006 program guide, Spectrum, for PBS. See the pictures above.

Click Here for the PBS Website ww.thinktv.org program begins at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 2, 2007 and can be seen in Dayton, Greenville, and Celina. Others in the area may be able to pull it in on an antenna.

Channel 34 on PBS's WOSU – TV 34, Columbus, Ohio aired this programming on Thursday, March 1, 2007 at 8 PM. Learn more by visiting the WOSU website at: WOSU Public Media | WOSU Public Media

WTVI in Charlotte NC - August 1,  2007 - Click here for the PBS website at: www.wtvi.org