「わたしはガラスが大好きです」。開口一番笑顔で話してくれたのは、ガラス工房KEiS庵の庵主・竹田恵子さん。灼熱によってドロドロに溶けたガラスが、職人の手によって魔法のように美しく形作られる瞬間に、言葉にできないほどの感動を覚えるからなのだとか。作品作りにおいて大切にしているのは「動」と「静」のバランス。静謐の中に宿る躍動感を通して、ガラスの「おもしろさ」「不思議さ」「美しさ」を多くの人と分かち合っていきたいのだといいます。また、竹田さんが近年力を入れているのは、修業先の沖縄で身に着けた技術を、地元・小浜市の風土に落とし込むこと。沖縄の息吹をまといながらも、小浜らしさに満ちたガラス製品を作りたいと考えた結果思いついたのが、小浜湾ならではの緑がかった青色「オバマブルー」を表現すること。さっそく試作に着手するや、「OBAMAガラス」作りに没頭するようになりました。

"I love glass." Keiko Takeda, the owner of the glass studio KEiS hermitage, spoke with the smile on her face. The moment the glass melted by the scorching heat is magically beautifully shaped by the craftsmen, she is impressed beyond words. What is important in her work is the balance between "movement" and "quietness". He says that he wants to share the "interestingness," "mystery," and "beauty" of glass with many people through the dynamism that dwells in the tranquility. In recent years, Mr. Takeda has been focusing on incorporating the skills he acquired in Okinawa, where she trained, into the climate of her hometown of Obama City. While she is wearing the breath of Okinawa, she wanted to make glass products that are full of Obama's character, and as a result she came up with the idea of expressing the greenish blue "Obama Blue" that is unique to Obama Bay. .. As soon as she started the trial, she became absorbed in making "OBAMA glass".

OBAMAガラスの原料に使用しているのは、市内沿岸の砂、若狭かきの貝殻、小浜よっぱらいサバの骨などすべて小浜産のものばかり。小浜湾で育った若狭かきの殻の廃棄に苦労している生産者がいることを知るや、「ガラスの原料として再利用したい」と名乗り出たそうです。また、ガラスの主な成分である「珪砂（けいしゃ）」は砂の一種であるため、県から許可を得て小浜湾沿岸から採取。さらに、市内の民宿からは、刺身として提供したサバの骨を譲り受け、丁寧に肉を取り除いて加熱することで使用しているのだといいます。「OBAMAガラスは、素材のストーリーも楽しめるガラス。作品を通して、よっぱらいサバなどの名産品の魅力をたくさんの人に発信していきたい」と語る竹田さん。ゆくゆくは、よっぱらいサバや若狭かきを盛り付ける器や、地酒のぐい吞みも作っていきたいと夢を明かしてくれました。

The raw materials for OBAMA glass are sand from the coast of the city, shells of Wakasa oysters, and bones of mackerel from Obama. When he learned that some producers were having a hard time disposing of the Wakasa oyster shells grown in Obama Bay, he said he wanted to reuse them as a raw material for glass. In addition, since "Keisha", which is the main component of glass, is a type of sand, it is collected from the coast of Obama Bay with permission from the prefecture. Furthermore, it is said that the mackerel bones provided as sashimi are taken over from the guesthouses in the city, and the meat is carefully removed and heated. "OBAMA glass is a glass that you can enjoy the story of the material. Through the work, I want to convey the charm of specialty products such as mackerel to many people," says Takeda. Eventually, he revealed his dream of making a bowl for serving mackerel and oysters, as well as a local sake bark.