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For years, Douglas Flugum’s career revolved around technology.

As the founder and CEO of Tektivity, Inc., he guided businesses through the fast-changing world of information systems and strategic growth. But these days, his world is far more fiery — and infinitely more fragile.

Based in Swisher, Iowa, Flugum has traded boardrooms for blowpipes, servers for sculptural vessels, and spreadsheets for the shimmer of glass. His solo exhibition opens Saturday, Nov. 29, at Abbe Creek Gallery, 105 1st St. W., Mount Vernon, and runs until Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.

Flugum has spent more than 15 years in hot glass studios across the country, including time at Popelka Trenchard Glass in Wisconsin and the Mesa Art Center in Arizona. His work draws on traditional techniques like cane and murrini while embracing vibrant color and contemporary forms. Over the years, his glasswork has been juried into exhibitions at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Chadima Gallery and the Dubuque Museum of Art.

Doug Flugum's work draws on traditional techniques like cane and murrini while embracing vibrant color and contemporary forms. (Photo courtesy of Doug Flugum)

“Glass is demanding — it has to be shaped at over 2,000 degrees,” Flugum said. “But it’s also alive. Every piece has movement and rhythm. What excites me is finding that balance between precision and spontaneity.”

The upcoming exhibition highlights that duality. Flugum’s vessels bend and stretch light, giving the illusion of depth and motion within solid form. The patterns shift organically during the blowing process, ensuring each piece is unique.

The venue is a fitting one. Opened in 2024, Abbe Creek Gallery has quickly become a hub for art and community in Mount Vernon, showcasing nearly 50 local, regional and national artists. Hosting Flugum’s show on Small Business Saturday is also symbolic: it highlights how small towns thrive when creativity and commerce intersect.

For Flugum, the exhibition represents both a new chapter and a continuation.

“In business, I was always building things — systems, strategies, relationships,” he said. “Now I’m still building, but with fire and glass. The goal is the same: to create something that resonates.”