Glass blowing and the pieces and colors coming out of this craft (art) always amazed me. Many times in the past I considered learning this skill for the sheer pleasure of working with materials that one can mold, change and form in almost any shape desired. Most of my professional life has been spent in “knowledge work” and in executive/business settings using mental rather than physical skills. It’s a real joy when one can see a professional going at it and how physical and demanding glass sculpting can be.
In a previous effort http://vimeo.com/24309008 I had tried to show the mystery and beauty of working with molten glass. In Crystal glow the emphasis was put into showing emotions, techniques, steps in the process, dynamis and the outcome of what is an arduous labor of love. The intensity, heat, careful rotation and treatments that are required to control the shape of the product, reminded me of the steps in ballet.
While the tools used are simple and in most cases haven’t changed much since early human manipulation of glass, the real skill and imagination of the artisan is what differentiates the exquisite from the average piece produced. Hopefully, in this short essay I have tried to highlight two very talented artists: Pearl Dick and Caleb Nichols.
Enjoy the show,
Leo
