Hi from the old one
 

I thought i posted last night but maybe i did not do it right? I have been doing spun glass for 30 years and they called us glass benders back then. The question I had was, is that what is being called Lamp working now? I do glass as a hobby and now ready to start doing more of it again but i don't see two much of what i do out there. Anyone remember a Glass Bender?

Is this the place for me?
 

Hi, i started doing glass 30 years ago for a living working for K & M in Michigan. Now its just a hobby. Back then we were called Glass Benders, doing spun and soild work. Is that what you call Lamp Working today? I thought I posted this but i dont see the post so if im doing something wrong forgive me and please let me know :grin:

Hi Nighthawk,

Welcome aboard.

My guess is you were working with boro when you were doing your spun glass. I'm thinking (but not sure) that you're talking about the beautiful glass shapes that were made from thin boro rods such as pianos, swans and lots of figurines. I think that type of work is beautiful.

Lampworking is a term for glassworkers who melt glass in a torch and make beads, small sculptures, marbles and such. Heck, I'm probably preaching to the choir and you know more about glass than I do!

At any rate, enjoy LE and welcome aboard.

Sue

I remember those pieces! When I was a kid, I had a set of deer.

I thought I read your posts too!
I wonder what happened.

Glass benders - I grew up watching glass benders at Disneyland and other such places, who built 22 inch tall Cinderella castles and 2 foot scale models of schooners out of clear glass or music boxes and carousels that everybody oogled over in fascination. I can remember watching artists build amazing sculptural items on the fly.....unicorns, horses dragons, castles, carousels, pianos etc. - mostly in clear, some with transparent accents.

Today - A lot more use of color - pieces tend to be more "organic" looking. Its harder to find glass pieces that look "knitted" (spun) today. Many haven't passed on the techniques or many haven't bothered to learn them. There is much more emphasis today on things like goblets, marbles, pipes, sculptural pieces, etc.

The tools are somewhat the same - The techniques have changed .... unfortunately spun glass is becoming a lost art.

Thanks :) How do you post a pic?

ill try this :)

Wow, those are beautiful! Welcome to the forum.

Nighthawk welcome. I also remember as a child watching glass spun into beautiful pieces of art. I'm not sure what this day & time it is called but I do hope you share your pics with us here.

thanks

Beautiful. I am in awe everytime I see a sculpted piece of glass made with this technique. I so wish there was someone close to east TX that taught this technique. I find it fasinating. You are very talented thank you for sharing your pics with us and hope you will keep the pics coming.

Is that a little bunny? So cute! The last piece took my breath away. Lovely work, thanks for sharing. Welcome to LE.

Check out the weekly chat thread if you like, it's called newbies and intermediates (or some weekly variation) and it's posted in the gallery.

Yep its a rabbit, you cant see it but it has a pin on back to attach it to a coat ect. My wife wanted some for the Holidays. I make all kinds of animals and birds,motor cycles, fountains, the list goes on and on :) The only ones I found that do what I do seems to be crazy4glass and timma. I would love to find someone close by that wanted to learn some things because I think it is a lost art. I am getting ready to retire soon so I will be getting back into the craft a lot more. I love the pictures posted here thats why i made my first beads for the wife :) I get the most out of doing the wedding cake tops and such.

Where do you live? I'm betting we have someone nearby! We're quite international and just about have the world covered with our peeps.

Sue- in Maine!

Yes where are you located.

Love the your work.
Bob

Back in the 70's I remember a guy set up in the shopping mall that would do sculpture like your ship image. He'd take requests and in 15 mins or so the requested piece was finished and cash would be exchanged. :) It really was amazing to watch!

Welcome

Beautiful work! I have always been fascinated by spun glass sculptures! It's amazing to watch how the glass is manipulated to create these awesome pieces. Didn't know at the time that it was called spun glass but I do now LOL! I have always wanted to learn how to do this so if you are up for giving a class or 2 let us know. :D

There's someone relatively close to me who does the same work, I see him occasionally at shows. He colors the glass after after the sculpture is made. The man who made the glass sculptures at Disneyland is Bill Rasmussen. I think he's a member here...maybe his daughter?

Yes, beautiful work and welcome.

I live in the U.P. in Sault ste marie Michigan. I do make the unicorns, horses dragons, carousels, pianos etc. In fact that ship did only take 15 min to make lol

If I lived closer I'd love to learn some of those techniques.

Been to Sault Ste Marie - seen the locks a cpl times LOL

Most of my distant relatives (aunts , uncles, cousins, etc.) all live in Gladwin and have an aunt that lives in Naubinway

Welcome to the forum....
 

Hey welcome NightHawk,
I guess now I know the real name for this artform.
I've only been doing it for 2 years now and all self taught (some credit to you-tube\\:D/
Here's some of my work and it's all boro.I'm not good at taking photos so this is all I
have for now.

Nighthawk you might want to drop into the Boro room

Welcome, and yes, this is the place for you.

I remember standing with my nose up against the glass watching a glass bender. I used to collect them (many, many years ago). I was thrilled to see the one of the DC Capital Building in the Smithsonian. I hope to see much more of your work.

In Aus and NZ, we call that kind of glass Lacework.

Welcome to LE

Welcome!
Beautiful work.
Janet

Welcome aboard! I ran across a spun glass artist a few years back doing a craft show, while I was mildly irked to see another glass artist in the room, it was cool to see another glass artist in the room, particularly one that did that style.

I think Lewis Wilson is still around here once in a while too. If I recall correctly he did it for a while before he moved to other techniques in boro.

Welcome :)