There is no substitute for time and technique.

[RawhideArtist]

We have so much in the way of tooling and kilns and controllers and glass and new US glass and dichroic and enamel and every color possible and bead releases and graphite this and that and tungsten and compressed gases and new bigger, better faster torches and this incredible global network to share it all with everyone else. And on and on and on and on and it never really ever ends. And that's great because it keep us all interested and producing new and exciting work, more efficiently than ever.

And then I remember seeing these at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/on_exhib...s_flowers.html
http://www.designmuseum.org/design/l...udolf-blaschka
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/...ssanimals.html
http://www.journalofantiques.com/Feb04/featurefeb04.htm

I look at these and wonder. I am actually in a state of awe. How in the world did these guys, Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka, make these in the late 1800's? I saw the work bench, the tools, the torch they used. Harvard has these items there. Today they have no value other than their historic presence because of what was made with them. You would not buy any one of these tools at a rummage sale for a nickel. It looked like a pile of garbage or some stuff that needed to go to the recycler. And yet, here are the glass objects this father and son team made with them. I would Love to know how, even the the 'how on earth could one ever?' part of the how. It does not seem physically possible that one could have made this form of art, I suppose their contemporaries called it crafts, given the restrictions of the tools and glass and enamel and kilns available. The torch was a glorified bunsen burner, the bench top was hardwood with all it's burns to show for it, the tools were now rusted steel, not stainless.

So I sit and I think, do I need this tool or that? Do I need a bigger torch? Did Rudolf Blaschka teach anyone any glass techniques? If you happen to be related to him would you acquire some of that knowledge through genetics? And I have to stop myself and realize that there is no substitute for time at the torch and a good teacher is without equal. Each one of us has that responsibility as a human being to become as good as we possibly can given the tools, media and direction one is working in. Wait it also appears a true vision of the 'it' that one wants to do is necessary to start the engine inside and make this all possible in the first place.

[steph1214]

Thanks, this really makes you stop and silently thank the glass pioneers before us that, without them and their inspiration, we would have it much harder because we would be in unknown phase of glass history! Inspiration is the beginning of a dream, and thank God that i have dreamed because without those artists and also the people who make up our community, i might not ever of known about this new and exciting passion i feel everyday i light my torch!
steph

[LavenderCreek]

Fantastic post! It really is rather humbling, isn't it?

[nickandryan]

Hi There-

That is sooo weird that you posted those links- I looked at that website about a week ago for inspiration. i remember years ago reading an article about the father/son project- the details and the exactness (where did they find their colors???) of each is incredible. Did you also include the Wikipedia article? (I forgot to check before writing this post) it is interesting as well.

Also, here is a great website of a contemporary artist in the same "genre":

www.paulstankard.com

If you haven't ever checked his site out, he does really cool work, I was able to see his stuff when he displayed in Ohio, still have the dog eared program.

Laura C.

[evolvingBeau]

I was just having a conversation with Shani yesterday about how lampworkers and glassblowers today are so spoiled with resources and info. The old school pioneers (like Paul Stankard, Bandu Scott Dunham, Suellen Fowler etc..) started back before there was hardly any literature and NO INTERNET???
Before the 1960's the Murano glassblowers and their secrets were true captives, they weren't allowed to leave the island without the lives of their family being in danger. That's how serious people once were about keeping their techniques and secrets from the rest of the world.
But alas all walls come down eventually. It's been a revolution in glassworking ever since.
Even the Egyptians were making twisted canes and pattern bars what, like... I forget exactly but it was a hell of a long time ago
As far as tools and torches and equipment go, I have always held a quote I read in Bandu Dunhams' "Contemporary Lampworking" book close with me in my glass endevors...

"It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools"

I always think of that when I start thinking that I NEED this tool or that torch to pull off nice work
You'll save some money, some space in your work area and you may just be a better lampworker for it in the long run..