I've never seen so many people at a glassblowing demo - not even at GAS conferences.
Every first Saturday, Da Factory has an opening. The holidays are coming, and in Hawaii, winter means big waves. The theme was kind of Big Wave Christmas - several artists that work glass there regularly had ornaments and other pieces out in the hall. Some painters had canvases on the cinder block walls. A woodworker that has a shop down the hall pulled out some of his sick furniture and displayed it. There were pupus (snacks) and drinks. People filed in all night long. And for the first hour, I ran a bench and made ornaments that guests designed. They'd sign up and pick out two or three colors, I'd gather and roll up the frit, start a bubble and then have the person inflate the ornament with their breath while I shaped it at the bench.
Later on, the theatrics really picked up as the lights dimmed and the music crescendoed, and video footage of big wave surfing was projected onto the wall in the hotshop. It was like a cross between House Party 2 and a Spanish bullfight. A team of six made a big glass wave at the bench while a local artist painted a big wave on canvas. Dozens of onlookers watched in anticipation, hootin' & hollerin' whenever a gather was made, cheering every time someone struggled to get the glass from one place to another. At one point, I stepped up to take a big gather, but the rest of the time I just stood back and watched. I'm not into working in a crisis atmosphere: especially when the guy in charge, the "master glassblower", is drunk with ego and condescends to his team. It doesn't jive.
Every first Saturday, Da Factory has an opening. The holidays are coming, and in Hawaii, winter means big waves. The theme was kind of Big Wave Christmas - several artists that work glass there regularly had ornaments and other pieces out in the hall. Some painters had canvases on the cinder block walls. A woodworker that has a shop down the hall pulled out some of his sick furniture and displayed it. There were pupus (snacks) and drinks. People filed in all night long. And for the first hour, I ran a bench and made ornaments that guests designed. They'd sign up and pick out two or three colors, I'd gather and roll up the frit, start a bubble and then have the person inflate the ornament with their breath while I shaped it at the bench.
Later on, the theatrics really picked up as the lights dimmed and the music crescendoed, and video footage of big wave surfing was projected onto the wall in the hotshop. It was like a cross between House Party 2 and a Spanish bullfight. A team of six made a big glass wave at the bench while a local artist painted a big wave on canvas. Dozens of onlookers watched in anticipation, hootin' & hollerin' whenever a gather was made, cheering every time someone struggled to get the glass from one place to another. At one point, I stepped up to take a big gather, but the rest of the time I just stood back and watched. I'm not into working in a crisis atmosphere: especially when the guy in charge, the "master glassblower", is drunk with ego and condescends to his team. It doesn't jive.
[Just as a technical note for all you glass people: notice that there is no real jack line on this massive solid-worked piece. It took four attempts to get the piece to disconnect from the pipe. But when it finally did, it didn't just crack off. No, the entire moile exploded first, then there was nothing left for the piece to be connected to (what?!). Yea, seriously. In other words, when the piece was transferred to the punty, the pipe was clean.]
I'm still working my way into the fold there, deliberately and tactfully. And I'm introducing new concepts for a team of my own.
Here's an overall shot of the studio. Behind the easel on the left is the first gloryhole, followed by another , the 600 lb. electric pot furnace, and another gloryhole (lit). It's a nice shop - spacious with great ventilation. But its definitely no Tyler. The more hotshops I see, the more grateful I get for having had the privilege to study in such an outstanding glass program.
Thanks Jon, Dan, Anna, Angus, and Dre.
P.S.
Speaking of big waves, Laird Hamilton and Gabrielle Reese walked into Anthony's Coffee, where I'm writing, and sat down at the next table over. Among the crazy guys that ride waves over forty feet high on the face - waves so big you need a jet ski to tow you into the break, he's the most recognized, and considered by many to be the most gifted. I couldn't help but overhear what he had to say to someone interviewing him. He talked about his frustration with surfing competitions - and how he regarded it more as an art. After hearing that, I wanted to invite him over to the studio to try glassblowing (I hear it's similar to surfing, wink wink), but I didn't want to disrespect his privacy.
I hear that many other famous people live nearby. I was excited to hear that Ram Dass lives in my town. Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson have been spotted in Paia, Oprah recently bought a house here, Willie Nelson lives somewhere around here, and Ziggy Marley has a house on my street (I haven't seen him though). Maybe, one day in the future, someone else will sit in this cafe and blog about how Jesse Daniels lives here.
Hahaha, maybe....
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