2023
Tulsa Glass Blowing School Residency
Visual Distortion Bottle(s) – cognac, paddle & scotch
Pink/Purple&Aqua X-axis wrap Bottle Grouping
Tulsa works:
In the summer of 2023 I was asked to be part of Tulsa Glass Blowing School summer programing. You teach for five days and then have a three day residency. The following works are the pieces that were executed there during that time in late May.
Visual distortion bottles
A year ago I started making tactile bottles at a residency at the Pittsburgh Glass Center in Pittsburgh, PA . The first iteration/attempt was made at Acme in Louisville, KY. These visual distortion bottles developed in similar fashion. Tested in Louisville but executed in Tulsa at TGS. A few years back I was asked to make glasses with a grip/texture for older folks as to not slip - these were the sparkle glasses. I am not a fan of frit but am of process so after years of various jobs in picking up frit I liked the just rolled through flashed variety. Then if it was clear the under color or technique would be enhanced or distorted. The bottle shapes derive from the process of blocking a gather but not turning just flipping and going side to side while the rest of the shape could be indicative of bar bottles cognac, scotch etc. perfume bottles from Maurice Marinot as well as the snuff bottle collection my folks have. Switch axis and Pilchuck 96 are the cane techniques both learned from Lino and having been a part of the crew how does one pay homage but not be to derivative? 96 was done by him in 96 as you guessed it at Pilchuck. Originally it was from a leaf piece that Tyra Lundgren the 1st foreign women designer at Venini designed. Lino’s brother in-law Checco helped with these pieces -a bubble being stretched and sagged but cut open into a leaf. Lino put it on a pipe and made the loops, this is also where his Batman comes from. Finally in seeing so much rain through windows in Bergen at s12 over the last year I decided that precipitation is visual distortion you know what it’s like to see clearly but now it’s fuzz like old TVs but with an image behind. Just thoughts about a bottle with inspiration from process, the sea, the rain (snow, sleet, hale) and other makers and designers.