When I unload work from the annealer, I hear a nearby sigh "it's beautiful"...
I cringe lightly and reply,
"it's not done yet, it still has to be put into context."
I then sense a little confusion. Why am I taking it to another level?
I realize now, that its all an educational process.
What I have learned on my own, is now evolving around me,
while many start to grow just as I did.
I am meant to encourage students to take their ideas beyond the bench.
I have wondered why some classes take the work
no farther than the annealer?
I think this is changing now, but when I started out in glass,
the main thing people talked about was grinding bottoms.
Honestly, I never did grind, and now I understand why.
I guide the potential of glass and its reaction to chemistry.
At the time, I was more than a minority; I was not understood.
When I took glassblowing classes at some of the big name schools,
I encountered a cultural phenomena.
The blowers were making big vases and didn't want to talk about art.
Most instructors just came in, did the demo, and left.
There was no "critique" of our work.
And there was no fundamental critical agenda.
Perhaps I took the wrong classes...
During those classes, I was bit of an outcast.
I had things to do, ideas to flush out, and I wasn't making work that looked like everyone else's.
I took the technical material and applied my own artistic vision.
I did not stop at imitation.
Fortunately, I had a studio to go home to and dive deep into my philisophy.
I was not prepared to invest in another course...
Thankfully, I got a scholarship to study with a great teacher.
She addressed concept and held regular critiques.
The only drawback was that the students did not want to deal with this.
The instructor had no means to ensure that partners work together,
and only a handful of us worked the class concepts.
Thereafter, I attended another class.
I got a great education in hot glass sculpting.
Still, I found the same old cultural phenomena.
The weekends were reserved for heavy drinking.
In order to use maximum bench time,
I recruited a partner from outside the class.
I was lucky the school let me do it.
This was when I promised myself
that if ever have a chance to teach in this type of program,
I would give my students what I wish had been given to me.
Years later, the Ox-bow School of Art called me up to ask if I would teach.
I told them they must have the wrong person. Firstly, if I teach intro students,
I will tarnish their approach to glass.
(Kirk Mangus, my first clay teacher, used to insist we learn to throw off-center.
It made us more skilled, but it was pretty shocking when he slapped his pots in the middle of centering them.
This kind of fearless teaching is what I meant and wasn't sure anyone in glass wanted that.)
Secondly, my work was not respected by the
standard glass world. The only place that will show it is a painting gallery.
The director said: "I have been interested in your work and have watched your progress over the years,
We want you to teach what you do. Teach your most radical processes!"
From there, I explained that teaching what I do would be fun. However, the most important thing
to teach is how I think about glass and its relationship to art. How did I come to do what I do?
What drives the work?
I wanted to help the students express their core art concepts glass.
I told the director, that for the class to be good, it would have to be a sculpture class that used outside materials.
I would give daily demonstrations of unique techniques and spend the rest of the time helping the students.
We decided that it was a big undertaking and they offered to pay for a second instructor!
The course entitled "Beyond the Limits" was team taught with the assistance of David Schaeffer.
David was a perfect opposite for my style. He had been a technical teacher at my studio for years.
His MFA in sculpture and additional MFA in glass (from Carbondale),
made him well versed in conceptual art as well as skilled in many media.
I was able to cover the kiln casting and other glass techniques in addition to straight blowing.
My demos were all glass blowing with added approaches.
I handled the student meetings, while he helped students make their blown work.
I also worked very hard on balanced partnering and various schedules so that we blew all the time.
Kilns were also scheduled for casting.
I sent students a questionaire prior to class. This uncovered their basic art views and goals.
More questions aided in gathering source material for projects.
All students were asked to bring non-glass materials to the class.
I conducted daily talks with each student, until they were too busy!
We held periodic group critiques.
Students were encouraged to do whatever they had to, in order to realize their goal.
The final works were presented as an exhibition.
What did they get from my demos? They saw how I handled glass.
Before each demo, I told them every step required in the upcoming pieces.
The realized that you must have a plan and know how to execute it.
We covered the difference between listening, fighting it, and losing control.
Students had so many approaches, that each one had to
troubleshoot and problem solve for their individual project.
They had to design a technique that would work for their idea.
Many walked away knowing that they could do whatever the wanted to, with much practice.
Over all, there was an attitude of grounded excitement and fearless freedom.
We all realized that the possibilities are endless.
The work that resulted from this class was truly "Beyond the Limits".
Each student made work uniquely different from each other.
The common threads:
1. Works had a conceptual basis
2. Techniques were used specifically to get at an idea.
3. Most pieces needed to be installed.
4. All works incorporated outside materials.
I am so glad to have taught this class.
Now, with the winds of Glass Secessionism blowing around,
I believe that this course was Secessionist by default.
The interesting part is that an Art School with a small glass program invited me,
rather than a craft school with a big glass program.
Just the other day, my assistant from that class told me something I was unaware of...
The studio facilities technician in our Ox-bow class
marketed a very similar class to Penland the following year.
(I do not know if he attributes his proposal to my class.)
They agreed to offer the course, and some of you may have taken it.
I must have been part of something bigger, without realizing it.
We can expect to see more classes like this in the future.
If your program offers one, please contribute to this blog.
Leave comments on classes/schools that operate in this vein.
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