This semester has been full of many trials and bumps along the way, but it all came together nicely. All of the vessels I managed to complete for final defense are all fully representative of the final works in terms of form and color. While a few of them are in their completed state except for flame-polishing, some of them are still too thick around their rims.
Over winter break, BFA students in glass are granted access to the studio to work, so during that time I will be able to work out the final issues as far as the thickness goes on some of the pieces. Im eager to get moving and crank out the rest of the pieces that I need for the show!
This set of glassware was designed as a means of solving the issue of lack of space. These forms were based on inspiration I drew from Scandinavian glass design, as well as modern and retro-futuristic design. When considering these areas of inspiration, stacking, repetition, and modularity became relevant in my process; and this lead me to solving the issue of replication by combining digital and physical practices.
Within my practice of three 3D modeling, I am able to perfectly produce these forms in a matter of minutes, and then 3D print to the exact size and proportion. With the 3D print, I can create a plaster mold of the positive and perfectly replicate the piece with every pull of the mold. In doing this, I have in essence created my “duplicate” button in the ancient physical process of glass blowing that I would normally only have within a modeling software.
(This is a work in progress and will require revision)
I view my body of work as a way to converge my own practices, digital art and glass. It has always been fascinating for me to find different ways of bridging the gap between one discipline that has occurred for thousands of years, and one that has only become recognized within the last few decades. With my 3D modeling, I seek to create works that are deemed “hyper-real” or difficult to discern from an actual photograph. The clean and subtle detail are what creates the illusion of reality. Similarly, my glass work is focused on clean and sleek form. Once the form is established, the subtle detail in color are what adds dimension and makes the piece unique.
Though one practice occurs in a virtual space and the other physical, they are both realized in a three dimensional mode of thinking. My mission with my current body of work seeks to create my “duplicate” button in glass, that I would only previously have in Maya. By modeling my forms in Maya, I can ensure the exact shape, size and proportion of the piece. This also acts as a way to mock up and plan my final piece in a three dimensional space without needing to prototype in glass. Once the model is completed, I 3D print the form and use this as a positive for a plaster “cold blow” mold. Once the mold is produced, I am able to blow glass inside and produce the exact shape I need in rapid succession.
When considering the form of the final glass pieces, I sought out to create pieces that do not sacrifice their aesthetic for function. As a student, I have always been living in small spaces, confined to only a shared dorm room or a cramped apartment. With this issue, I decided to create pieces that stack, and consider modularity and repetition in their form. Producing modular forms that stack and rely heavily on consistency created the perfect opportunity to further my investigation of the “duplicate” button in the physical practice of glass blowing.
(This is a work in progress, and will need revision)
This is the mold once the plaster has set up. The next step in production is putting vents for air to escape out of the mold and make room for the glass. I had put in a few vents on the side before taking a photo, but will update again once all the vents are in place.
The first step in producing the mold is cutting the boards to the exact dimensions that I need. Once I have the walls cut and lacquered, they act as coddle boards to pour the plaster within.
Once the the boards are in place, I put the 3D print within the mold and build up clay to the middle point of the mold walls. This allows for the plaster to only fill up to the half way point of the piece.
Next, I apply the inner layer of the mold to the surface of the print. This inner layer consists of graphite impregnated plaster. The ratio for this is 1 part graphite powder, 6 parts water, and 8 parts plaster. This particular mold called for 75 grams of graphite, 450 grams of water, and 600 grams of plaster, but this number can change depending on how much surface area needs covered.
After the first layer is applied, I back this up with a pour to the top of the boards with 100% plaster which acts as support for the graphite layer. This first half of the mold weighs around 15 pounds.
Once the first layer is set and the plaster has gone through its endothermic reaction, I flip the mold over, divest the clay, and repeat the process of layering the graphite plaster and plain plaster.
This is the new set of 3D prints, which will be a stacking pitcher and cup set. Now that I have my prints, the next step is producing a mold of these forms.
This is the first new 3D print I have received. It is a larger variation of my stacking decanter and cup set that is being converted into a stacking pitcher and cup set. Below is a brand new mold that I poured using the print as a positive. I was able to get 3 successful pulls from this mold during my blowslot on the night of 9/23. I will be posting updates of those pieces as soon as they are out of the annealer.
The field trip to the TMA and 20 North Gallery was beneficial to me in many ways. Being in the Sights and Sounds gallery gave me a good idea on how I am going to display my pieces in both their housing and lighting. Being in the gallery atmosphere also gave me a sense of relief when it comes to seeing the final product.
Our time at 20 North was also greatly beneficial to me. As an artist who spans across disciplines, I do at some point hope to have work in galleries at some point in my life. Our time with Condessa was valuable in the sense that she took the fear away from the experience. External galleries have this intimidating factor to them, and seem like an unreachable goal. The way she explained the process of application and communication with the gallery really seemed like common sense when boiled down to the roots of what she was saying. This really gave me a feeling of relief and a confidence boost about applying to an external gallery.
I found this assignment to be helpful in terms of truly figuring out what I want to achieve within my own scope of ability as a glass artist. The artists that I have chosen all speak very strongly about their passion for the material and art form, and I find that very inspiring. The artists that I chose to research and gather information on are Lino Tagliapietra, Brad Turner, and Pietro and Ricardo Ferro. Both Tagliapietra and the Ferro brothers are traditional glass maestro’s from the Venetian island of Murano, while Brad Turner is a contemporary glass artist currently practicing in Vancouver, Canada.
One of the things that I find interesting about this divide in the practice, how 3 of the 4 artists are traditional and the other contemporary, is how everyone still feels this strong draw and passion for the material. Lino and the Ferro brothers both began their careers from a very young age; Lino at 12 and the Ferro brothers around the same time. Brad Turner received a degree in kinesiology before his BFA, yet still found the love of glass stronger and continues to practice and break boundaries within the glass community.
Lino’s work inspires me based on the minuet details of his pieces. the forms are not necessarily all that complex, mostly based in large and stretched wave forms. But it is the sheer complexity of his cane and murrine work that sets him apart from all others. Watching him work is also awe-inspiring. In the video posted by the TMA, all of the staff speak of him as a master of his art. His process so refined, based on many differing concepts form and technical complexion. He is always attempting to make things bigger and better, and never stopping. At 84 years old, and at the furthest end of his 72 year long career as a glass artist, he is quoted in saying that he is producing some of the best work in his life. If that is not inspiring then I am not sure what is.
The Ferro brothers are traditionally trained gaffers and cold workers who produce their own pieces and cold work pieces for many other glass artists whom reside in Murano. Once again I draw immense inspiration from their dedication and refinement of their art. The article/video they speak of how they were raised around glass, beginning early through their grandfather and father. They say that their cold working techniques derive from the want of achieving new forms and color; a layering effect. In the video, their process and technique is highlighted while observing Pietro observe a form, and begin drawing on organic and flowing forms on the piece and then carving away meticulously with a lathe; which in turn adds an entirely new dynamic and depth to the piece which would have never been visible otherwise.
Out of all of these artists, my favorite in terms of work and process would have to be Brad Turner. Turner received his BFA from the Alberta College of Art and Design and his MFA from Alfred University. Turners work ranges from conceptual and functional pieces, and his primary process of creating comes from more of design standpoint like myself. He attempts to take everything into account across the range of aesthetics to function. Turner is quoted in the article above as saying,
“It’s (glass) always had its own history separate from other creative worlds and hasn’t made the jump or been accepted into the greater fine-art scheme of things very well because it fostered its own strong culture. Now we’re at a time where we’re getting ready to expand into that world. The battle of the previous generation of glass artists was technical: they had to learn how to build furnaces and how to get glass.…The challenge for my generation is what to make, how to make something new and take it in a different direction. That’s the tough challenge, but it’s also why glass is poised to infiltrate the fine-art world.”
This statement is the best way to sum up the majority of what I gathered from this assignment. Observing work and drawing inspiration from traditional and contemporary glass artists has given me an excellent idea on process, technique, and the new and creative methods of thinking about the material that I had not fully grasped before.
Part B:
After this assignment, I decided to push my own boundaries with size and form. In my primary body of glass work, I do not tend to work larger than I need, but after viewing Lino and the Ferro brothers work I knew I wanted to experiment with traditional forms. This piece was my second attempt, I had shattered the first attempt after blowing it too thin on the bottom. After completing this piece, I gained a new appreciation for working with the glass, treating it with respect and learning how to heat and properly maintain it. This will apply to my thesis because heating and shaping come into play regardless of size within a piece, and after this I achieved a new and better format for my stacking pieces.
The content of my BFA thesis project will encompass a wide range of media across multiple disciplines. 3D renderings, blown glass, and augmented reality will all be components that bring this interactive installation together. The installation will display a printed and framed 3D rendering for each of the five physical pieces. The glass will be produced using 3D prints of the forms as a mold positive, and then hand blown into the molds. In addition to the physical prints and objects that will be showcased, I also intend to include an AR component with each piece that will demonstrate how the glass sets function using an iPad for a larger viewing format.
As far as the concepts that drive this body of work, I have a few in mind. The first and most relevant concept that I want to be clear in viewing the installation is the idea of green, space-saving design. As a college student who has and is currently living in a small dormitory/apartment like many others, I felt like tackling this issue of limited space by designing and creating pieces that serve their function while still being easily stored. Another concept that I feel strongly represents these pieces is the idea of not sacrificing aesthetic for function. You can still have a set of glassware that perfectly serves its function, all while pleasing the eye and able to be stored conveniently.
This body of work contains almost all the formal design elements, including: balance, emphasis, repetition, proportion, rhythm, unity, etc. The glasses themselves are sleek and clean, and have a good balance and proportion within their shape. The repetition and rhythm of the modular components culminate together to create a sense of unity that is pleasing to the eye when the pieces are stacked or unstacked. The emphasis lies within the bold and bright color of each piece, which can be swapped out to add a sense of variation. The renderings will also clearly represent all of these elements. This style is unique because of the connection between modern and ancient technology, and shows how important these elements are regardless of the medium. These elements strongly support my concept because without the elements of design, this body of work would not be able to retain its aesthetics and space-saving design.
The final format for this body of work will be an eight to ten-foot wall installation. I will construct a wooden cabinet that holds all of the glass pieces to demonstrate how they fit and how they save space. Along with the cabinet containing the glass, my space will display five to six printed and framed 3D renderings of all the glass pieces. I also may need a pedestal or some way of displaying the iPad for the audience to be able to view the AR component of my work. The cabinet will be centered within my wall space, and the framed renderings will be alongside the cabinet to the right and to the left. There will be enough room within the cabinet for the AR component to read the piece and work properly to display the function.
Set up Diagram
Equipment List
(This list is subject to change upon running into issues)
Today in class, I was spending time working on a new model and was able to come into the Collab Lab and begin a 3D print for a new mold. After class during my time with Margaret, we discussed the potential to speak with the graphic design staff about how to present my work. On top of this, we also discussed the possibility of getting a patent put on my design, and bringing my work to the Hatch for further funding or awards.
During this week of class we presented our previous works and where we would all like lead into the BFA show. It was a bit reassuring for me to see that everyone feels a bit lost about certain aspects of their projects just as I am. There seemed to be a wide range of ideas and execution for everyones projects, and I look forward to seeing them come together!
When I think of where I am artistically, I tend to put myself in this strange limbo of mediums. On one side of the spectrum, I enjoy 3D modeling and the process that goes along with texturing, lighting and setting up your composition. On the total opposite of the spectrum, I immensely enjoy glass blowing; which is a process that is totally opposite in every way, shape and form from modeling. With this divide being identified, I seek to marry my two practices in order to achieve the body of work that I have been striving for in my time at Bowling Green.
For my 3D modeling, I really like to focus on the hyper-real. Creating compositions that make others do a double take and realize that it is not a photograph gives me sense of accomplishment. Renderings and scenes with high contrast and color are other elements that I really enjoy playing with. As for my glass blowing work, I enjoy producing all types of forms from cups, vases, goblets, bowls, and some hot sculpted/abstract work as well.
Like I had previously stated, hyper-real is most definitely the style that I strive for with my 3D modeling work. As far as my glass blowing work goes, the idea of sleek and clean design is always something that has interested me. The modern, yet 50’s and 60’s retro futurism style is something that I strive for in my most recent body of work. Space saving and functional while still maintaining aesthetics and design elements. Aspects of both that I enjoy similarly would be the tediousness and attention to detail that you can have with both mediums. I enjoy spending hours on a rendering, tweaking the settings until I find that perfect shadow; or spending hours honing and tuning my fine motor skills while building a wine goblet on the pipe.
I think my modeling and glassblowing work do share the same theme and idea of clean design and everything else I have previously discussed. With that being said, I feel like this makes my work distinctive because of the obvious juxtaposition of the two mediums, and how regardless of that barrier, I strive to make them similar without really thinking about it. The only issue I still face is making the digital component for this body of work more prominent, and that will be the main focus of my time within senior studio. If I can find a way to do this, I know that it will only strengthen my works distinction from everyone else.
Part 2:
As far as artists who inspire me, I felt as though I would include a digital artist and a glass blower seeing as I just spent the duration of this essay discussing both of my practices. Ian Spriggs is a 3D character artist based in Canada whose work completely baffles me. There is almost no distinction between his renderings and a photograph. I strive for my scenes and renderings to have this same level of detail, and he greatly inspires me to persist in my 3D modeling
Portrait of Tony – 2018Portrait of Cassidy – 2018
Brad Turner is a Canadian glass artist whose work not only inspires me, but is also similar in content. His work seeks to maintain function and aesthetic similar to my work and interests.
The reading that we were assigned “The Digital Divide,” spoke to me but in an almost flipped perspective. Throughout my time at Bowling Green my interests have shifted immensely from my major and my practices. Having discovered and fallen in love with glassblowing, my priorities within digital art have changed from pursuing animation and concept design to 3D modeling and rendering as a means of prototyping and producing my glass pieces. Because of this shift, this has lead me to feel a sense of alienation from the digital program as a whole. None of it spoke to me, and I just went on creating things that I felt as though I had no connection with. Even so, I found and thought I had the perfect means of combining the two for my thesis, but apparently it is not enough.
Now I am tasked with finding a way to further push digital art into my thesis. We discussed ways of including video, projection, AR, or animation into my work, but nothing has clicked yet. We will see what comes with some research, and continuing to push forward to make my work valid among my other digital peers.
