A Passion Rekindled

Ever since I was very little I have wanted to work with glass. Hot, molten, malleable glass.

This is all because of my father; one of my best friends, not to mention an awesome dad! He is a big reason of why I am who I am. Ask anyone who has met him. My sense of humor, my attitude, my independence, my obsession with cars, my big feet are all because of my dad.

For the last 48 years he has been a glass worker at a scientific glass manufacturer. He rolls joints and blows glass...hardy har har. I have been fascinated since I can remember with his job. I can watch him work for hours. I absolutely ADORE the smell of the fires and aquadag. I even got a job with him for several years as I attended college. I would have loved for nothing more than to just have staid there, working amongst the glittering shards. But that was not to be.

My dad never saw his job as anything but a means to an end. It put clothes on his children and sent us to good schools. He cried at my sister’s college graduation because she was the first EVER in his family to make it that far. He made the owner of the factory promise that he would not let me work there for a living. So I had to move on.

Consequently, my dad never saw what he did as creative. He never wanted to teach me his job. He wanted better for me. Honestly, I think he was somewhat embarrassed by what he did. It was a hot, smelly job. His hands are permanently stained by the chemicals he uses.

BUT, I think I’m turning him around.

Now that he is past retirement age, and has received some recognition from respected glass workers in all fields, he has come to realize that this isn’t such a bad thing. We’ve been talking a lot lately of me learning the glass trade, but in an art sense and not a job sense. He seems more open to this now and has even talked of teaching me some tricks if I buy my own torches. This is something very special to me.

There are 2 things in my life that I have wanted to do with my father while I had the chance. Rebuild my car and learn glass working. Recently he suffered a heart attack, and that made me realize that you can’t put your dreams off for too long. He was there the day I fired up my car with its new engine, and now I want him here to get me started on something that has consumed me my whole life.

Wow, what a long and rambling post to get around to what I wanted to say....

Last week, I went and made a paperweight. What a glorious feeling! They had to practically throw me out, I did not want to leave. I know this is something that I need to further delve into. There are many facets of glass working and I want to try them all. Who knows, maybe I will find a field for me! Glass blowing? Flame work? A combination?

I don’t know, but I walked away from the class with a renewed feeling that I haven’t had since college days when I had time to sit and draw and create and try new things. I want to be there now, learning, working, creating. I can’t explain the feeling I had doing this. And every time I look at my creation I feel that feeling all over again.

I could go on, but I think you have the idea I’m trying to convey. The passion for glass work has been rekindled, and I need to see where it takes me.