Sunday, January 8, 2022
Our final glass projects were colored glasses. There were four mixed colored frit (small ground glass) choices and we ended up with one of each, because I had time to do two glasses. Keith’s is on the left, mine are in the middle, and Alexander’s is on the right. Each of them is wonky in its own special way and we each think the others’ is better than our own. They will roam around the house, finding their purpose. They can, and will be, drunk out of, but I don’t foresee them becoming my favorite cups.
We all agreed that taking the class was a terrific idea. I enjoyed getting to see Alexander every Wednesday night and doing something together. It’s not like we don’t see each other fairly often, but, you know, life and lazy get in the way and in the cold weather it is often easier to stay home. I just can’t even express how interesting it was to learn something just so completely new. And something so hard! I guess that was really part of it. I took a felting class at community ed and it was all new, but it was easy – pick some colors, get this wet, roll on this – and bam, you have a scarf (okay, a scarf with badly chosen colors. I am bad with decisions). This was so interesting because every bit of it was hard, and the INSTANT you finished a step (somewhat badly) you wanted to do it again. Both our teacher, Claire, and our TA, Carla, said that once they tried it, they were hooked.
None of us were hooked. We are satisfied with our experience. It is terrifically expensive to practice ($60/hr, 3hr min), with the promise that it will take years of practice to get good enough to actually make decent products. Yeeeeaaaarrrs. So, we will all understand the work that goes into glass when we see it displayed and sold, and we will buy it with glee when it tickles our fancy.
The world would be a better place if more people did stuff like this just for the joy of learning. The prime function of the colored glasses is just to be seen and enjoyed as far as I’m concerned – they’re REALLY fun to just look at! The shapes add to the enjoyment. Excellent investment of time and money – when the outcome is fun, that triples (at least) the value.
I hope to find a shiny spot for them to be seen. I love learning a new thing 🙂
I love the colors of the glasses and am impressed that they are all unmistakably functional, but the animals are my favorite. Good for you all for going and learning something new!
I hope I never forget the complete feeling of disbelief when Claire said, “now make something.” And then we did 😂
Your glass blowing work reminds me of the time Nancy, Darlene and I went to see the Chihuly exhibit at the the New York botanical gardens.
I have always been impressed by Chihuly, but definitely more so now that I know how hard it is just to get started.