Motivation

My personal motivation for taking this class was at first I have to as a requirement In the school of art. I picked crafting because I thought it was going to be a fun interesting look at the world of crafting and that we would be doing interesting crafts. As the class started i was aprehensive about the topic of going to Hocking and working with glass but as Ive made my way through this course I have grown to like it, Not the amount of work requiered but the subject matter.

Glass objects

These objects were found around the interior architecture studio. The red and orange picture is of glass tile, the clear flat one is for a decerative wall, a display case and a class cube.

Glass Objects

Over break I went to Panama City Beach. We went shopping around and we found a store that had beautiful glass objects. These just a few of the items they had in the store that interested me and some of the items were used for lighting. 

Glass objects

The first 3 are household decorative items and the 4th glass object is a small bowl and the last object is typically used to build shower stalls.

Objects made of glass

In the first picture there is a candy dish made of glass to hold candy, a vase to hold flowers and in the picture it holds rocks and a plant, a glass salt shaker, and finally, a candle holder.  In the other picture, it is a light bulb used to light up a room.  All everyday functioning objects made of glass.

Function of glass objects

Hour Glass:
This object is typically used in two ways. The hour glass was firstly introduced as a means to keep track of time and measure certain lengths of time that have passed. With advancements in technology the use of an hourglass has no longer been necessary. Its shape, form, and use has stayed with us until today due to its beauty. The use of glass within this object is a must, the object itself has to be transparent in order for its function to be complete.

Glass Head: 
This piece to me was particularly interesting. firstly I noticed that it was made from a mold, the seam running down the center of the face reveals that it is a two-part mold. I assume the use of a mold is relevant to this piece in order for it to be produced on a mass scale. At the base of the piece is what seems to be treads where something could be screwed onto it. Therefore this piece could also lend itself to being a container of sorts. However this piece is purely decorative and probably does not hold any real specific purpose. The glass material allows the piece to become decorative, whereas if the piece were to be a solid color one might assume that it could used for the purpose of a wig stand.

Billiards Light: 
This piece is being used in a specific setting in order to provide light to those playing a game of pool. The pieces style reflects a sense of nostalgia that goes along with the time period that pool and billiards halls would have been popular. The glass allows the light to pass through itself, projecting a red haze around the pool table. The design in particular is meant to match the red felt covered pool table as well.

Sculpture:
This is a piece that I made while i was a sophomore at Ohio University, the piece was a final project for a foundations 3-D sculpture class. The sculpture itself is glass sticks that are supported by a white plaster base. The glass sticks have actually served two functions during their life thus far. The glass sticks were originally part of a lamp that I had found at a thrift store. The sticks were dangling down from the lamp, with the lamps light shining through them. I took apart the lamp and re-purposed the glass into this sculpture. The glass i suppose has served the same function as being decorative, but its purpose has definitely changed.

Candle Holder: 
This piece is a glass candle holder that is typically used at a dinner setting. Something like this would be reserved for a special occasion or event where something unique would be necessary. The glass object interacts with the light above it reflecting the flickering flames of the candle. The piece being glass also allows you to see the layers of melted dripping wax on both sides of the candle holder, giving depth to piece.

Petersilge: Glass Objects & Responses

1.     “Boots Randolph” Mug

This glass item stood out to me particularly because it embodied a genre of “kitsch” that is a valid part of how glass exists. I found this in an old dusty box in the house I lived in last year, and I have no idea who “Boots Randolph” is, but because of its obvious associations to the souvenir and the collectible, I can get an idea of who he was and how this object represents him. The boot glass has an aura about it that makes it read as somewhat precious, also indicative of a collectible or treasured item. I uncovered this glass swaddled in several flannel shirts, an obvious effort to preserve it. However, also in the linear nature of the collectible, it was put on the proverbial “shelf” (my ex-basement) and forgotten about. Glass is often used as a material for collectible or souvenir items because of its fragile, precious nature. Its seductive surface texture and appearance surrounds an experience with a positive aura, through a system of iconography; in this case, a glass boot to represent the (presumably) saxophonist “Boots Randolph”.

1.     Candle Holder

Glass is used frequently for its property of being heat-accommodating. Glass teapots, beakers, and, in this case candleholders, can exist to contain a (limitedly) heated element. It also creates a soft-hued, transparent wall for the candle’s flame to pass through, in order to illuminate a space with even light. In this way, glass can function as an aesthetically pleasing solution for the usage of candles. Prayer, interior design, and many other situations benefit from the natural beauty of glass to enhance their experience. 

1.     Stained Glass Flower

Manipulating the color and strength of light that enters a space is a function very much inherent in glass. A decorative solution can be found in this item, a flower rendered in stained glass. Not only does it provide the viewer with an appealing arrangement of glass to create a picture, but also it casts a gentle, bluish green light into the space over which it hangs. Stained glass is probably most readily associated with adorning churches and large, public spaces, finding most of its commissioned footing there. For quite some time now, also, it exists as an item accessible to home and personal spaces, the size of house windows as opposed to cathedral walls. While perhaps less sacred of an experience, stained glass functions here to adorn an area with an elegant accent.

1.     Stained Glass Sculpture

This piece functions decoratively, as a paperweight or knick-knack, in order to enhance and personalize an intimate environment. For me, it functions as a keepsake, as it belonged to my grandmother before me. I believe that a lot of glass exists like this, especially in this day and age, being bequeathed from one generation to another. In this way, these glass objects retain their original function of decoration, but now contain an added layer of preciousness. People who have lived before us have given them to us. In some cases we hold them dear, but regardless we will associate that history and meaning with that object, making the two in a way inseparable. 

1.     White Cat Corn Jar

Glass is excellent for storing dry goods, such as corn kernels, legumes, tea… it can also be used to contain and store liquids, such as honey, and essential oils. Glass has many properties that make it advantageous for storage and preservation. Glass’ ability to be tinted, allows it to store even light-sensitive materials. It can also be used in combination with a vacuum system, whether mechanical or just a rubber enclosure, to create an airtight seal around whatever is to be preserved. In this case, the jar functions to preserve and store popcorn, of which it has done a splendid job so far.