Do you buy glass for the person, or the glass?

[PyroChixRock]

When I buy or trade glass, the person behind the glass always has more to do with it then the actual piece. If I know the person and I really like them, that piece means so much more to me. I'd never consider buying/trading a piece made by an asshole. Do you guys consider who made it when dealing with glass, too? I think I do this because I know what goes into a piece, since I put a lot of myself into my glass.

I assume the answer might be a little of both, but which is it more of?

[kruger]

the person has alot to do with it, if the person is really tallanted and i can look at the piece and respect it for the tallent into it, it means alot, but if i saw a piece that i didnt know who it was by and it stunned my mind i would definetly get the piece or try to find out who made it and check out what else they bust out and get a piece from them

[Utopian Brain]

Misha, it might as well be me talking with yourr words, im tired right now so if this become a huge discussion ill add some more insight tomorrow. but yeah its all aboutt he person, because theres often a nice piece that comes from the nice people we know

[broken glass]

A piece has a value in and ov itself. IMO Because some artists don't interact with other well in a social environment, because someone offends you for having different views, I wonder what makes one an asshole? I like it when people are not affraid to show tru emotions, even if it may offend. This puts one on the line way more than someone who just loves any glass made by a friend or a potential new friend.....badly worded, but if one likes ANY piece that may be made by someone "nice" (not an asshole), then one has no subjectivity(as far as glass is conserned. To me it is about the final product, I don't care if it was made by a mass murderer, if i see it, and it brings me that feeling of awe, or meaning, or some sort of emotion, then I am going to like it, and want to buy it.

I don't buy anything but raw glass, Art is for the rich, which i am not.

[onion]

even if the person were an asshole and they were an amazing worker id still like to have some of theyr hypothetical glass. sometimes its not hte persons fault they have no social graces. i guess even if they were just a total asshole id still respect the talent and artistic vision that id like to think went into the piece.

[Chris Carlson]

when i know that someone really likes the piece they just made, it makes me like it more. the person matters to me a lot, but beyond that, i like to know how they feel about it. if they just brush it off and don't really like it, or aren't that into it, neither am i. when they say "you gotta check it out in the light" or "look at the bottom, i put an extra this or that". i like pieces that the artist cares about. because i get so attached to mine, when they finally come out as hoped for. those pieces usually end up in my friends hands as b-day presents or trades.
but i'm not just gonna reject some great work cuz the guy is socially inept. half of us artists probably are. I don't know fro, and from what i've heard, he might not be the nicest guy on earth, but i still want a fro piece bad!!

[wifebeader]

Most of the time it is the piece in and of itself since I haven't met many artists in person. If I see something I like I try to find out more about the artist 'cause I'm excited about their process.
If I do meet an artist in person, I almost always buy something if they are nice and if they are super nice, I try to buy something even if the piece doesn't really speak to me(unless I'm dead broke). There have been some rare times where I loved a piece of artwork and was eager to meet the artist only to have a personality mismatch. Then I am totally turned off and don't buy. An example of it: Once at a street fair I saw a gorgeous fused plate--really nice and reasonably priced to boot--I approached the artist to tell her how much I loved that plate. She looked at me, and said," Sorry you can't afford it honey." and went back to talking with her friends. Granted I don't dress up and I don't think she meant her comment meanly, but that killed all the enthusiasm I had for the piece. Maybe it's a very emotional way to choose artwork, but I buy art to fill my life and heart with warmth. Artwork made by a wonderfully spirited artist brings positive energy into the home :)

[BlueDevil]

I personally am addicted to glass not glass workers so it's all in the piece itself. I judge art for the art not by the artists. If the situation show the artist to be an asshole, well I may try to find a way to get thier glass other than from them directly (E-gay works good for this). Art is art no matter what the artists personality is. Just my thoughts on this anyhow

Lee

[Arcane Glass]

If I was at a show, and saw this kick ass 5in vortex marble on display and I had the cash to buy it and was going to buy it, and I go up to the table and then "Joe Artist" behind the table is an ahole to me or shows me total disrespect. I am going to put my money away and tell everyone I know to never go to his/her booth because he/she will treat them like crap if they do. I don't want to support aholes. I want to go to a show and have a conversation with the artist and find out what made them make the 5in marble, what was there inspiration behind it so I can tell all my friends about it when I show them my new 5in marble and tell them that the artist that made it was the coolest person I have ever met and they too should go check out his/her work.

I have people come to our booth all the time that have seen us at a show somewhere and came back because they loved our work and they always sit and chat up a storm with us about everything. Now was it the piece that brought them back, or was it the fact that when they bought the piece they were able to talk to us and get a feel for how we treated people, or what kind of people we were, and thats what brought them back. I don't know, its just always better to treat everyone you meet with respect, especially if they are getting ready to buy something from you.

[Arcane Glass]

not to hog the thread here, but I also agree with you BlueDevil, it is all about the art. Its just hard for humans in general sometimes to look past the person behind it. Thats why I love the Galleries, you don't have to speak to the artists, its just you and the art and thats why your there.

[PalisadeGlassGallery]

As a Gallery owner and presenter of Glass Art to the public. Knowing the story of the artist is importent from my standpoint.. As for the Public or buyer point of view,, it mostly gets in the way of the sale. Unless the artist in known such as Townsand or Mickelsen. People view Glass as a Chullie or some other Hot Glass Artist works. Opening the door for a story alowing them to impress you about there knoweldge. diverting from sale. The peace sells itself first and formost... The artists story about the peace gets in the way mostly...

[IrieGuy05]

"ven if the person were an asshole and they were an amazing worker id still like to have some of theyr hypothetical glass. sometimes its not hte persons fault they have no social graces. i guess even if they were just a total asshole id still respect the talent and artistic vision that id like to think went into the piece."

Yeah people seem to respect me more after seeing nice glass, its like wait thats creative and appealing, there must be some insight or thoughts in there... maybe I'm just trippin and people really do hate me..

I probobly wouldn't buy a peice from someone I didn't like. Once I thought more of a peice just cause I mistakenly thought someone else made it. I looked past the flaws when I thought my homie did it..

[glasshead]

To me it always seems like assholes make shitty peices anyways (no pun intended lol) and nice artists make nice work. It's all about the artist and being proud to rep their work.

[smutboy420]

To me its a lil bit of both I'd prefer my pcs to be made by some one thats kewl as well as be a nice pcs. its nice when you can have both in one.

BTW what about tools Do peep buy tools from assholes or does it not mater if its a good tool? or do they need to be a glass blowing god to sell good tools? Even if they are the best there is?
I'm just looking for an outside view.

[GlassDiver]

money! money! money!
I continued to deal with an asshole until today when he posted a sign that said no solicitation
to be honest with the group. I as a glass artist i buy other glass artist work on talent. then if the artist is persuasive (and present of purchase) I will engage in a good haggle over a worthy price.

[Vapor Glass]

it starts with who made it then i finalize the purchase with the cleanlines and techyness. name matters.

hey chris.... that piece u wanted at agi... its for my girlys bday hehehe. soon enough mang. respect

[Chris Juedemann]

Well.. my eyewear will probably always come from Auralens.

Chris

[Chris Juedemann]

Also, I may or may not be the artist known as Chullie.

Chris

[Robert Mickelsen]

In a perfect world you would always acquire art for reasons of aesthetics alone. But that the person behind the glass adds to (or detracts from) your sense of value is simply human nature. This is common to us all, including big-time glass collectors who often shop for names rather than individual pieces.

For me, there are several pieces in my collection that are made by bona-fide glassholes. My response to them is not diminished by the personality of the artist... it is, in fact, sometimes enhanced... but underneath it all it is love for the work that overcomes everything else.

Just my $.02.

- RAM

[mistahead]

i only buy glass from assholes!!!!

[smutboy420]

i only buy glass from assholes!!!!
hey you looking for any glass? I'll sell you a whole bunch. :-)

[mistahead]

are you a certified asshole though??

[slinger]

no, randy only buys pieces from real assholes, like me :p

[smutboy420]

are you a certified asshole though??

I don't have papers to prove it or any thing like that. But depending on who you ask I could be.

[Orrza]

Hmm... Its a good Q...
I sometimes look at a piece and I know its something special I would like to have neer me, regardless of who made it.
I didn't meet many blowers (sniff, sniff :() yet, so I can't really tell...
I am sure that personality of somone who left a strong impression on me will effect my opinion about his/hers style.

Misha, that meens that if I ask you for your address in order to send you a little thing from me and you will let me have it, you think I am not an asshole? :)
Come on!!! Can I have your address??? please..... ?

Peace,
Orr.

[PyroChixRock]

Orr I don't think I could ever think you were an asshole, you're a geniune sweetheart. You can have my address but only if you use it to show up here and collab! :D

[Orrza]

Oh thanks dear...

If I could, I would get there two years ago... really... :ohwell:
Waiting for my european passport.... :devil1:

Now, Gimm'e the addy!!! :lol

[WORLD FAMOUS]

The only pipes/marbles/pendants and art in general (tattoo's too!) that I own are pieces I've received from friends in trades. I'd personally never spend more than $75 on a non-vaporizing pipe...lol! Hear that? I'm too cheap to buy my own work...haha!

I have about 8 marbles, 5 pendants and 10 unused headdies in my collection, all from various friends and one or two from myself. If I had kept every piece that I liked that I made though, I'd have a major storage issues.

I have seen pieces I'd like to buy, but I've never actually 'bought' a pipe since I started making them that I can recall. Not that I wouldn't if the right one came along, but I've been fortunate enough to have just traded or received them as gifts so far. Knowing the artist seems to be a requirement for making my collection so far though.

[somberbear]

sence i make most of the work gaining just art isnt really my gig i got other things to spend my money on to help me become the craftsman i wish to be.

but i have a whole list of work from people i would like to pick up one day in trade or gift or bought form. becouse they have shaped me into who i am today... if not knowing them personaly knowing there body of work. I find it extra special when i can tack a name to a peice.. and how i got it.. then it isnt just a peice but a period in my history i can reflect on.

a small excert of my list so far.
eugine rain
N8
dwaine
frank
tj & mike
shannon
Glass kitchen
markus
and GGB
pahok(?)

all these people i know and would enjoy having a peice of glass to remeber them by always. there are many more im sure. i find it better then a photo to have a more tangible link especialy in ones chosen medium. or i have looked at endless gallerys and inspired me to work harder.

so thats my list and until i get my money in order to get these peices i will be content knowing these people and looking at these pictures. so one day ill be on the hunt.

any peice is a combontion of the peice and the artist/craftman. if its a great name but a crappy peice no go if its a great peice and a no name then i might go for it.

so i dont know... i am just trying to live in my little glass bubble

peace
rob

[JTGlass]

I dont buy art(usually). But if I were to buy glass, the glass would come first. If I met the artist and he/she was an asshole or disrespectful to me, then I wouldnt buy it no matter how much I admired the work. I definitely would not spend any money on ugly glass just because I was friends with the artist or because they are nice. If I never met the artist and I liked and could afford the glass, I would buy it even weather the artist was an ass or not. Either way it doesnt really matter because I cant afford to spend money on much if any art.

[BenKrishman]

I think Micklesen perfectly summed up my thoughts on the subject.

[HumanLathe]

I think a lot has to do with whom I'd like pieces of art from, attitude prior to purchase, the draw I have to the piece, what the piece means to the artist, what the piece means to me, shit I could name a thousand things. Misha and I have bought/traded pieces from rookies and though there work may not be the most beautiful work ever but it was to them and that was the most important thing for me at that very moment. But if you’re an ASSHOLE I'm such a better ASSHOLE and I'll prove it to you by not buying your ASSHOLE product. I don't support incomes of ASSHOLES no matter how nice there work is. :tongue2: :tongue2: :tongue2: :tongue2:

[PyroChixRock]

No wonder you've never bought work from me. :lol

[WORLD FAMOUS]

Damn Misha, you stole my line! HAHA! J/K!

BTW, COOL Max avatar!

Mickelsen summed it up best for me with this line... "For me, there are several pieces in my collection that are made by bona-fide glassholes. My response to them is not diminished by the personality of the artist... it is, in fact, sometimes enhanced... but underneath it all it is love for the work that overcomes everything else."

[PyroChixRock]

Max is a huge dork! :lol

[cheng076]

Couple years back Misha traded a marble of hers for a couple of my attempts. Looking back I can remember how bad mine were but I had only just started to do boro and marbles. That act of kindness inspired me to try harder, learn more, and pass on that kindness to other beginning artists. It has endeared Misha and her family to me and her marble is the center of my meager collection. My short answer is that I try to collect art that I enjoy looking at. If it is done by someone I know and like and admire the attraction is much enhanced. On the other hand if it done by an asshole it may be beautiful by itself but my view of it is dimenished and I will not be attracted to it nor buy it.

Comming from a rather conservative background and career path I have had to struggle lifelong to overcome preconcieved notions of dress and lifestyle etc. Riding choppers in the SF area and doing glass here in the Seattle area only reinforces my belief that there are beautiful, decent, caring people in all walks of life. This board's members prove it time and again. The people I meet at gathers, demos, open houses and classes continues to reinforce that view. From the opposite side, thank you all for accepting an old redneck into the glass world; I appreciate it greatly.

PJH

[Rexwerx]

Hey,

I like pipes, and have a lot of them. I have met most of the people who made my "daily drivers", but I got the pieces because I like glass, it really never occurs to me if the guy/girl who made it was nice or not. I have pieces made by Fro, Snodgrass Sr., Snodgrass Jr., Pan, Freeman, Clinton, Brian Padilla, Brian Bates, Bob Batram, etc., etc., etc...

If I could afford it right now, I would buy a "Ham" piece (for the art), one from "J.P." (I can tell just by looking, any piece he made would be a "daily driver" at my house), one from Amber Pellagrini (one of/if not the best concept "art" glass pipemaker there is), a piece and a jar from Yvonne Padilla (if she is still making glass), as well as, one from "Bearclaw." (insane looking stuff) Though I don,t know any of them personally, nor do I really care if they are axe murderers. I just dig what they can do.

I guess my point would be, if it kicks ass, it kicks ass, and speaks for itself. Who in the f**k cares if the person making it was a cool person (in my eyes) or not?

There is also, the art of how a piece works when you talk about glass pipes. Snodgrass probably makes the ugliest pipes out of all the pipemakers I have in my collection, though his pieces get used around here the most out of anybodys, besides my own (I know what I like, and what works for me personally, not saying I am all that).

Pretty pieces from nice people are cool, but high functioning pieces are what I shoot for when I grab for something to actually light up. If I just want to use/hold some cool looking glass I,ll definetely whip out something like Clinton,s stuff, though with all the appendages/basic design flaws, they leave too much stale smoke in unwanted places for me to use on a daily basis.

As somebody has already said, I also wear Mike A,s glasses. Although, I don,t think they are considered any kind of art. That still says a f**kin' mouth-full.

............Bird

[HeartBurnGlass]

I remember seeing in a different forum, someone posted something about JP Toro being an asshole (I forget their exact complaint) and all these people responded saying that they were going to sell their toro.
I really doesnt make sense to me, If you like the piece than you like the piece, forget who made it.
On the other hand, If I was buying a piece directly from the artist and they were being an ass at that moment it would probably kill the sale.

[ACE]

for fucks sake, the last post in this thread is from SEVEN YEARS AGO.

....but JP and his wife have always been super nice to me :/

[hngntuf]

Tha't what happens when a noob (like me) follows directions from the elite and reads, reads, reads....

Stephen

[LunacyMountain]

lol epic thread revival how did you even dig this one up?

[Aaron Ellis]

I haven't bought a piece in so long, I don't know what its like. That being said tho I don't like stuck-up people. We all shit sitting down. And we all wake up with bad breath, but if your art is nice I'll still respect your art. If not ? Get some personality and get humble.

[hashmasta-kut]

ya, fuck all those haughty people :)

what about people who buy for the color? i was talking to someone about a piece they had and they said it has slyme and showed me a picture, i was like, pretty sure that aint slyme, and after some research they found out its just some light green, and now they want to sell it, lol.

[Bunyip]

Necro thread mesmerizes you into answering! -10 willpower points!

I chose C) Depends.

If I want to own a piece by a particular artist, I'll grab what I can afford, provided I like it at least a little bit. By the same token, if I like something, I will buy it with no regard for who the artist is - if I can afford it.

[Julian]

I buy glass to impress Misha. That's all.

[J proper]

I used to by glass by function, if it seem like it will rip hard then I will probably buy it, colors are just decorative. Functionality is key.

[Julian]

I buy glass to melt it most of the time.

Seriously though it's absolutely for the person first, next by the work itself. I'd love to have something made by each of the fabulous folks I have met, but of course it's better if it's a neato piece.


For me, there are several pieces in my collection that are made by bona-fide glassholes. My response to them is not diminished by the personality of the artist... it is, in fact, sometimes enhanced... but underneath it all it is love for the work that overcomes everything else.

That's a great point. Love of the medium is common ground for all glass artists.

[yinzer]

i buy glass to trade for crack. shit this thread is like almost as old as my kid.












.....other than that i dont even care if the shit functions, chances of me using something i would purchase are pretty slim, as i wouldnt purchase anything id want to use regularly. i have enough of my own crap for that. name, work, all the other crap. all of that comes after the crack, of course.



and now back to your regularly scheduled 2012

[Julian]

yes yes y'all!