M-16

[Robert Mickelsen]

my latest...

http://www.mickelsenstudios.com/catalog/AR_15.html

- RAM

[Doc Holliday]

wow, thats amazing! Great execution

[jes]

WOW, we must know war to really know what piece is, you give the future of the world no matter who a beautiful vision of what the world could be! I want to discover my potentials, you are soinspirational and talented and reasonable, down to earth...... please make and show more of your contemporary one in a universe art pieces. :-j

MORE WORLD PEACE

[kebira]

Grown men were weeping.....

[sertaiz]

that is killer, that scope just needed lenses, you could have probably made a working scope with those skills

[STROKER]

well that very well may be the coolest all clear glass piece i have seen to date.

unreal execution and discipline required to build a piece like that.

your work has always gotten tighter and pushes many boundries. keep it up.

jay

[glassdocnc]

Amazing work!

[naughty pirate wench]

Wow - your detail work is phenomenal!!! :clap::kickflip::clap: How long did it take you to put this one together?

[Adapt]

The bullets in the magazine! unreal, as in very real and very cool.

[faded]

i think someone has this all figured out.

nothing but amazing.

:)

[The Lorax]

Wow. so badasssssssss!

[nafglass]

That is amazing! I can't get over the detail! Thanks for sharing! What was the most difficult part to make?

[budman8778]

incredible.
looks like it would really shoot!
thanks for sharing

[Frankie Hess]

Wow!!

[brettodie]

as always robin beautiful stuff.

[ornametalsmith]

Jaw droppin KEWL. :chilling: Masterfully executed....:magician:.....as usual. Inspirational.

Rep'd

[Sea Monkey]

Bad ass

[Islandglass Man]

One market closes another opens.

I can see a .50 cal in your future

Bear

[Robert Mickelsen]

Thank you all for the kind words. To answer some of the questions...

This piece took about 5 days (appx. 30 hours) to make.

The hardest part was probably the main body of the gun in the middle where none of the forms lent themselves in an obvious way to glass.

I am having fantasies about doing an entire exhibition of hand-held weaponry... rocket launchers, grenade guns, etc. I would call it "Architecture of War" or something similar...

- RAM

[Dom]

Just when I thought you couldnt top that parasol...

Amazing work man.

[CripSkillz]

Freekin Awesome RAM OMG im sending this to my hunting buddys,, i think thats the coolest thing i have seen all year ,,except for you framed up tittys!!:cowboy:

[skip]

What I wouldn't do to take that and show it off in the old neighborhood.

[ALIEN!]

This may very well be my favorite piece of yours (pun intended) I would have gone with an Trijicon ACOG scope myself, but whatever. I wish I could buy that from ya right now. I could rack it on the wall right next to my real one:) I can't even wait to see if you make more. You should hook up with the guy around here making the electroformed glass bullets, they'd look sweet in one of your "gats". Make a mini gun and I shall worship you as my god.

[steven p selchow]

That is cool Robin. I remember in the old days when I had lots of ideas but not enough talent. I remember doing a dbl barrel shotgun, using the stich method for the stock, and some tubing for the barrels, maybe half the size of your ar 15. I think that would be an easy task, and not to time consuming for you to do, yep..their's a market for gun collectors. Thanks for sharing the weaponry.

steve

[cc_bob]

Very cool, I like the fact that is all clear.

[Greymatter Glass]

Nice, very nice.

Conceptually it's pretty fascinating and effective reminder of the time we're in... sort of... more on that below.

Technically, I can't fault your glass skills, as they're far beyond mine.

From an aesthetic/design point my main criticism is the giant scope. You've rendered a nice AR-15 Carbine rifle. While there's no one saying you CAN'T mount such a scope on a carbine, the practical function of such a gun is close quarters combat, so a laser sight or a red-dot scope as mentioned above would be much more accurate.

Also, the bi-pod is a bit uncharacteristic of a CQC carbine rifle. usually the bi-pods you see on an AR15 are on what are called "varmint" guns, used to shoot squirrels, rabbits, prairie dogs, etc from long range... then such a scope would make since.

Of course the long barrel, scope and bi-pod could mean it's a varmint gun, so that means the collapsing adjustable stock is what's out of place, as a good varmint gun will have either the stock stock or a highly adjustable competition grade stock, instead of the carbine style. A varmint gon would also change the contextual meaning of such a piece... is this a critique of, or comment on, small game hunting? Not a fan myself, but I know a lot people into it.

On the topic of context, an AR-15 has essentially little to do with war, and is more an issue of domestic gun ownership vis-a-vis Assault Weapons bans. The AR-15 is a civilian version of the military issue M16, but beyond the same ammo, and the look and feel, they're not the same gun at all. The AR-15 is not, and cannot be easily converted to, a fully automatic rifle. They're made to LOOK like an M16, not function like one. That said, I own a Colt Hbar AR-15 which is used by the military for marksmanship training and competition, so there is correlation, but i see the AR-15 being the stereotypical poster child of the gun banning loonies in DC, not a military combat weapon. For a military weapon other than the M-16 I'd suggest the FN-FAL as the rifle of choice for NATO or the .308 SAW Squad Automatic Weapon for US forces, those are both much more identifiable as combat weapons.


Anyways, great idea, and I hope we get to see more in this theme.

-Doug


p.s.

The Riflemans Creed - . Major General William H. Rupertus

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I master my life. My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than any enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will....

My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit...

My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weakness, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will...

Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but Peace.

[Robert Mickelsen]

Doug, thank you for the intelligent and well informed critique. As you must have surmised, I know nothing about guns. While I am not what you might call a "gun banning loony" I have never liked guns nor have I ever had any use for one. My interest here is in exploring aesthetic beauty in something that is unfamiliar and intimidating to me and that represents something that is horrible and revolting to me (war). Kari Russell Pool is allergic to bees and has a very strong aversion to them... so naturally they show up in her sculptures. Sort of like that.

I modeled my sculpture after images I found on the internet. I picked one that had a particularly lethal appearance (to me) and did not question the logic of the stock or scope or barrel of choice.

I see that using the title AR-15 may in fact undermine my original intent since that is the "civilian" version of the M-16. Perhaps I should change the title to M-16. Would that make more sense?

I am looking at images of the other weapons you name. Perhaps one of them will be next. Thanks again, Doug.

- RAM

[Robert Mickelsen]

One of the things I find most interesting about reaction to this piece is the fact that there seem to be no neutral or "mild" reactions (I am not just talking about this board either). Everyone either loves or hates it. I seem to be tapping into a rather raw nerve which, to an artist, is about the best thing that can happen. Besides selling it of course.

Now the question is... will the eventual owner be a gun lover or a gun hater? Only time will tell.

- RAM

[Greymatter Glass]

I doubt I have the money, but as a gun owner I would certainly put myself on the list of drooling want-to-be-buyers.

Also, as you know now, there is no middle ground on guns. The NRA is the largest lobbyist group in the country by a large margin in terms of membership. I actually consider myself to be a fairly moderate gun owner and know I am a minority in that regard, but I still joined the NRA as a show of defiance against irrational gun laws. I'm not against common sense gun laws, but those that are based on bad logic are a threat not just to gun owners, but Americans as a whole, as gun ownership is a Constitutional issue.

Few things can get our population riled up more than Constitutional rights and the threat of those rights being subverted or dismissed. It's no mistake that the right to bear arms is second only to our right to free speech.

Also, I think we should be allowed to arm bears. It would make hunting them just a bit more fair.

-Doug

[Robert Mickelsen]

Doug - A debate on what "common sense gun laws" might be is a subject for another thread. But the idea that an object of art should awaken a controversy for which there is "no middle ground" is a wet dream for an artist.

Thanks again for your comments.

- RAM

[Robert Mickelsen]

I have changed the title to M-16. If I could change the title of this thread... I would.

Thanks again to all who have commented. Is there anyone out there who is offended by this piece? I have certainly talked to a number of people who are horrified by what I have made. Anyone here feel the same way? I would like to hear from them too.

- RAM

[Kool]

I have changed the title to M-16. If I could change the title of this thread... I would...

Done deal.

[Greymatter Glass]

Horrified how?

Perhaps that is too loaded a question for this thread... but I can't really comprehend how that could horrify someone unless the very concept of a gun in any representation of any kind were extremely offensive to them, and I admit I'm not aware of knowing anyone that fringe in their distrust of / distaste for guns.

Also, people here might find it amusing that the guy who invented the AR-15 / M16 was named Eugene Stoner.

I bet there's a lot of Eugene Stoners here....

[Dom]

lol that one made me chuckle.

[cc_bob]

Also, as you know now, there is no middle ground on guns.

I disagree, personally I feel I am in the middle ground along with a lot of others. There are those that hate guns, those that eat sleep and breathe them and then there's me.

One of my best friends eats sleeps and breathes guns, he has a gun safe with lots of guns. His dad has a gun room that stays locked and then a gun safe for the more valuable guns. They both have their conceal carry permits, go to gun shows, modify their guns, know all the slang, made their wives take a gun course, etc.. His dad has a reload room in the basement with more equipment then I have for glass. If you talk with them, chances are you are talking guns, or hunting. I would not group myself with them.

I do however own two guns, and my son has a shotgun that I bought for his 13th birthday. The one is an old 7mm that I keep for sentimental reasons (belonged to my great uncle) and the second is a .22 that I use for irradiating muskrats from my pond. If I don't destroy the muskrats they destroy my banks, trapping is time consuming and a PITA. I don't get off shooting guns (like a lot of others I know) and consider them to be nothing more than tools.

There is however another side to this. I do appreciate the mechanical aspect and the science of guns and weapons, or anything mechanical. I also strongly believe we should never give up the right to bear arms, not because it's something "Fun" to do but because it's a free country and bearing arms is a freedom.

Don't punish those that don't for what others do.

[lucidvisions]

Robin,
As others have stated the piece is incredible. Personally it's my favorite of your pieces that you have been doing out of clear recently. It actually speaks to me more than the other pieces which I think show off your amazing talent of craftmanship. This one shows more of a controversial subject matter that makes me look beyond the crazy detail and more into the subject matter. Great job my friend, can't wait to see more!

Josh

[Robert Mickelsen]

Horrified how?

I can't really comprehend how that could horrify someone unless the very concept of a gun in any representation of any kind were extremely offensive to them.
Exactly. Like I said... no neutral reactions on this subject.

The gallery that will be showing it just emailed me and said they loved it. Yay!

- RAM

[Ben Burton Glass]

I think it's great! Very Technical and very very well executed... I can't wait to see the next ones!!

aloha!

[...LEAR...]

amazing,,you are a badass,,,your work is unreal,,really nice,,thanks for sharing,,peace LEAR

[$$$$$$$]

loving it!

[Uriel]

From a personal standpoint, I hate the subject matter but the execution of the piece is stunning and I overlook all the violence and death caused by firearms when I look at it.

My wife completly hates it and I can relate to her in part, but thats the point of art isnt it,, causing controversy and discourse.

[STROKER]

From a personal standpoint, I hate the subject matter but the execution of the piece is stunning and I overlook all the violence and death caused by firearms when I look at it.

My wife completly hates it and I can relate to her in part, but thats the point of art isnt it,, causing controversy and discourse.

im confused.

i have never understood the comments that come to the conclusion that guns are violent and are death threat?

now, i dont hunt but i do own a few guns for personal protection. you come in my house unannounced, you get shot. pretty simple concept.

however, my gun will not do this protecting on its own. i have yet to see a gun kill someone without a willing participant pulling the trigger. (im not talking about an accident where it went off. accidents happen everyday in everyway)

"therefore the old adage that guns dont kill but people do" really makes more sense to me.

hell if you are a bad person that wants to cause violence to others, then i am damn well sure there are other weapons that will do the job just as effectively.

trust me if you got rid of every gun in the world, certain people will still find a way to destroy each other. its human nature for far too many.

unfortunately, this is the world we live in today. accept it or get plowwed over by it. it is what it is.....

sorry to have gotten off subject there robert. this is not a thread jack and i want to say once again. great work sir. keep it up.

jay

[Robert Mickelsen]

My wife completly hates it and I can relate to her in part, but thats the point of art isnt it,, causing controversy and discourse.
Fantastic! I want to hear from HER! Why does she hate it? What kinds of feelings does it create in her? Let her post here!

- RAM

[Aussie]

hi Robert,

I'm probably going to get flak for what I'm about to say, but I would ask you and anyone reading this to keep a liberal mind and not to take what you're about to read in a negative light, because the following is meant in the spirit of open discourse. I'm hoping as a result of this to gain more of an insight of what it is you've actually done here.

Your workmanship is second to none, the lines in your piece are clear and straight and the execution is masterful and exhibits the same intimate control of your chosen medium as most of your work. But I'm not sure I'm convinced about this piece.

I'd count myself as one of the few whose reaction on seeing this work was neither here nor there, but different, and I would suggest that what you've presented us with is a very clever glass replica of a carbine ... but is it art? Was it even your intent that it be viewed as art? Is it the reactions you're getting which make it art? Hundreds of thousands of replicas of guns are made every day, in plastic, wood, metal, ceramic, rubber, fabric, paper etc, some mass produced, some painstakingly hand made, like yours ... is the only thing which makes yours different to most of these the material? For example, the image of the flute below may be a very clever replica, but it's certainly not art ....

What's the statement you're making with this piece, are you actually subverting "the gun" to your own ideas or are you rather enjoying being caught up in this network technique as a challenge?? From here it seems that you climbed the mountain because it was there.

There is an artist here in Australia who was casting "limp" lead crystal handguns and teapots in the shape of revolvers with their barrels turned down as the spout and teacup grenades about 10 years ago. There's an artist (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2356/1604993278_2368da8a27.jpg) in the states now making ceramic guns in delft and other traditional decorative techniques, yet another artist, César López (http://www.iansa.org/un/review2006/images/cesarlopez.jpg), takes decomissioned AK-47 assault rifles and turns them into symbols of peace. Whether absurd or visionary, these artists are subverting "the gun" to their concepts. With your work, are you saying guns are beautiful, or guns are fragile, or guns made from glass are transparent, or ... ?

I have actually no idea of whether any of this stuff I'm throwing out there has any validity or basis, because in all these pages you haven't really stated your thoughts on your own piece. You have pretty much let the reactions of people carry the conversation along. I'd love to hear what it is exactly that you think about this piece you've brought into the world (apart from jumping out of a plane because you fear heights or out of commercial interest ...) and what was your intent with it? Do you think it's art? What exactly is it that you have presented us with?

[Robert Mickelsen]

Weellll... since you asked... ;)

My attitude towards guns is a distinctly liberal one. I have always been of the mind that there are too many guns in the hands of too many people who don't really need them. I am in favor of reasonable gun laws and hope they close the "gun show loophole" very soon. Right or wrong, where did my views on guns come from? I don't remember my parents teaching me anything about it. I have very little direct experience with guns or gun owners for that matter. So why do I feel the way I do?

Part of the answer lies in an experience I had when I was 15 years old. I was taken hunting on the Big Island of Hawaii with my father and a guide he knew. I will spare you the details of what happened, but will make a long story short by telling you that I got to see first hand what happens when high-powered rifle bullet hits flesh and bone. There is nothing like a football-sized hole in an animal's body to bring home the reality of what firearms can do. It certainly made a lasting impression on me. I have never hunted again and have no interest in doing so.

When my family moved to Mims, Florida in 2007 we found ourselves in a rural neighborhood filled with gun owners. But living out here in Mims where nearly every one of my neighbors owns and shoots guns as a part of their everyday lives has exposed me to a mindset where guns are not seen as tools of violence. Instead there is a fascination... almost a reverence held by some... about guns that I find very interesting. What is it about these machines that people find so attractive? Is it just overgrown boys with a mechanical toy? Is it the feeling of holding something in your hands that can kill? Is it a feeling of power? Or is it a practical use of a tool as specified by the constitution as many of them claim? Maybe all of the above. I really do not know, but am interested in finding out where my own feelings come from and whether or not they make any sense.

Similarly, why are other people so strongly repelled by guns? Do they see them as tools of violence and nothing else and their owners as mindless idiots? My own experiences tell me otherwise. To find out the answers to these questions I decided to do a little poking around at my own feelings about guns. Looking around at various images of guns I noticed that I thought that some of them were actually quite pleasing to look at... in an architectural sort of way. The M-16 is an example of this. While building the piece I think I connected with something I did not expect to find... that there is an appeal here that goes beyond the function of the gun... an appeal that is (for me anyway) purely aesthetic. If you look at this glass rendering of an M-16 long enough you will see it too. The damn thing is beautiful, not just because it is glass, but because of its shape. The implied lethality contains beauty.

More later...

- RAM

[Greymatter Glass]

On arming bears:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/23/russia.skating.bear.death/index.html

[ALIEN!]

Robert, I like that you brought up the aesthetics of the gun. Its probably a very big factor as to why the AR-15 based rifles are so popular among civilians, along with its being used by the military and popularity in television, movies and such. It probably played a factor in my M4A3.

People are going to be people. You have the people that hate them, love them and some that don't really care one way or the other. However, the rifle you chose has a very profound look that is sure to raise an emotion in anyone, good or bad. I would think the AK-47 would be even more of a profound image considering its longer and much more widespread history. If you do make a collection of arms, I incest it wouldn't be complete without an AK, Colt Peacemaker and Glock, some of the most notorious (or famous) guns in history. You really could fill a room.

I want to say the AR15 is my favorite, but I dont think Ive ever been as stunned by glass as when I first saw Wahine. It was the first piece I saw of yours and I showed it to everyone I knew.

It will be interesting to see how the reaction of this piece will affect you as an artist in the long run, and possibly as a person. How did the political pieces affect you? (if at all)

PS its definitely NOT an M-16

[vetropod]

I'd be curious to know what your dad was hunting, and what caliber gun he was using.

Having just returned from hunting with my own dad, I've never seen a football-sized hole in an animal - despite the use of high caliber guns and large game.

If the animal is shot properly, it should have less than a few seconds before it is dead AND have a very clean hole so as not to spoil the meat.

Perhaps your experience involved a shotgun at close range?

The only time I've seen such carnage as you seem to be referencing, gophers and 22-caliber rifles are generally involved.

[LadyCharlie]

Very sexy, Robert!

[Uriel]

331 Stoker,, I can relate to what your saying but all I can draw from is my own personal expirence, bear in mind Im from the Uk and served with our armed forces here, Believe me Brah we wernt using our 5.56's to hang over our fireplaces stood alongside your Kin in the middle east :D
Given the Illegallity of even handguns in the Uk (unless you have your life torn apart by the police before issue) the image of the M16 provokes reminders of the episodes of live fire Ive expirenced and dont bring happy memories!

Rob my wife is away for the weekend selling our warez at a craft event but when we discussed it she said something along the lines of 'guns are a tool and like anyother they have a purpose, that tools specific use is to take life and I dont enjoy art that makes me think of death'.
She's a complex creature as are all women but I can relate to her definition.

[Aussie]

More later...

- RAM

Yes, your piece is undeniably beautiful. Thank you for taking the time to give your background with guns and the beginnings of your ideas with this work. I think you've barely scratched the surface here, though, so I'm looking forward to when you have time to write more later. :)

[Robert Mickelsen]

I got interrupted so I could not finish what I was saying.

To conclude, I don't care one way or another if this is considered art or not. Art is in the eye of the beholder anyway. I do not feel I have to justify why I make something. I am a maker and that is what I do. I make things out of glass. If you consider it art, fine. If you don't, fine. "Art" and "artist" are labels that are properly given to a maker and what he/she makes by others and not something you say about yourself or your work. I hope my little essay here gives you insight as to why I chose to make this piece. You bring your own meaning to it.

Peace.

- RAM

[Robert Mickelsen]

PS its definitely NOT an M-16
Oh great. And I went and changed the title. What is the visual difference if I may ask?

- RAM

[Robert Mickelsen]

I'd be curious to know what your dad was hunting, and what caliber gun he was using.

Having just returned from hunting with my own dad, I've never seen a football-sized hole in an animal - despite the use of high caliber guns and large game.

If the animal is shot properly, it should have less than a few seconds before it is dead AND have a very clean hole so as not to spoil the meat.

Perhaps your experience involved a shotgun at close range?

The only time I've seen such carnage as you seem to be referencing, gophers and 22-caliber rifles are generally involved.
I seem to remember the rifle being called a "30-odd-six" which I took to mean something like a .306 caliber. It also may be that the horror of what happened to that animal (a wild goat) expanded the size of the hole. But there was a gruesome exit wound. I did not get a clean kill. The bullet hit him high, severing his spine and knocking him over. Even the guide was horrified at the suffering of this poor animal. He had to put it out of its misery himself. My lack of experience did nothing to ease the awful way I felt.

- RAM

[Robert Mickelsen]

Rob my wife is away for the weekend selling our warez at a craft event but when we discussed it she said something along the lines of 'guns are a tool and like any other they have a purpose, that tools specific use is to take life and I dont enjoy art that makes me think of death'.
She's a complex creature as are all women but I can relate to her definition.
So can I. But there is beauty hidden in the implied lethality of this form. Sometimes art has to be dangerous.

- RAM

[aklovesglass]

Love it !!! i took your class after the egs flame off 2007. i made the fu-manchu acid trip # 1 in the class. My avitar is the 07 egs flame off entry. Thank you for the class, it changed my whole way of thinking about my art. I have done tons of mixed media since the class, tons of steel wool is now added in. Very nice work !

( Sometimes art has to be dangerous. )


- RAM

I agree.

[Greymatter Glass]

Robin, the visual difference between a stock AR-15 and a stock M-16 are basically nill. A standard issue M-16 would have a fixed "stock" stock, the handle top, a flash suppressor, and a 15 or so round magazine.

To nit-pick, the visual inconsistencies in your piece could be debated to death by anyone claiming to know the guns in question. I would say yours is more reminiscent of a hobby builders AR-15 than a true military rifle. The civilian style collapsing stock, the curved "banana clip" magazine, bi-pod, and scope are all things that would would NOT be found on a military M-16.

That said, I think your intention is more important that the actual technicalities. If you want it seens as a military weapon M-16 fits, if you want it seen as a statement on civilian ownership of guns that are dressed up to look military style, but aren't, then it's an AR-15.

It's not real, it can't shoot, so it's neither. Whatever you say it is - it is.

There are various versions of the M-16, the two main ones are older Vietnam era rifles have a triangular fore grip, and the modern M16A1 has the round one like you've done. There's also the M4 carbine, which is an M16 with a shorter barrel, either 14 or 16 inch usually, instead of 23-26" on a long rifle.

If you're serious about this one or other rifles let me know and I can get detailed engineering drawings online that have precise details on sizes and such.


Also, for continuation in a series of controversial weapons a few suggestions:

Barrett model 82A1 .50 BMG, controversial for it's role as a snipe rifle and one of several guns banned in California. Generally considered rhe largest rifle a civilian can legally own.

M2 Browning Machine Gun - the father of large caliber machine guns.

M60 - Rambo made it famous Need I say more?

M40A3 - A real military sniper rifle.

M1 Garand rifle - The old school Springfield bolt action rifle used from WWII through Vietnam when it was replaced by the M16. Also, to your above comment... the Garand is a .30-06, or "Thirty-aught-six".

...

Law-80 - Bazooka. Yay!


Colt 1911, standard Military issue hand gun.


Also, foreign guns have their place....

German Mausers are equivlent to the Garand.

AK-47

Israeli Uzi

SKS rifles

... long list possible... but those would be some starting points maybe.

Of course, a saturday night special would be cool....

...ok I'm done. Alcohol, guns, glass, and politics... what a Friday night. let me know if you ever need those diagrams tho, I got a few I can scan, probably find the rest online

-Doug

[Robert Mickelsen]

Doug - I would be very interested in the diagrams. Thanks for the offer. Incidentally I watched an interesting show on the history channel last night about the history and development of the M-16. Fascinating stuff.

I made the choices you describe... the collapsing stock, the curved clip, etc... from a purely personal aesthetic viewpoint. I know nothing about practical considerations... only aesthetic.

Thanks for your input.

- RAM

[RamblezMarblez]

I love this art. Just throwing it out there as an idea.....I like the looks of a MAC-11 and that's squareish.

[HOSS]

Great stuff as always! If you do make it a series, I think an old-school tommy gun would be very cool, from an esthetics standpoint.

[steven p selchow]

Well, I can't beleve all the reponse to a piece of artwork...there I said It, art work. I know he asked for it and Im sure hes enjoying the constoversy that this subject matter/Piece has created. I don't recall in recent years that a piece has generated more of a response, almost a 100% reply to views ratio.


Had Robert made a knife, would be be thinking cooking, skinning, or hunting?
He made a piece aesthetic pleasing to him. I can't assume what his thinking was before or during the execution of it. I have friends that still have flashbacks to the war, as we know them now as (post tramatic). Either you look at guns in any form as a violent expression of killing, Or as a law applied to you as constitutional rights to bear them, regardless if you use them, just your own expression to utilize and some cases to challenge those who oppose your views, legal or not, a cloudy area depending on the law enforcement agency you confront, and its a prefered method to apply forceable procedure and let the da or court determine, as we all know most cases of essesiveness are never reprimanded...their simply classified as "dismissed on prosecuters motion". But were not talking about all that here, because guns in a artists mindset and creating one does't necessarily make a statement. I having lived and grown up in a turbulent time in the past, as robert being a few years older, but relating to the same time period. I viewed Andy Warhol as a counter culture pop artists, but he was in tune with what was happening at the time, and I beleive most people look at a picture of a gun, no matter what material its made from, view it as a killing machine, thats the first thought process much as flash cards to a child asked to identify in detail what it means to them.

When I previously mentioned I made a shotgun, my only thought was to see if I could do it, not for what the piece represented.

Guns are mostly viewed as hurtful unnessary objects to the majority of suburbia, whom has no had prior experience with home invasion. Neighborhoods I would think dictate a persons choice as to the revelency of personal home decision as to maintain a firearm, handgun or semi automatic, but only Robert can tell us why he chose to make the artwork he did....sorry for the rambling...but I like the term, I made it because I can.

steve

[smutboy420]

That looks sweet and very well executed.

I almost want to ask what kind of shot grouping your getting with it. lol lol

[jane clifton]

I agree with Steven.. I am not an avid gun supporter, but I do think we have the right to bear arms and yes, I own many guns, just for personal safety. anyone who comes in my house uninvited will get shot! But I mainly have dogs for my protection. I don't hunt and don't like the actual thought of animals getting killed, but for those who feed their family with the activity, I applaud them. Like it has been said, guns don't kill people, people kill people and the violence involved will happen whether it is with a gun or a knife or poison.

Anyway, my opinion on people who are gun haters is that they are generally narrow minded. But thats just my opinion, don't blast me for it please.

I am surprised that you have chosen a gun as a subject for your art however, considering your normal liberal views on things.

At any rate, when I look at this piece, what I see is skill! Not a gun perse but the skill of the artist who is able to reproduce it. Knowing glass and how difficult it is to work with, this truly is a piece of beauty and your expertise in creating it is amazing!!

by the way, when I first looked at it , it looked more like a rendition on a space gun to me. I wonder if you had labeled it as such would there be so much discussion?

Great work regardless and thank you for sharing.

Jane

[voic]

Thats not a gun
guns dont kill people
I see one killer piece
and alot of skill
the rest is beyond words

peace

[Aymie]

effin awesome...wow!

[Pogo]

Usually I have some wonderous analogy for how well i like a piece. There are too many words... I personally could care less about statistical data for a weapon, or what would be used tactically in war... I play video games and like movies that have guns sporting banana clips and big sights and flash suppressors and all those other fancy gizmos... The more shit on a gun the better it looks to me. Although I have some knowledge of firearms (not close to the tomes in doug's head), I still think there is an aesthetic quality to exaggerated weaponry that captures the imagination.

a most wonderful piece of glass... I look forward to seeing all your future work.

[_V_]

Fantastic! This is why i love glass. The ability through practice and discipline to be able to manifest your thoughts in glass.
Excellent work sir.

[glassblower209]

Cleas as Fu*k Hella ubniform.

[ALIEN!]

Bump because this is my favoritist piece of glass in the whole wide world. Glass + guns = me having to change my drawers.

[boombonicglassstudio]

great work im speechless and its awww inspiring!! great to see things like this thank you for posting.

[N~DARK]

Sick work! The form looks perfect! Can't wait to see more work like this!

[stateofmind]

The work is beautiful... and expertly executed.. that said I have to agree with Aussie here... I've read a few books on glassblowing and I would always wince a little when the author would inevitably define the point in which glass becomes "art".

I can't help but feel that intent is the single most important, if not the only important, defining feature of art. True intent cannot be denied or missed.. It will charge the object with a palpable numinosity... and almost assuredly attain a relic quality.

Execution and technical ability can only amplify the original intent. If the intent is weak then the effect the piece has will wear off quickly. True art seems to have that same quality that charismatic people do - and it's just as difficult to pin down "why" it has such an effect on us.