AdamCotter
03-21-2012, 11:06 PM
introductory thread.
I was first introduced to glass from mr rogers neighborhood, Picture Picture showed the fellows in a production lab making things, hot glass... WOW.
So at the age of what? 6? Based on what i knew of the world I already had my whole life figured out, I was going to be a Rockstar, Astronaught, Oil Spill bird washer, Glass Blowing Jedi. Still havent gotten to space yet.
I saw a Snodgrass chillum while folowing the Dead in 1991 and as I caressed the beautifully curved thick piece of glass acid unrolled it before my eyes. If you havent experienced a piece Bob Snodgrass spent time on , while your eyes are opened by the influence of psycadelics, then you probably don't understand what the fuss over Bob is all about. There is much more to it that just the fact that he started the movement, hidden, winking at you just under the surface of the glass. It swirled and morphed cowboys rode thru tornado stormclouds while ladies danced around a fire of skulls... anyway not to get sidetracked, I decided then and there that was what I wanted to do. Learn how this majic was made.
After a few years of false starts ( met a scientific glass blower who showed me how to make clear tiny spoons with a victor torch in 1992, tried again in 93 on my own, made mushroom marbles for a guy for a couple months) I found myself in Boulder Colorado. I ran into my old Doppleganger and tour friend Zed who was living with some hottie Buddist chicks up in NEd. He had a nice little set up and showed me the secret to fuming and how to make hammers, and simple bubs. This was winter of 1994. He offered to teach me and let me chill with him while we learned the wonders of boro. I still had too much Wanderlust in me and couldn't take him up on the offer for long. I wonder what could have been if i had stayed often.
Instead i loaded up a 35 foot schoolbus (the One Love bus if your old and remember) stripped out with french bread pizza ovens in the back and comfortable digs for a twenty person crew. (I was not, nor have i ever been a cult leader) wink. )and went back on tour. Spring...back in bouler...back on tour.... DISASTER! Boom, bus is gone 23 people 4 dogs and a rat named norman stranded in AZ. Bummer. i hitched back to bouler and did what any self respecting young american male would do when he had $5000 worth of craft micro brewed 22oz herbal teas getting funky in the back of a schoolbus, and thirsty thirsty people waiting in Vegas. I stole one of my best friends VW busses.
That was actually a misunderstanding, me and zed had discussed me buying the van months prior, unfortunately for him (I really pickled his dill) his situation had changed. As everyone said he was in Vegas already, I naturally assumed he had gotten a better car and drove that there. We had agreed on 1200$.
The keys were in the ignition and i took that as a sign. The buddist chicks said they couldnt say it was ok, nor tell me not to take it. I left 500$ (All my funds except 127$, exactly enough for gas to vegas) on his workbench with a note instructing him to pick up my music equipment from our friends house in town (the little wooden house across from penny lane in bouler) I also said that if he needed the 700 balance to take the blue amp to the music shop. I left the following gear. Taylor acoustic $2500, Alvarez acoustic 1200, SWR baby blue 1200, American standard Jazz bass, 900, Bag end 4 10 cab 200, Ibanez 12 string 100, Fender twin reverb 1960's, Priceless, 1972 Acoustic 470 head priceless).
Well since Zed trusted me , even tho he had actually hitchhiked to vegas, was evicted from the house (why did they not tell me that?) he trusted me and didn't pick up the stuff I LEFT FOR COLLATERAL. Of course it was all stolen. OOpps, It never occurred to me that he might not want to fuck with a big pile of gear. It still bugs me to this day, and I vow to make it up to him. I did go back in a few months and pay him the rest of the money even tho it left me with just enough cash to buy a coffee out on the streets of boulder, things swung around to my favor soon enough.
I heard of an ex girlfriend of mine living in Durango (Actually 2 of them, the other being my wife now, buts thats a whole thing) And Karma clean, with no posessions but a guitar (The taylor was safe) I headed down. I reunited with the girl and spent a few months. It sucked. And I couldnt stop thinking about glass. Oh also Jerry died. FUCKED. I dialed up and old friend who was living in Arcata CA, he had just returned from Oregon after completing Bob Snodgrasses apprenticeship program for a year. By now I had a shiny new 1978 vw camper that I found in someones moms garage and resurected for a few 100 bucks made busking on the street. We all packed up and moved to california so I could chase the dream of becomimg a glass blower.
We made it, took in a few crops of Delilas finest, I founded the band Fat Sack of Humbolt co, and as a registered voter I helped ballot Prop 26 (giving us medical, and thus legitamising our trade) and my boy let me learn everthing he had just learned.
For a few months that went on, playing shows and selling janky glass to our stinky fans, then I broike up with the girl and headed back east, rain pouring in my shoes.
I fell for a crazy red head in CO from NH who did beads and she taught me more cool stuff, we went back to Philly to see my Maw. too bad the glass wasn't compatible. Or the Chick.
SOooo That didn't work out so I partnered up with my Conga Player Calypso from JamNation and we resurrected the silversmithing business his father had started (RIP). Armed with 50G worth of lapidary and jewelers gear we set about doing the Do. i got a torch and some glass and set to. Now it is...1997?1998? whatever, we got pretty huge fast with very high profile clientele (Because of the silver, I was terrible still at the glass part, mainly i relied on coldworking) We were featured in RObb Report magazine, working with Reidel crystal,Robert Denero bought stuff and wanted to rep for us... and then my partner pulled a shady business deal, cutting the merc guy out.
We were screwed.
The guy he had borrowed a shit ton of money wanted it back, and not having it he took the gear instead. Our entire case of samples, over 8grand just in raw materials (gold silver and stones are way more spensive than glass) was shipped back by our marketing guy un padded. Everything was desroyed. Done in. Back to Zero. Again.
From boat drinks and Good Times, a very successful gay partnership of artists (we tended to sell our stuff in gay galleries, we were pretty boys. As a matter of fact, we were both totally straight, but the gallery people didn't need to know that)
There was some bad blood and scary things now...... I heard stage hands made a lot of money, always looked uo to Owsley and so called the union up, shur enough now we both had jobs as stage hands.
Calypso went on to become one of theaters premier Lighting Designers, which he still does to this day.
I cut my dreads, shaved and I invented myself a bachelors degree in graphic arts and became a graphic designer(my mom is an art director so i grew up with it), making my way all the way up to Creative Director of a catalog company similar to Ikea. My freelance rate was $40 hr. Us tour rats are fucking ADAPTABLE, within 5 years I was at the top of the profession, having to leave music, art, tour behind me.
Eventually I did stumble on a carslile hand torch, and a local scientific shop gave me a full case of odds and ends and i tinkered in my non existent free time. Well the photographer I used also shot pics for a local glass guy, and I was introduced to "Modern" glass as we know it today. Still primitive by todays standards.
Fire blased in my mind, gears turned, I felt the hunger, thirst for glass again. I knew what I was going to do with my life, this was my calling, glass was mothers milk.
I chucked the expensive slick clothes, the models, the $100 3 martini lunches, the italian shoes and German cars (From Bus to Beamer, back to bus) Took all I had learned about art, merchandising, advertising, and business, scraped together about 5 grand and went to wale apparatus.
That is when I realized just how cool my wife was. She was down. She had been going along with the yuppy thing but cared not one bit when I wanted to go back to roots.
Now it is 2005. I had just spent all our money on glass tools and supplies and I hadnt touched boro in years. She quit her job as a fine dining chef where she also made BANK and instead went to work in the local glass shop where she could immerse herself in the glass scene, get to know the customer base, and push my janky glass on them (Organic ....)
I'm getting tired so Im a rush the last bit thru... After a year of straight 10-12 hour days on the torch I started selling the pipes (beads and marbles sold out the gate) Started touring again too Phish, Furthur, whatever..
Lean times were opon us. I somehow wasn't raking in the piles of money I thought I would. And I was not awesome at blowing glass. I thought it would take 3-4 months to get to the top level. I mean....Look how easy it looks...
I put in more time on the torch...
My brother got me a job part time in a local tube shop, one task was subcontracting Illy parts, diffusers and glycering seals,
and then one day, a day that forever changed my life,
I ran out of black.
Wale was closed.
it was Sat. I looked online and found Philladelphia Glass Works! I got the address and headed into town. I came in asking if i could bbuy some black,
I met Nate Purcell and Josh Openaker, two of my heros at the time (still!), it was when nate was making those big horneed necklaces and I made metal and glass jewelry stuff too, I had no idea he was local.
They were more thatn willing to part with some glass, they had phased out the retail supply part of the shop, but still hooked a brotha up.
While i browsed about the gallery i heard nate dictaing an ad for an Intern.. I piped up! Grinning stupidly I offered my services and BAM I was making fruit and ears for two of the most skilled, most respected flameworkers in the business. All that talent and the ability to market it too, Props>/.
Frankie sold me his tiger shark, .
Sadly, this pipe dream lasted only for about three months. The Close proximity to north philly soon brought me back to bad habits, and one day ( I had been having trouble with my vw vanagon't brakes) I had a horrible crash, destroying the van and my right arm. no one else was hurt. It was a bitch of a recovery. two recoveries actually if you dig it, and i just couldn't go down third street. If you know you know.
Eventually I got back to work, renting a nice little studio space in the suburbs, got my liquid oxy and my gtt in and started rolling tough.
Then I got busted. Lost 350 pieces, months of work gearing up r. We were just about to have our first gallery opening. Shop gone.
Set up again, Ripped off.
Started designing tools, working with a machinist to build tools, torch...
Set up shop again ( I am persistent, like a rash) Mirage number 2 , well the guy I rented from didnt really own the building!!! Lost it all. AGAIN $10,000 Wet saw lapidary, Kilns, everthing.
Went on tour....Now its last spring.
Started to work on a magazine..book..... summer.... tour... life ...deaths..more life..
can't find studio space...
Offered studio space in Salem NJ by JZilla, Took a drive by zillas house, nobody home but..
OMFG salem is only 30 minutes from where i'm living????, I had thought it was hours. J's shop didn't happen, was told full... but I enrolled in salem for Scientific glass program... Awesome.
Dennis got me jammed in and whithin a week of thinking about attending,took a test, I had a student loan and i was sitting in the classroom....easy peasy. never even finished highschool.
soon I got a job at a sciency glass making place where BlueBeard works...very mysterious things are made there....
I'm still at it, I have learned more this year that all of that other stuff combined....now bringing all my skills from what? 18 years since i saw that snoddy ...together finally for the first time completely, just started bringing the silver back in a bit ago... got a shipment of tiny diamonds came today....
if all goes acording to plan the next batch of stuff I drop should be something unique to the scene,
i'm still not a great glass blower yet, but i have my own skill set, and for me there is more to this scene than just being a blower, maybe i belong in another supporting capacity...or maybe the science stuff will stick, perhaps I will get kidnapped by libians to make apparatus for Doc Smiths plutonium...
maybe my tools will be the thing,,, maybe my torches will finally come together... or maybe my glass really will rise up along with the legends, either way, I am the happiest I have ever been. EVER. and isn't that the whole point of life?
Fuck what they say, amerika is where things are EASY... think it do it.. simple as that. If you want it,, take it. Don't cchase money, flow.
Thanks for everyone who has helped along the way. and you know it's going to get stranger,,,, ....
that is my glass story.
anyone actually read this whole thing? you win a prize.:tongue2:
I was first introduced to glass from mr rogers neighborhood, Picture Picture showed the fellows in a production lab making things, hot glass... WOW.
So at the age of what? 6? Based on what i knew of the world I already had my whole life figured out, I was going to be a Rockstar, Astronaught, Oil Spill bird washer, Glass Blowing Jedi. Still havent gotten to space yet.
I saw a Snodgrass chillum while folowing the Dead in 1991 and as I caressed the beautifully curved thick piece of glass acid unrolled it before my eyes. If you havent experienced a piece Bob Snodgrass spent time on , while your eyes are opened by the influence of psycadelics, then you probably don't understand what the fuss over Bob is all about. There is much more to it that just the fact that he started the movement, hidden, winking at you just under the surface of the glass. It swirled and morphed cowboys rode thru tornado stormclouds while ladies danced around a fire of skulls... anyway not to get sidetracked, I decided then and there that was what I wanted to do. Learn how this majic was made.
After a few years of false starts ( met a scientific glass blower who showed me how to make clear tiny spoons with a victor torch in 1992, tried again in 93 on my own, made mushroom marbles for a guy for a couple months) I found myself in Boulder Colorado. I ran into my old Doppleganger and tour friend Zed who was living with some hottie Buddist chicks up in NEd. He had a nice little set up and showed me the secret to fuming and how to make hammers, and simple bubs. This was winter of 1994. He offered to teach me and let me chill with him while we learned the wonders of boro. I still had too much Wanderlust in me and couldn't take him up on the offer for long. I wonder what could have been if i had stayed often.
Instead i loaded up a 35 foot schoolbus (the One Love bus if your old and remember) stripped out with french bread pizza ovens in the back and comfortable digs for a twenty person crew. (I was not, nor have i ever been a cult leader) wink. )and went back on tour. Spring...back in bouler...back on tour.... DISASTER! Boom, bus is gone 23 people 4 dogs and a rat named norman stranded in AZ. Bummer. i hitched back to bouler and did what any self respecting young american male would do when he had $5000 worth of craft micro brewed 22oz herbal teas getting funky in the back of a schoolbus, and thirsty thirsty people waiting in Vegas. I stole one of my best friends VW busses.
That was actually a misunderstanding, me and zed had discussed me buying the van months prior, unfortunately for him (I really pickled his dill) his situation had changed. As everyone said he was in Vegas already, I naturally assumed he had gotten a better car and drove that there. We had agreed on 1200$.
The keys were in the ignition and i took that as a sign. The buddist chicks said they couldnt say it was ok, nor tell me not to take it. I left 500$ (All my funds except 127$, exactly enough for gas to vegas) on his workbench with a note instructing him to pick up my music equipment from our friends house in town (the little wooden house across from penny lane in bouler) I also said that if he needed the 700 balance to take the blue amp to the music shop. I left the following gear. Taylor acoustic $2500, Alvarez acoustic 1200, SWR baby blue 1200, American standard Jazz bass, 900, Bag end 4 10 cab 200, Ibanez 12 string 100, Fender twin reverb 1960's, Priceless, 1972 Acoustic 470 head priceless).
Well since Zed trusted me , even tho he had actually hitchhiked to vegas, was evicted from the house (why did they not tell me that?) he trusted me and didn't pick up the stuff I LEFT FOR COLLATERAL. Of course it was all stolen. OOpps, It never occurred to me that he might not want to fuck with a big pile of gear. It still bugs me to this day, and I vow to make it up to him. I did go back in a few months and pay him the rest of the money even tho it left me with just enough cash to buy a coffee out on the streets of boulder, things swung around to my favor soon enough.
I heard of an ex girlfriend of mine living in Durango (Actually 2 of them, the other being my wife now, buts thats a whole thing) And Karma clean, with no posessions but a guitar (The taylor was safe) I headed down. I reunited with the girl and spent a few months. It sucked. And I couldnt stop thinking about glass. Oh also Jerry died. FUCKED. I dialed up and old friend who was living in Arcata CA, he had just returned from Oregon after completing Bob Snodgrasses apprenticeship program for a year. By now I had a shiny new 1978 vw camper that I found in someones moms garage and resurected for a few 100 bucks made busking on the street. We all packed up and moved to california so I could chase the dream of becomimg a glass blower.
We made it, took in a few crops of Delilas finest, I founded the band Fat Sack of Humbolt co, and as a registered voter I helped ballot Prop 26 (giving us medical, and thus legitamising our trade) and my boy let me learn everthing he had just learned.
For a few months that went on, playing shows and selling janky glass to our stinky fans, then I broike up with the girl and headed back east, rain pouring in my shoes.
I fell for a crazy red head in CO from NH who did beads and she taught me more cool stuff, we went back to Philly to see my Maw. too bad the glass wasn't compatible. Or the Chick.
SOooo That didn't work out so I partnered up with my Conga Player Calypso from JamNation and we resurrected the silversmithing business his father had started (RIP). Armed with 50G worth of lapidary and jewelers gear we set about doing the Do. i got a torch and some glass and set to. Now it is...1997?1998? whatever, we got pretty huge fast with very high profile clientele (Because of the silver, I was terrible still at the glass part, mainly i relied on coldworking) We were featured in RObb Report magazine, working with Reidel crystal,Robert Denero bought stuff and wanted to rep for us... and then my partner pulled a shady business deal, cutting the merc guy out.
We were screwed.
The guy he had borrowed a shit ton of money wanted it back, and not having it he took the gear instead. Our entire case of samples, over 8grand just in raw materials (gold silver and stones are way more spensive than glass) was shipped back by our marketing guy un padded. Everything was desroyed. Done in. Back to Zero. Again.
From boat drinks and Good Times, a very successful gay partnership of artists (we tended to sell our stuff in gay galleries, we were pretty boys. As a matter of fact, we were both totally straight, but the gallery people didn't need to know that)
There was some bad blood and scary things now...... I heard stage hands made a lot of money, always looked uo to Owsley and so called the union up, shur enough now we both had jobs as stage hands.
Calypso went on to become one of theaters premier Lighting Designers, which he still does to this day.
I cut my dreads, shaved and I invented myself a bachelors degree in graphic arts and became a graphic designer(my mom is an art director so i grew up with it), making my way all the way up to Creative Director of a catalog company similar to Ikea. My freelance rate was $40 hr. Us tour rats are fucking ADAPTABLE, within 5 years I was at the top of the profession, having to leave music, art, tour behind me.
Eventually I did stumble on a carslile hand torch, and a local scientific shop gave me a full case of odds and ends and i tinkered in my non existent free time. Well the photographer I used also shot pics for a local glass guy, and I was introduced to "Modern" glass as we know it today. Still primitive by todays standards.
Fire blased in my mind, gears turned, I felt the hunger, thirst for glass again. I knew what I was going to do with my life, this was my calling, glass was mothers milk.
I chucked the expensive slick clothes, the models, the $100 3 martini lunches, the italian shoes and German cars (From Bus to Beamer, back to bus) Took all I had learned about art, merchandising, advertising, and business, scraped together about 5 grand and went to wale apparatus.
That is when I realized just how cool my wife was. She was down. She had been going along with the yuppy thing but cared not one bit when I wanted to go back to roots.
Now it is 2005. I had just spent all our money on glass tools and supplies and I hadnt touched boro in years. She quit her job as a fine dining chef where she also made BANK and instead went to work in the local glass shop where she could immerse herself in the glass scene, get to know the customer base, and push my janky glass on them (Organic ....)
I'm getting tired so Im a rush the last bit thru... After a year of straight 10-12 hour days on the torch I started selling the pipes (beads and marbles sold out the gate) Started touring again too Phish, Furthur, whatever..
Lean times were opon us. I somehow wasn't raking in the piles of money I thought I would. And I was not awesome at blowing glass. I thought it would take 3-4 months to get to the top level. I mean....Look how easy it looks...
I put in more time on the torch...
My brother got me a job part time in a local tube shop, one task was subcontracting Illy parts, diffusers and glycering seals,
and then one day, a day that forever changed my life,
I ran out of black.
Wale was closed.
it was Sat. I looked online and found Philladelphia Glass Works! I got the address and headed into town. I came in asking if i could bbuy some black,
I met Nate Purcell and Josh Openaker, two of my heros at the time (still!), it was when nate was making those big horneed necklaces and I made metal and glass jewelry stuff too, I had no idea he was local.
They were more thatn willing to part with some glass, they had phased out the retail supply part of the shop, but still hooked a brotha up.
While i browsed about the gallery i heard nate dictaing an ad for an Intern.. I piped up! Grinning stupidly I offered my services and BAM I was making fruit and ears for two of the most skilled, most respected flameworkers in the business. All that talent and the ability to market it too, Props>/.
Frankie sold me his tiger shark, .
Sadly, this pipe dream lasted only for about three months. The Close proximity to north philly soon brought me back to bad habits, and one day ( I had been having trouble with my vw vanagon't brakes) I had a horrible crash, destroying the van and my right arm. no one else was hurt. It was a bitch of a recovery. two recoveries actually if you dig it, and i just couldn't go down third street. If you know you know.
Eventually I got back to work, renting a nice little studio space in the suburbs, got my liquid oxy and my gtt in and started rolling tough.
Then I got busted. Lost 350 pieces, months of work gearing up r. We were just about to have our first gallery opening. Shop gone.
Set up again, Ripped off.
Started designing tools, working with a machinist to build tools, torch...
Set up shop again ( I am persistent, like a rash) Mirage number 2 , well the guy I rented from didnt really own the building!!! Lost it all. AGAIN $10,000 Wet saw lapidary, Kilns, everthing.
Went on tour....Now its last spring.
Started to work on a magazine..book..... summer.... tour... life ...deaths..more life..
can't find studio space...
Offered studio space in Salem NJ by JZilla, Took a drive by zillas house, nobody home but..
OMFG salem is only 30 minutes from where i'm living????, I had thought it was hours. J's shop didn't happen, was told full... but I enrolled in salem for Scientific glass program... Awesome.
Dennis got me jammed in and whithin a week of thinking about attending,took a test, I had a student loan and i was sitting in the classroom....easy peasy. never even finished highschool.
soon I got a job at a sciency glass making place where BlueBeard works...very mysterious things are made there....
I'm still at it, I have learned more this year that all of that other stuff combined....now bringing all my skills from what? 18 years since i saw that snoddy ...together finally for the first time completely, just started bringing the silver back in a bit ago... got a shipment of tiny diamonds came today....
if all goes acording to plan the next batch of stuff I drop should be something unique to the scene,
i'm still not a great glass blower yet, but i have my own skill set, and for me there is more to this scene than just being a blower, maybe i belong in another supporting capacity...or maybe the science stuff will stick, perhaps I will get kidnapped by libians to make apparatus for Doc Smiths plutonium...
maybe my tools will be the thing,,, maybe my torches will finally come together... or maybe my glass really will rise up along with the legends, either way, I am the happiest I have ever been. EVER. and isn't that the whole point of life?
Fuck what they say, amerika is where things are EASY... think it do it.. simple as that. If you want it,, take it. Don't cchase money, flow.
Thanks for everyone who has helped along the way. and you know it's going to get stranger,,,, ....
that is my glass story.
anyone actually read this whole thing? you win a prize.:tongue2: