glassblowing couples (...awwww how cute!)

[~NattyMama~]

For some reason, this seems like a phenomenon that occurs more frequently in the glass art world than in most other mediums. Wonder why? Are you a glassblowing couple? What's your thought on that? Were you both already working glass when you met, or did one teach the other? Do you have his & hers benches, or share a workspace? Do you do colabs with each other? Does the competitive market ever affect your relationship? Positively or negatively? Do you do joint exhibitions, or each strike out alone? How do you divide the studio time/marketing work/etc? Just curious.... :contempla
(btw: my man taught me, we have separate workbenches in the same studio space, but never work at the same time... mostly just because someone has to be with the kids! Oh, and we love doing colabs because our areas of expertise are so different from each other's. We're still trying to figure out the best marketing strategy... together or seperate.)

[JDeMoss]

My wife has never ever even used one of my torches. She has no interest at all. It's kind of a bummer. I have everything she needs to come work beside me, but she won't. I guess I shouldn't complain though, considering she has a real job and makes real money.

[Kalera]

I keep trying to get my husband to let me teach him to torch... I think he would really enjoy making pipes and marbles, and he agrees that it sounds great but he says he's too busy and can't afford another obsession right now. :(

[$$$$$$$]

dude if your girlfriend started glassblowing she be getting all up on your color, opal and dichro.. just how they like to get you to pay for shit..

[Kalera]

I think part of whether that really matters depends a lot on whether you live together - if my husband started making enough glass to make a noticeable dent in my supply budget, he'd probably be getting good enough to start selling and that would help out our household. If you don't live together, best thing to do is give them a little starter pack and then work out an agreement about doing trade or just pitching in to orders. Most people are pretty cool about paying their own way, if you have a moocher there are other issues to deal with there.

[prairieson]

Tink and I 'discovered' glass at the same time, one of those Saturday-afternoon-make-a-paperweight classes at a local studio.

While we were both struck with the same passion/obsession for the art, our individual voices almost immediately led us in different directions, so market and competition aren't an issue.

We love doing collab work, primarily in the hotshop, and don't get to do it nearly enough to suit my taste. It's usually a "whole being greater than the sum of it's parts" thing, really fine things happen when we collab.

While we do strike out on our own, we're having our first joint exhibition at Glass Axis in Columbus this weekend, we co-teach flameworking classes, and I'm the office manager/studio monkey for the business.

That being said, we're probably an exception... while we've known each other for over 42 years, we've only been a couple for 6. Much of the other crap that can encroach on a professional/personal relationship like this is long gone already. All in all, it's working out better than either of us could have imagined.

[praspekt]

if you are close to the person, usually money doesn't matter... and it's something that is shared openly with no issues what so ever.. i'd probably rather see what my partner would make, then worry about bills.. if it did ever get to a point where they were doing it on a regular basis then i'd ask them to pitch money on my next order, and order things that they would be using. maybe get them to buy some colours that i've never had a chance to play with so i could use them..

[FredLight]

Heather and I share a workbench 10 ft long. I blast shit into submission with a Carlisle CC, while she winds Moretti onto mandrels with a Hot Head. (no luck getting her to upgrade)

We'll both be at AGI this year...........

I taught her to make beads in 2002, when I started lampworking....

I am thankful.

[WORLD FAMOUS]

I haven't had a steady girlfriend since I started blowing glass 3+ years ago, (wait...does seeing the same stripper count?). The only way I can date a girl is if she blows glass too, because to be honest, if she wants to hang out, she'll have to be working in the studio too...lol.

[jcherrellglass]

My dude could care less. Likes to look at my work but that's about it... lucky glass couples!

[SteppingRazor]

my girl pulls points and stingers for me all day long. she's awesome.
~joe

[harpentuan]

Well, Every woman I meet wants to watch. And I think to myself that it isnt gonna be that interesting for them , wereing welding #5s, and standing in a 100 degree metal "shed".

But. I have a few 'tours' lined up anyway. :)

[Chris Juedemann]

We kick it.

Chris and Lissa

[MKT Fire]

We intermarry so we can keep the secrets of the glass secret :evilLaugh

[jedi glassworks]

I taught my wife how to blow glass about 7 years ago, ever since then we have worked side by side ever since. Its the coolest thing being able to talk and figure glass stuff together. when we do collabs together it is mostly art stuff for family gifts. As far as marketing and working together, I probably wouldnt still be in business if we werent together motivating ourselves so its cool. We recently had a little boy so our schedule is off a bit, but I tell you, having a kid is the best motivation yet so there you have it, its great.

[KickinAss]

I taught my wife about six months after I started lampworking. Six months after that she was better then me.So I got her pregnant,problem solved.

[IF-Designs]

My bf is pretty interested in what I do though he hasnt made too many more than 5-6 beads :) Hes interested so maybe I can convert him after all...his biggest interest is stained glass right now. But he does have a big interest in the hot glass end of things.

[Scott Pernicka]

My wife has no interest in using tools or playing with fire. She made a pendant once after 3yrs together. Things were ok because she painted for awhile and we would be home together all day working and going to shows. Now she has a real job and getting a Masters, which is good for her but its lonely for me. I do all the business, blowing, books by myself and soon shows. Always thought it would be cool to have that relationship, working in the studio together.

cheers to you that have it

[borealisglass]

When I met Andy he didn't blow....he then started and worked lots. We had baby #1 and moved up north and opened our own studio. When the studio was in the basement at first I would go down there once in awhile and make like crappy mushroom marbles. Then baby #2 came a long while I was going back to school. No time for glass. Since then I have made a lil marble and pendant. We just put another studio back in the basement, but Andy hogs it all the time. I do all the other shit, photos, business cards, postcards, ordering...blah blah. Since I have a background in art I am really interested and read all the books and mags. Andy and I sit around a lot and talk about different techs....I give him ideas and he runs with it. works pretty good and makes me feel like I contributed when I come up with an idea and it works!

[yinzer]

jeff and i started at the same time and are learning together. were newbs so it hasnt been long, 7 mos or so, but we only have one setup. we share the becnh, the cuda, the glass, etc. we never work at the same time because we only do it after the kids go to bed so we have to alternate nights. so we can spend time together, the other one hangs out in the basement and reads glass books, or whatever (or comes on the forum) we are working on getting a second torch so we can work together and each get some more time on the torch so we can start pickin up the pace. its kinda good cause we have noone to teach us so we are self taught, which is a bit less complicated with 2 heads

[Sol]

no one?....my lady and i are blowing together..its fun and its great to be able to discuss techs and colors and bounce ideas off of each other...

[Blowfish]

my boyfriend and i both starting blowing about a year ago, although we enjoy discussing techniques and such, we cannot be down in the studio together. We both have very different work habits so it's never good when we are trying to work in the studio. We have a pretty small work space which i'm sure doesn't help the situation.

[LTD]

I've been lampin since '97, started teaching wifey late '01,early '02? She would probably work on the torch more if I stopped knocking her up. hehe.

[RedHotBeads]

I'd love to get my husband into it ... but it's not his thing, really, and besides, he's got an addition on our house to finish! :) He totally supports my work in glass, though, which is cool. He's also glad I learned how to make pipes and marbles!! :)
Kelly