c.k. atlantic city show

I recently went to the c.k. show in atlantic city to see the flame off, and to finally see slingers movie. Slinger's movie was truly amazing, and all the glass i got to check out was great as well. But i was pretty disturbed by the direction that this industry is going. The show was less about glass and more about research chemicals. I probably left the show with enough "chemicals" that were shoved at me to kill a horse, or two. It was hard to see such talented and amazing artists displaying their work along side the kind of scumbags that would pedal bathsalts across the country. It is amazing that we have worked so hard as a community to legitimize what we do, only to have it be seen in the same context as these dangerous chemicals that make their way into the hands of young kids. No wonder people have such a hard time seeing pipes as "art". I know trade shows are a great way to get orders and keep ourselves busy, but based on what i saw in atlantic city, im having a hard time legitimizing my own work. Obama even realizes that things have gotten way out of hand. If we don't make decisions that help ensure the longevity of our industry, we will all end up in jail or worse, having to get real jobs. I know i dont want either of those things to happen to me. I love glass and would like to keep blowing glass for the rest of my life. I want to know what you guys think about this. Anyone who was there in ac, what did you think? How can we keep our industry safe?

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If we don't make decisions that help ensure the longevity of our industry, we will all end up in jail or worse, having to get real jobs.

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I've recently heard people who have been in the industry for a while have recently voiced concerns that if some other sectors of the industry do not start showing discretion and good taste, there could very well be an OPD II that puts a damper on everything for a while. Indeed, last time there was a legal chill put over everyone, many people did just that... sought real jobs.

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Obama even realizes that things have gotten way out of hand.

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It's not bath salts that are out of hand, it's the dreadful state of drug laws in our country. You know, paramilitary police busting down doors, shooting dogs, stealing money... mercenaries fumigating jungles in Columbia, lawmakers ignoring the constutitution and allowing illegal forfeiture, searches and seizures... judges, attorneys, prison companies, unions and police who personally profit from this and work to keep things how they are.

So, I'd say what you are perceiving is a symptom of our societies sickness in this regard. I don't think people would be buying bath salts or 'spice' if they had access to the drugs they actually want. If laws were sensible and not designed to prey upon the public, I don't think our glassblowing culture and the bath salt culture (whatever that is) would mix in this way.

Champs has become like 80% import crap and spice bullshit. The only remaining good trade show IMHO is AGE

Yeah man, atlntic city show really turned me off to the paraphanelia industry/pipe scene

the thing is that glass pipe "art" (including american made prodo) needs to be separated from the rest of the "industry"... most things in a headshop are cheesy, or degrading, or just dumb, and only bring down nicely crafted american pipes to a more low brow level than they deserve,,,, check out the Glassroots Art Show, it is all american crafted glass, no imports, no spice, no bullshit... i feel you about A/C, it was less than impressive minus the flame off and film screening....

its like there are two types of headshops out there: ones that are consciously run and are into being more of a "gallery" for pipes, and ones that are dark, dingey hodge podges of cheap shit from other countries....

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Originally Posted by slinger

its like there are two types of headshops out there: ones that are consciously run and are into being more of a "gallery" for pipes, and ones that are dark, dingey hodge podges of cheap shit from other countries....

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Right

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Originally Posted by purdyglass

I recently went to the c.k. show in atlantic city to see the flame off, and to finally see slingers movie. Slinger's movie was truly amazing, and all the glass i got to check out was great as well.

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Is this available to purchase yet??

Julian I understand what you are saying about the drug laws creating the market for spice and bathsalts, and forcing the lumping of glass with everything else. But I think that we have come so far as a community to let this continue. We do have a choice when it comes to where we display our work. It seems to me that the glass pipe industry has seen a true revitalization in the last few years, and is more respected and legitimate than ever. We shouldn't have to show our work in this sort of context, pipes truly do sell themselves. I know that we all need to make our money, and there is a lot of money to be made at events like ck. But, the greedier we are and the less we care about our dignity as a community, the quicker law makers will be to classify us in the same group of people creating and selling dangerous research chemicals.

Slinger, I'd like to start off by saying thank you for everything that you have done for our community. I was truly honored to see your movie. I know how much work you put into the project, and it truly shows. I also know what dedication you have to your work and to our community. I would think that it must be hard to watch the industry head this direction. I would love to check out the glassroots show, unfortunately i wont be able to make it in time. However, I will be showing a piece at made gallery in chicago for the "suck on it show". I agree that events like these are what will keep pushing us forward. I have a lot of respect for people like cmaz and ed at made, and anyone else who works to promote glass pipes as more than just products.

We are probably some of the luckiest people in the world, because we are able to make money doing something that we love to do. The only thing i ask is that we not squander this opportunity for quick cash.

I vow to flip any table I see at any show over that is selling spice or bath salts who's gonna join me!

good thing I'm not going to the big show or champs. but hey fly me out and watch all the fun I make

hell yeah, i got a nice piece of 95 x 9 that would make a good "Persuasion" stick

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Originally Posted by Kevin Bumble

I vow to flip any table I see at any show over that is selling spice or bath salts who's gonna join me!

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Kevin is for sure a bad ass!

Sorry if this is a lame question but what chemicals were they? Seriously bath salts? Like the ones my wife uses?

Well, I mean to suggest that stuff should be viewed in the context of our dysfunctional society. Wherever that gets you I guess.

I agree it has nothing to do with our glass and basically belongs at a different trade show.

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Originally Posted by Kaizen

Sorry if this is a lame question but what chemicals were they? Seriously bath salts? Like the ones my wife uses?

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it's not lame, it's blissfully ordinary. "bath salts" are the code name for a new group of chemicals that are supposed to be modeled after existing illegal drugs. by all accounts they are terribly un-fun and will probably soon be illegal. if your wife used them you'd know. there's a ton of info on erowid.org.

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Originally Posted by slinger

the thing is that glass pipe "art" (including american made prodo) needs to be separated from the rest of the "industry"... most things in a headshop are cheesy, or degrading, or just dumb, and only bring down nicely crafted american pipes to a more low brow level than they deserve,,,, check out the Glassroots Art Show, it is all american crafted glass, no imports, no spice, no bullshit... i feel you about A/C, it was less than impressive minus the flame off and film screening....

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Well said and, yes, GLAS and AGE is the way to go.

After working with glass for 10 years I finally got to go do something .... I agree with everyone saying the show was weak .... it really was .... other then the FlameOff .... the great people I had a chance to meet and the unreal glass ... everything else was fucked. Spice everywhere, the booth next to us (Hippie Hookup) had some DJ turning and scratching when really good music was playing in the middle. The import stuff .... well, let's just say their getting better by the day. They had a table full of spiders and what not and they were good. Hard to say but the truth.

I got to watch the slinger movie too and all I can say is wow. I had no clue coming from the sculpture/soft glass world just what this industry has gone thru and the people that went thru it. The movie was awesome, informative and really makes you WANT to join in and make it all go the way the artists would like to see their work visualized. TYVM from a newbie Slinger, you let me see the other 3/4 of the world and I've got a much better understanding of the entire picture now.

O, and after talking to Barry, I'll not be missing AGI nxt year 8) See ya there

Its funny how everuone complains about the spice and bathsalts, but nobody calls out the "family" who came up with that crap. Why is that? There are people out there dying from this shit, and yet everyone is ok with that shit being sold right next to beautiful glass art. The law makers would rather put us ALL in jail instead of trying to seperate spice and bathsalts from "tobacco" products. If we dont care about the difference, why should they?

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Originally Posted by chillaxglass

everything else was fucked. Spice everywhere, the booth next to us (Hippie Hookup) had some DJ turning and scratching when really good music was playing in the middle.

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Hippie Hookup didn't have any DJ...but they were right next to the PLUR are jerks with the DJ setup.

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Originally Posted by puddletown

Its funny how everuone complains about the spice and bathsalts, but nobody calls out the "family" who came up with that crap. Why is that? There are people out there dying from this shit, and yet everyone is ok with that shit being sold right next to beautiful glass art. The law makers would rather put us ALL in jail instead of trying to seperate spice and bathsalts from "tobacco" products. If we dont care about the difference, why should they?

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well, preach brother! do you mean to call out the people who came up with bath salts or the people who ran the show? i don't think that "everyone" is okay with bathsalts being at shows. i see a lot of fingers being pointed at the show in general and jason and the champs crew specifically (which is probably only half fair, champs was riddled with this shit before jason got involved). i don't see many people who are surprised though. headshops have been flipping tobacco forever, they'd sell rat poison if it made money.

props to the gallery model glass stores. i hope the glass can stand on it's own.

Keep in mind these trade shows aren't really for glass blowers, they're for shop owners and distributors, so it shouldn't be too surprising that sketchy fake drug companies are there trying to push their product.

I don't like the spice or bathsalts, but i don't also see the dualityof gallery shops vs the import/fake drug stores.

There are deffinetely those that go one way or another, but i see a lot that do both. And i can't help to notice that since some of these shops that made BIG money on spice/bath salts(in particular those near military bases) decided to also spend some of that money on nice American Glass. And as much as i hate spice/bathsalts, i can't help but think we owe this shit for lining some store owners pockets and giving them the luxury of beiing able to buy nice glass. I wonder what kind of trickle down effect we glassblowers may see if this fake drug boom went bust?

That is all so true, broken glass.

In my 14 years, this was the first time Jen and I have worked a show with "soft imports". Never a Champs or ASD. It was an eye opener.

The good things first:

• The Marbleslinger documentary. EPIC! If you can make it to Wisco for the viewing, do it. If not, pre-buy the doc the minute Slinger makes it available. It is an heirloom documentary for peeps in our industry.
  
• Working with my peers in the Flame-Off, especially working with my mentor. Through some show mismanagement, there were difficulties that arose, but all 3 teams worked together as one. We were sharing kilns, helping each other with installations...and sharing some toasts. When it comes down to it, we all have each others back harder than any other industry/medium I have been privileged to work within.
  
• Karl Taylor, Barry Lafler and Scott Griffin. If it wasn't for Karl Taylor(of Sonoran fame), there would not have been a flame off. Through the strongest adversity, he always steps up with solutions. Barry worked all the equipment out with Mary of Carlisle(Thanks Mary). It was a chunk. And Scott flew into the flame off arena in the 11th hour with wrenches in hand. Got Bob's equipment piped and set up.
  
• Sharing space with other American artists vending. They were all brothers and sisters we had not met,yet.

The bad...

• The management of the flame off by the show, or mismanagement I should say was challenging to both artist and technician. Shit showed up late, electric wasn't right and there was no schedule for flame off or ending ceremony. At the end, I personally felt as if we were used on the big screen to make it look like an American glass show, when 2/3's was import crap and spice.
  
• We have never experienced the "model" necessary selling format. Apparently, when your product sucks real bad, one needs girls in bikinis to get the attention of potential buyers. No respect!
  
• Rampant spice and salts. The shit was thrown around like monopoly money. I realize that these products have artificially inflated our industry by at least 30%-40% and I have enjoyed the profit margins my shops have had over the last 3 years. Being unregulated by the FDA, it is available to everyone, even kids. The gas stations still sell the old stuff while most of my shops are taking a nose dive respecting the new DEA laws concerning the additives. Eventually, these products are going to be a BIG, BLACK EYE on the industry and could be the momentum for a potential OPD Part 2. Study it, regulate it, tax it and get it out of the hands of the youth. Otherwise, there will be a MASS (Mothers against Spice and Salt)organization.
  
• Atlantic City is like a dirty, expensive Vegas. The hotel/casino was in disrepair(your fired Donald). The teamsters were out of control on drayage($1 a pound, no wheels on the floor) and I have never paid $14 for a breakfast sandwich. No offense intended to any natives. I am sure Atlantic City has it's good points, but they are not in proximity of the Trump Taj Mahal.

If you want to attend a Real American glass show, show up to Wisco and attend Glassroots Art ShowGL.A.S. in a couple of weeks or rock American Glass ExpoA.G.E. with Ellen and crew. Any other decision, you are subject to be violated!

My $.02

boxfan

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Originally Posted by BlueLilyStudio

Hippie Hookup didn't have any DJ...but they were right next to the PLUR are jerks with the DJ setup.

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Thats what I meant ... I had to listen to that shit the entire time ... kinda hurt my dome after a few minutes 8) Hope to be in town soon Lily!

boxfan.....that's pretty much what I heard. Karl is the man......Ross, said the same thing about him when he got home.

Yeah Dave, we missed you but it was good to catch up with Ross. We'll share some suds in Wisco.

Big ups to Ross for donating all of the clear for Team Snodgrass and the heat gear. Everything thing was just right.
Also, Ross brought back up everything for Karl, which was another reason there was a flame off. Good call.

Big ups for Northstar helping us out with the color. Didn't hurt having Abe as a teammate.

holla

oh yea, bud. see you in wisco fo sho

All of the reasons listed above are why I have decided to invest my $1500 -$5000 in house.
I invested in things that will help me do better business with the customers I already have.

How do they show promoters expect the average glass blower that works ALONE to spend that kind of money to sit at a booth for just 2-3 days. Then your money is gone, and you still have to work hard to get these potential clients to not only remember you but buy from you consistently.

Box fan, there's nothing good about Atlantic city just so you know :D

I wont do this show again due to the same issues. This is the same reason we dont do CHAMPS anymore. AGE and GR are the shows to keep it real.
Abe

Everyone seemed to like that LA show this year. Wonder if it will be back.

Not everyone liked that LA show. I personally thought it was a waste of time and money. There was no advertising, no customers. Not to mention, all the people that put the show on said they lost money.

well, then there goes that one too.



i'd say Nick has the best thing going. AGE is great too.

Yep, Glass Roots Art Show and AGE are the way to go!

And Will, Eliza says she wants to give you a big hug for those great and never truer words you just typed.

Bryan

Personally, I'm glad I didn't do the show. Jason Harris had called me and wanted "the east to come out and represent" but I wondered about the "Alone" part of it. I spent my $2k instead on a 2 week trip to England to go hang out with my wife who's teaching the fall semster there.

I did go, stocked up with Ross from ABR when I heard some kid say "good old Ross and his $20 pounds". Spent some time at UST/Golden Gate buying tubing, and saw a few vendors.

I spoke to guy named Happy Cowboy who was a solo vendor. He didn't really sell much and I figured I wouldn't of sold much either. The way to do it seems to make friends and get a big booth with a bunch of people, even if you work alone.

The shows are all screaming about not sharing booths now. So I wonder if that could happen?

It was my first show and I don't need any convincing to not ever go to Atlantic City again, I guess AGE is in my future and I will be 10x more prepared this time. See you there.