How do you refer to yourself?

**onion** · 11-22-2005, 11:10 AM

it annoys me to no end when people wanna know *how you get the colour in the glass*
and then you tell them you do it with coloured glass, and they just dont get it...

**smutboy420** · 11-22-2005, 11:16 AM

I own a small wholesale biz an don't like to talk biz out of work, most understand an we move on with the conversation.

LOL LOL Hey I know a guy that uses that same line all the time. tho I think his in the cocaine import biz.

I hear you on the ?'s peep ask all the time and a list would be easier to pull out and hand them.
But most of the time when some one is all on my jock cause I blow glass I'm thinking ya blow me if you want to show me how kool you think i am :-) Actions speak more then words. lol lol

**gotglass?** · 11-22-2005, 11:20 AM

tell them you piss in the crucible and depending on the alkaloids and salts in your urine determines the end color result..... i drink diuretics with high concentrations of food coloring first

**onion** · 11-22-2005, 11:35 AM

yellow dye #5 is how we get NS yellow

**JDeMoss** · 11-22-2005, 12:48 PM

The worst is when people ask how you get the "flower", "ladybug" (or whatever) into the glass. They just don't get that they are not real (and mine don't look nearly as real as a lot of yours).

"oh that ladybug? You mean the one with the big white eyes with the black dots in the middle? oh, It was happily sitting on this real flower and I dumped molten glass on it and it turned out perfect like that."

I've had so many people ask me to put things in glass, it's hilarious. "Oh no problem, that flower made out of human hair will come out fine after I put it in front of the torch."

**christopher** · 11-22-2005, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by JDeMoss

"oh that ladybug? You mean the one with the big white eyes with the black dots in the middle? oh, It was happily sitting on this real flower and I dumped molten glass on it and it turned out perfect like that."

I've had so many people ask me to put things in glass, it's hilarious. "Oh no problem, that flower made out of human hair will come out fine after I put it in front of the torch."

**Mark F** · 11-22-2005, 03:44 PM

I used to say lampworker but then I'd get oh cool you make lamps. And always get the chahoolie speal with glassblower. Sometimes I say nothing, I hate trying to explain it. The other day though someone asked me what kind of paint do I use for the color.

**Mr. Wonka** · 11-22-2005, 05:48 PM

I've gotta say the 'artist' title (to me) is sooo played out by so many folks. I feel sometimes people (not just lampers) think that term elevates(perhaps they don't think this but feel it?) themselves somehow, give me a break. I mean when it comes down to it, most people in the world could call themselves some sort of artist...an people are people.

I agree with bc on this. Is everyone who writes a song, puts paint on canvas, does pottery, or makes something on the torch an "artist"? I say no, although some will disagree.

If people tell me I'm an "artist', I correct them and tell them I'm more of a craftsman. In my opinion, "art" is too subjective to define in any medium, and I'm more than happy to make things that people like... weather it's considered art or craft by the buyer or by my peers.

I just have fun playing with glass and fire, and really don't care about how my work is defined.

**Merlin** · 11-22-2005, 09:35 PM

Yeah, thats a big can of worms.
sounds like a fun job!

**rumplephorskin** · 11-23-2005, 01:40 AM

Wes I lived in seattle for 10 years and for the most part Chihuly doesnt pay his ppl shit. Unless you wanna count when he flys the eyetalians to town. I have multiple friends who have worked at the boat house and they dont do it for the money. They do it because it looks good on a resume. The reality is that most of us are doing what we do because of snodgrass and his teacher goldstein.

**Robert Mickelsen** · 11-23-2005, 05:35 AM

Originally Posted by rumplephorskin

ever try working with one eye closed??

Actually, I have. I had a student in Colorado once who had only one eye. I could not believe that he could blow glass so I covered one eye and tried it during one of my personal demos for him. Sheesh... it was damn difficult. I had to search around for the flame every time I had to heat something.

It did start a trend though. Whenever I have a student now that has a handicap I try to work like they do. The toughest by far was Tom Hanks (not the actor) who I had in a class in North Carolina. Tom is missing his right arm below the elbow. He works with a wooden block that he pins the punty down on with his stump and manages to roll it rather effectively. He makes beads mostly, but was in my class to try to learn other skills. When I tried to work the same way, bending my arm and using the block with my elbow, I failed miserably. It was a very humbling experience but I did learn that a determined person can overcome almost anything.

- RAM

**wisco lala** · 11-23-2005, 10:07 AM

so glass pimp would be under "other" too?

**Cosmo** · 11-23-2005, 02:19 PM

I say "glassblower" even though most of what I do is solid, and not blown. At least then the average person has some sort of idea of what I do. If I say "lampworker" I always get "Oh, you make lamps?".

**Itzallmyne** · 11-23-2005, 08:55 PM

The worst is when people ask how you get the "flower", "ladybug" (or whatever) into the glass. They just don't get that they are not real (and mine don't look nearly as real as a lot of yours).

Hahahahahaha!! I tell them to just hang on a second...why? they ask, I say "So I can flag down the turnip truck you just fell off of..."

when I'm not fishin', my bud's call me a glass whore...
um, wisco, do I know you? hehe

Torch on!

Marilyn

**GlassDiver** · 11-24-2005, 07:17 PM

I consider my self as a craftsman also. This is one of meany trades. I chose the title of glass artists after friends and consumers titled me this from a lampworker. This was the title that my teacher gave me. sounds sappy but with each new title i used it to promote myself and my glass.

**Marc VandenBerg** · 11-26-2005, 08:01 AM

My buddy at work has this quote up from St. Francis of Assisi,

Someone who works with his hands is a laborer,
Someone who uses his head and works with his hands is a craftsman,
Someone who uses his head, works with his hands, and follows his heart is an artist.

Just thought it fit this discussion.

Oh yeah the poll, I refer to myself as an addict.......................................Glass addict.
My motto, "If its hot, I'll do it"

Marc

**cheng076** · 11-27-2005, 11:04 AM

Itzallmyne,
Noticed the fishing ref. and the CO address. Fly fishing I hope. Me too. Tie your own flies??
PJH

**Stagger Lee** · 11-27-2005, 11:28 AM

I hate it when people ask me what I do for a living. Does it make a difference? If asked I usually give a really nasty reply, like "I mop out the booths at the Porno Palace, the hours sucks, the pay sucks, but I get a discount on dvd's"

**Kalera** · 11-27-2005, 11:50 AM

LOL I like your answer!

I checked "Glass artist" but I should have checked "Other" because usually I tell people I'm a "glassworker". "Lampworker" has to be explained and I don't generally feel like doing that. I'm not a "Glassblower" unless you want to count the five or six tiny hollow vessels I might do a month. Besides, it's true, people then feel like bringing up Chihuly and really, I don't want to talk about him. I make mostly beads but "Beadmaker" also generates more dialogue than I'm comfortable with.

People understand "Glass artist" and "Glassworker", they don't usually ask too many questions or make comments. I usually feel like a poser if I call myself an "artist" but I just grit my teeth, cross my fingers and hope nobody notices.

**kbinkster** · 11-27-2005, 07:44 PM

In the past, I have used "glassworker," too - mostly because I do stained glass, fusing, and slumping (and would like to do more casting), in addition to lampwork.

Right now, my boss is a 6 wek old slave driver. The hours suck and the pay is miserable, but I love my work.