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Tree sculpture
Published: 2005-02-11 07:26:47 +0000 UTC; Views: 32836; Favourites: 1591; Downloads: 735
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Description
**UPDATE***Woah! Didn't see this coming! I submitted this piece in 2005! If you like my work, (trees in particular), please take a look at where my glass trees evolved to by clicking on my profile and seeing my featured "sky tree series". I consider those to be my most successful glass trees to date! Thanks for the DD and the comments everyone! I'll get to them all in time!
Ever since I started blowing glass two years ago, I have tried to make glass trees... This is the only one I've ever been able to make that I like... I stayed up all night creating a pedestal that would illuminate it from underneath and during the critique I used a bulb that was too powerful... got it too hot... And it cracked... The story of my life...
This picture was taken after it cracked. It has yet to break off or fall apart
I made this piece about a year ago (winter 2004)
Materials: solid and blown glass
This piece is about 20" tall
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Comments: 254
ah that would be why... try some boro you will like it i promise
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It was made in the hotshop... No lampworking...
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I know something about fused glass working,but while I view your blowglass works,I want learn and practice this.
And this tree,is beautiful,the roots over the pedestal looks great
PD: yes,I declare your fan XD
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Thanks! Well, aside from them both being made out of glass, there really is nothing else similar between blown glass and fused glass. At least not in this context. If you can find a studio, I highly recommend trying blowing glass. It is, however, quite expensive... But it's probably the greatest thing I've ever done.
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Oh, thanks! n_n
Unfortunately, in Mexico the curricula of Industrial Design do not contemplate the education of the blown glass; in fact to the university that I attend, it is a luck that have workshop of fused glass and sandblast, to where I know the blown glass I must learn it of some craftsman in province. Mmm, nevertheless I will investigate where it can learn it. Greetings and continue working.
PD: My inglish is terrible haha,sorry,I have to translate with google.
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Yeah, I don't know of any hotshops in Mexico. Although when I went to school for industrial design, there were no glass capabilities at all! So you are lucky in that regard.
And no worries about your english. I haven't had any problems understanding you at all.
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This makes me want to do glass blowing! its just wow and I'm sorry, I dont make sense when I cant think of...wow. sorry. I'm blown away, and can't make sentences...
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HAha. Thanks! You should look around your area to see if there are any classes offered nearby! It's great fun!
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Wow. Wish I could make something like that. Grand work. Good job
Cheers
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You know, this is really lovely. I think I can see alittle of the cracking you menchain on the base. But as odd as it sounds Im alittle disapointed it didnt crack more. Strange I know, but the though seems to fit, it is the nature of trees after all to dig deep, pull things apart and hold them together all at the same time. So I guess I just thing it's a really need idea.
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That's a nice way to think about it. Although, the problem with if it had cracked more is that it would've looked completely unintentional. If I could do it to make it look natural, then I wouldn't mind... Easier said than done though...
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I am amazed by your glasswork and your desire to do it; you have great creativity in colors and shapes, faaaaantastic
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sweet and neat ^_^
I think the size is more like a bonsai.
You should make 360ΒΊ photos (QuickTime can handle 3D objects and I think Flash too) of your sculpture ...since they're made of glass.
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That's not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all!
I shall certainly look into it!
thanks
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thats so beautiful. bet you were so pissed it cracked. i know nothing about glass blowing what-so-ever
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I think that about sums it up!
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Have you thought of sticking a lightning rod in the sand during a storm? It's a far shot, really, but I've seen glass workers do trees with this technique. That you were able to accomplish this with just blowing techniques is pretty incredible in of itself, though.
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I heard that a lot of (I forget the name of the glass that gets formed in sand from lightning) them end up in many smaller pieces... They're pretty fragile. But no, I have not tried that... Don't really have any sandy beaches at my disposal...
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Aw, too bad. Then again, isn't all glass extremely fragile? Though I've heard that after a certain point it becomes quite strong, es verdad?
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Yeha for the most part... All glass is pretty fragile. There's really no way around it. There's no real point at where it becomes really strong or anything like that.. But if it has any weak spots, it may be very weak in certain places. Certain shapes are stronger than others, but really.... Its' ALL very fragile.
The nature of the beast!
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Hence why I think glass blowers are nutsoid. Then again I'm such a wicked klutz, I can't even pull off basic welding all that well.
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Genious. I love the shape! The roots coming down the side are very nice. The base adds the color needed to make the glass tree stand out. This is absolutely brilliant!
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Genious. I love the shape! The roots coming down the side are very nice. The base adds the color needed to make the glass tree stand out. This is absolutely brilliant!
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Thanks. I went through quite a few other color combinations, and so far, this is the best one. Coloring the tree has never looked quite right.
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Hmmn. Have you ever tried blue glass? I think that would look pretty cool. But i don't know anything about glass blowing or welding or anything of that nature so i really don't know how you color glass and whatnot.
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No, don't think I've tried blue glass before... I've come across a new technique actually when I use baking soda. It leaves a pretty nifty texture. Perhaps I'll make one that I can take a picture of.
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Cool beans. I'll be watchen.
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Very beautiful. The base complements the tree form very well. Also love the colors, reminds me of winter.
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I LOVE this piece! It's so expressive and fluid...it reminds me of ice. And I can't see the crack you speak of--if it isn't too serious maybe it adds a little character to the piece? Regardless, it's absolutely gorgeous! It makes me want to take up glass working right now 
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Thanks! I certainly would recommend glass working to anyone and everyone! It's an absolutely incredible medium! The crack's in the base, but I'm pretty sure it's in the back so you can't see it in the photo. I unfotunately cannot get over the fact that it's an unintentional, structure-weakening, unsightly, crack... I'm quite the prefectionist, and there are certain things I can't accept as beneficial... This crack, I'm afraid, is one of thsoe things.
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I'm a mad perfectionist, too. I've had this sort of thing (and worse) happen with ceramic pieces, so I can kind of understand where you're coming from. But you still have a magnificent piece of artwork there! Ceramics don't always fare as well; there once was this dragon teapot I had been working on for months. I was almost finished with it when one day I came in and it was shattered into a million pieces. I ended up making another one, but I never liked as much as the first one because I just couldn't replicate the first one's details. But I digress.
I'm quite curious about your material description; you said you used blown glass and solid glass. Is the tree part the solid part and the base the blown part? Also is solid glass the same thing as torch glass, or am I thinking of something completely unrelated?
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You're right on one part, but a little wrong on the other. Yes, the base is the blown part, and the tree is the solid part, but none of it was torch blown. It's all made in the studio. The difference is, the tree is made of solid glass, whereas the base is hollow. In order to make that hollow shape, I first blew a bubble in the glass and then manipulated it to that shape, whereas the tree was created by adding "Bits" of solid glass together and manipulating them. No blowing involved. That's what I meant. If that doesn't quite make sense, let me know and I'll explain it more.
And when it comes to your pieces shattering into millions of pieces... You do NOT need to explain to a glassblower about that! THAT I can assure you. Especially with the goblets... I've had sooooooooooooooooo many goblets smash to the floor... Time and time again...
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Oh, the wonders of breakable sculpture! 
I think I understand how you did the base now, but how did you manipulate the solid glass for the tree part? This glasswork really intrigues me
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Well I first start with a fairly large cylinder of glass on the end of a rod. I shape it to add texture and so it tapers off towards the top. My assistants then bring me more solid globs of glass that I attach to that cylinder. I then shape those globs into "Branches" which come off the cylinder (Trunk). It's just a continual process of adding more and more of the branch "Bits" until I get as many as I want. I then shape them all to the desired shape and taper them off on their tips.
Something like that anyways. That's the easy version of explaining at least. Hope that helps. If not, let me know! Always willing to answer intelligent questions!
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Sounds like quite a challenge to make things like this! So you added molten globs of glass to build your shape up and then you attached it to the base? How exactly did you attach it? I'm curious as to how you cool the glass--is there a special way to do it so the glass doesn't crack?
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Precisely! You attach it with a glob of really hot glass. It just sticks the two together real well that way. And then as far as cooling it down, you do it slowly in an annealer, which is just a big oven. Takes about 20 hours to cool down. You have to do it slowly. Otherwise it'll crack and/or explode! And even still it'll crack a lot of times. Tricky tricky stuff I tell you!
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gasp!!! take my breath away! That's outstanding!!! You're increadibly talented... your whole gallery... just... wow. I wish I could give you some critique but there really isnt any at all that would do it. Wow...
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Wow. Thanks for that. That's really quite a comment! I'm quite flattered.
Put a smile on my face!
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that's amazing! wow...just..wow
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Beautiful piece- great photography too- did you take it?
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Thanks!
Yeah, I took this picture. Every few weeks/months we set up a sweep in my school. So I try to take advantage of that when the occasion arrises. This picture was taken with the canon sd10 digital elph. I think I may have color corrected it on photoshop as well...
It's amazing how much of a difference a nice photograph can make on a piece! Very often overlooked!
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keep trying, this is gorgeous...and though it may not be on your mind, very sellable. The liquid movement of glass is something so rare and powerful.
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Wow. That's fucking gorgeous. where did you learn to do that?
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Thanks! Well, I learned pretty much everything I know at Ohio State University. Most of it from other students, and some of it from teachers. Glassblowing is a wondrous thing if you have access to it! DO IT!
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Thanks; I'll look into it.
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Amazing
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I wouldn't mind a new one myself... I can't replicate this thing for the life of me...
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