Chris Writing Anything

The span of glassware’s existence, which stems back to ancient civilizations, makes it as ordinary as dirt…well, maybe glass is a tad more interesting than dirt.   Yet, even if glass is commonplace, the creation of glass products, with every piece being a somewhat creative rendering, is an enigma to many.  So, a demonstration, a short, informative and fun show, one put on by the Corning Museum, might enlighten those, like myself, who are oblivious to the creation of glass implements.

We took in this entertaining demonstration, which was a three man show, near the Leigh Yawkey Museum’s  sculpture garden. 

It featured an MC and two glass workers. However,  one guy did the bulk of the creating.  I found the techniques, and the dangers of this age old craft, captivating.  From the scalding temps off the blast furnace

to the piece’s expansion from a simple blow,

I was a bit in awe of the seemingly simple process; I’m sure it’s a lot harder than this guy makes it look.   I learned all sorts of things too, starting with the varying temps while working the glass.  It’s also interesting, and it seems so obvious now, how glass is colored.

The Corning Museum, located in Corning New York, is an extension of the Corning glass factory. And these men, when not on the road, perform demos at the museum.

After the show, a raffle, including everyone in attendance, awarded one lucky audience member a finished piece…no I didn’t win…jerks!  Anyways, the winner even had their picture taken; no, I didn’t take it – they left that to the pros.

But the fun wasn’t over. Inside the museum, we discovered two glass exhibitions strewn about many galleries.

There were functional art deco pieces,

simple slices of mastery,

mind bending works

and some I simply I can’t explain.

Unfortunately, the demo has moved to another location, And the exhibitions only run until June 5th. But, if you care to witness an expert creating cool glass pieces, find out if the Corning Museum demo will stop near you.

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Safe Travels!