The Origins of Glass Art

Monday, October 26, 2009 · 0 comments
Cut glass and glass blowing production came from ancient techniques and were gradually refined over the ages. Cut glass objects were used as commodities, gifts, and jewelry in past millennia. Today exquisite cut crystal is sought after for its heirloom qualities and gifting allure.

Natural glass, like obsidian, is a dense volcanic glass, and has been used by man for millennia. To early man, obsidian glass was an extremely rare and valuable commodity, Because of the way volcanic glass fractures, sharp edges occur. This inherent quality of natural cut glass was put to use and was often made into sharp spear points and blades.

Man-made rudimentary glass was made from silica sand, plant ash and lime. Over time it was discovered that if glass was heated until it became semi-liquid, it may be molded or shaped and left to cool into a solid new piece or vessel. In ancient times glass pieces were valued as a substitute for precious stones, gems, and gifts.

During first century BC, the craft of melting and blowing glass into useable objects was developed. Glass pieces and items gradually became more common after the discovery of glassblowing. Objects such as vases, bottles, and cruets were mouth blown and mold blown during the Roman Empire, usually for ordinary purpose and daily use.

Common glass normally has a greenish hue. The green tint is caused by miniscule amounts of iron impurities in the sand used to make glass. Glass producers learned to make decorative and colored glass by adding metallic compounds and mineral oxides such as cobalt. Colored glass of reds, blues and greens became prevalent. After craftsmen learned to score and cut glass, they found clear glass refracted light in spectacular fashion. Thus, clear cut glass became popular, and demand for colored glass plummeted.

Around 1000 AD, a new development was made in glassmaking. The glass making component of soda-lime, was replaced by potash obtained from wood ashes. From this time on, glass from the northern part of Europe differed greatly from that made in the Mediterranean area, where soda-lime remained in common use. Centuries later in Bohemia, ashes from beech trees were used. The production of Bohemian "forest glass" was progressively refined over the years.

During the 11th century new ways of making sheet glass came about in Germany. Glass blowers would blow spheres, and then form them into cylinders. They would cut the glass while still hot and then flatten the glass into sheets. Glass makers in Venice, Italy improved this method in 13th century. By the late 1300's there was as many as 20 glassworks in Bohemia and Moravia. The 12th century saw the arrival of stained glass production. Stained glass, another form of colored glass, was made by adding metal impurities. Church and monastery applications of stained glass can be traced back to examples that remain today, i.e. St. Bartholomew church in Kolin. A glass wall mosaic is preserved there from around 1380.

Venice became the dominant center for glassmaking during the 14th century. Here new glass making methods were developed and export trade such as mirrors, tableware, and decanters flourished. Secrets of glass making were highly guarded in Venice, but eventually glass workers moved to other areas of Europe taking their knowledge and skill with them. As ornate glassworks became more popular, Royalty began ordering decorative glass articles to be made, to give as gifts of distinction for occasions.

A technique called "the Crown glass process" was used to make glass until the mid part of the 1800s. A glassblower would spin around 9 lbs of molten glass at the end of a rod until it spread out into a flat disk nearly 5 feet across. The glass disk would then be cut into panes. Glass from Venice was highly prized for over four centuries as they managed to keep this technique secret. In 1688, a method for casting glass was invented. This led to glass and glass panes in becoming a much more common material. The glass pressing machine was invented in 1827 and facilitated mass production of relatively inexpensive glass items. The glass pioneer, William J. Blenko, is recognized as first glass producer in America to use the cylinder method of creating flat glass by the 1920s.

The Bohemian countries of Czech and Slovakia are still known today as two of the finest cut glass and cut crystal producers in the world. Cut crystal pieces are prized as elegant anniversary and birthday gifts.

Author:John Simon
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Health and Safety for Artists

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 · 0 comments
Know the potential dangers of the materials you use

Many of the chemicals found in art supplies are carcinogenic, and can present health risks if not handled properly. Some are potential skin irritants (some Acrylics contain a small amount of ammonia or formaldehyde), some should not be inhaled (pastel dust is very nasty), while others are highly flammable (turpentine).

Most art supply manufactures are extremely safety conscious, and publish full details of possible risks associated with their products.

Don't be complacent: take the time and effort to find out what the health risks are for the materials you, and observe any recommended precautions.

Do you visit clients in their homes?

If you visit clients in there homes, never visit anyone without leaving details with a friend. Tell them who you are visiting and where you are going . Let them know what time you expect to return home, and arrange to phone when you return to confirm that you are safe. If possible, take a friend with you the first time you visit a new client.
Public Liability Insurance, protects the policyholder in respect of their legal liability for injury or damage to third parties arising out of, and in course of, their business.

Do you allow clients to visit you at home?

In today's compensation culture, when accidents happen, some people look to blame others. If you allow clients to visit you at home, you have a duty of care to ensure their safety, and there is always a risk they may trip or fall, which could prove very costly.

If you need to meet clients in your home (for example, you may teach from home), then you need third party public liability insurance.

Do you publicly exhibit your work?

Similarly to the above, if you exhibit work, it is always worth checking whether the event organisers have obtained appropriate insurance. You may be required to make your own arrangements.


Networking

The work of an artist is generally solitary, and anyone engaged in this occupation should consider the occasional need to network with other artists.

The benefits of networking

There are a number of benefits to networking, but briefly it allows the sharing of ideas, knowledge of best practice, and prevents feelings of isolation.

For example, you might need occasional technical advice, want to know how others deal with routine administrative tasks (say packing and posting pictures), or maybe just let off steam - to someone that understands!


Internet forums for Artists

There are a number of different means by which networking can be accomplished, but the simplest, and most accessible, is to find and join an Internet artist’s forum.

When choosing a forum, there are two broad considerations: the size and activity of the membership, and the forum’s focus.

The number of members, and number of posts, is usually detailed at the foot of the forum’s home page. A sizeable membership (1000s) is normally an indication that the forum is a lively hub. Small memberships (a few 100) tend to indicate a less thrilling and responsive community.

Membership of a forum with a reasonable level of members/activity, and a narrower focus, can be the most gratifying. You are more likely to feel a kinship with, and derive a benefit from communicating with people who share your particular branch of art. Conversely, with a more general forum there is a greater possibility of meeting people with radically different ideas (the realist and the abstract expressionist struggle to share ideas, or knowledge of best practice).

Author: John Burton
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Taiko

Monday, October 12, 2009 · 0 comments
The Japanese Art of Drumming

For many years I have had an interest in Taiko, the Japanese art of drumming. The literal translation of the word taiko from the Japanese means "big drum." So when you hear someone refer to taiko drums, if taken literally they are actually saying, "big drum drums." Taiko is the generic term and is used when referring to the style of drumming.

I don't know if it's the sound they create or whether it is my amazement at the player's discipline, precision and stamina. Probably a mixture of all of the above.

My main hobby is the martial arts, and in my mind Taiko players share many of the same attributes as martial artists. For example, the commitment to practice and developing skills, the cultivation of stamina/energy and a certain amount of showmanship are shared by both. In Japan practitioners learn the art of Taiko in a Dojo; the literal translation is, "place of the way". Exponents of Karate will also attend a Dojo. In both instances the training and the transmission of the arts are rigidly structured and highly disciplined.

In recent years I have noted a rise in the number of opportunities to see Taiko troupes in Britain. Not all the groups are Japanese and there is a wealth of talented British players. Pretty much all of the events are well attended. There is even some fusion stuff going on, it may not be for the traditionalist but it is really interesting.

Taiko has even made it into the corporate world and companies or organisations can use Taiko as a team building exercise. There is also a number of Taiko Groups that run evening classes and weekend workshops for the enthusiastic amatuers amongst us.

One of the drawbacks in the UK is that drums are very, very expensive and equipment is hard to source. I should know I spent long enough looking for a pair of bachi (drumsticks) for my wife, in the end I made them for her.

This year we saw the 5th Annual Taiko Festival held in Exeter and was organised by Kagemusha Taiko. The 6th Annual Taiko Festival is already being organised and again it will take place in Exeter on 16-18th July 2010.

So what is the appeal of Taiko?
For some reason drums of all kinds from Samba to African seem to evoke an almost primeval instinct within many people. It may have something to do with the fact you can actually feel the music and rhythm.

Hey, it may not be for everyone, but you should go and see a Taiko troupe in action. You would need to be pretty cold not to be impressed on one level or another.

My name is Malcolm Murphy and I own and run http://www.ichinisanbachi.com a company that manufactures and sells bachi (Taiko Drumsticks). To the best of my knowledge Ichi Ni San Bachi is the only company in Britain where you can buy bachi online.

It came about by a strange quirk of fate: when trying to find a set of bachi for my wife it became apparent that nobody in the UK provided this particular service, and if I wanted to buy them I would need to pay through the nose for them as they would have to be imported. Once I had made them for my wife, other Taiko Players asked her where she had managed to get them and the rest is now history.

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