>> THIS PRESENTATION WAS MADE

POSSIBLE THANKS IN PART TO THE

PATRONS OF "CHARLOTTESVILLE

INSIDE-OUT", COMMITTED TO

EXPLORING THE PEOPLE, PLACES,

AND QUALITY OF LIFE THAT

UNIQUELY DEFINE CHARLOTTESVILLE

AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.

>> I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD

ATTEMPT TO MAKE SOMETHING WITH

THEIR HANDS, I MEAN, MAKE A

PAPER AIRPLANE; WHO CARES?

JUST DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR

HANDS.

>> FOR WHTJ, I'M TERRI ALLARD,

AND THIS IS "CHARLOTTESVILLE

INSIDE-OUT".

OUR GUEST TODAY IS A GREEN BERET

TURNED AUTHOR WHO HAS SERVED AS

A FEATURE WRITER FOR THE DAILY

PROGRESS SINCE 1987.

HE'S BEEN SHARING THE STORIES OF

OUR COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST THREE

DECADES, AND NOW WE THINK IT'S

TIME TO TELL HIS STORY.

JOIN US TODAY AS WE CATCH UP

WITH WRITER DAVID MAURER.

COME ON!

>> SO, DAVID, THE

CHARLOTTESVILLE COMMUNITY KNOWS

YOU AS A FEATURE WRITER FOR THE

DAILY PROGRESS, BUT I'D LIKE TO

START OUT TALKING A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT YOUR PAST.

TELL US ABOUT JOINING THE ARMY.

>> NO, I CAN'T TELL YOU ABOUT

THAT.

>> YOU'D HAVE TO SHOOT ME?

THAT'S SORT OF TRUE.

>> I WAS SOMEWHAT OF A DISASTER.

WELL, I WAS A DISASTER IN HIGH

SCHOOL.

I DECIDED TO JOIN THE ARMY WHEN

I WAS SEVENTEEN, AND MY PARENTS

WERE HAPPY TO SIGN OFF ON THAT.

AND I WENT IN AND DID MY FIRST

TOUR IN KOREA FOR A YEAR.

AND THEN I CAME BACK, AND I

WASN'T BACK BUT A COUPLE MONTHS

AND WAS ASSIGNED THE FIRST

CAVALRY DIVISION.

AND THEY COME DOWN WITH ORDERS,

THIS WAS 1965, FOR VIETNAM, SO I

WENT OVER.

>> SO YOU STAYED IN THE ARMY FOR

A COUPLE OF YEARS, LEFT, AND

THEN CAME BACK TO JOIN THE JUMP

SCHOOL?

>> YEAH.

I WAS IN FOR THREE YEARS AND

THEN I HAD A BREAK OF ABOUT NINE

MONTHS, AND THAT WASN'T REALLY

WORKING OUT.

THERE WAS A LOT OF RESIDUE LEFT

FROM VIETNAM.

I'D BEEN IN SOME MAJOR BATTLES,

AND COMING BACK FROM THAT, I

REMEMBER WHEN I'D FIRST GOT HOME

THE FIRST NIGHT, I KEPT OPENING

UP THE REFRIGERATOR AND SHUTTING

THE DOOR BECAUSE IT WAS SO

FOREIGN TO ME THAT I COULD JUST

REACH IN AND GRAB A COLD

WHATEVER, AND JUST THE LIGHTS

AND ALL THAT, BECAUSE I HAD

BASICALLY BEEN IN THE FIELD FOR

A YEAR.

SO, I JUST DIDN'T ADJUST.

AND AFTER NINE MONTHS, I DECIDED

TO GO BACK IN.

AND THERE'D BEEN A LOT OF

PARATROOPERS IN THE FIRST CAV,

AND I REALLY LIKED THOSE GUYS,

AND SO I SAID, IF I'M GOING BACK

IN, I WANT TO AT LEAST TRY TO BE

A PARATROOPER.

AND SO WHEN I WAS IN JUMP

SCHOOL, THE INSTRUCTOR CAME UP

AND SAID, IF ANY OF YOU GUYS

THINK YOU WANT TO BE SNAKE

EATERS, WHICH THEY CALLED

SPECIAL FORCES GUYS, THAT GUY'LL

TALK TO YOU.

SO EVERYBODY, 200 GUYS GO OVER.

OUT OF THOSE 200 HUNDRED GUYS

THAT TOOK THE TEST, SIX OF US

CAME DOWN WITH ORDERS FOR

SPECIAL FORCES.

AND OUT OF THOSE SIX GUYS, TWO

OF US GRADUATED.

ABOUT A YEAR LATER.

>> OH, WOW.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU MADE IT?

>> IT WAS A MIRACLE.

THIS IS A COMPLETELY -- YOU

COULD WATCH AS MANY PROGRAMS ON

TELEVISION ABOUT SPECIAL FORCES

TRAINING, BUT UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY

GO THROUGH IT, YOU HAVE

ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA.

AND EVERY DAY YOU'RE BEING

TESTED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

AND THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THIS

IS, I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT A

MONTH IN TRAINING AND I WAS

CHANGING A LIGHT BULB.

A LIGHT BULB HAD BURNED OUT IN

THE HALLWAY IN THE BARRACKS. AND

ONE OF THE SPECIAL FORCES GUYS,

CALLED THE GLOW IN THE DARK

GUYS, THESE ARE THE GUYS WHO

HAVE TO ACCEPT YOU INTO THE

FAMILY, HE SAID, GIVE ME THAT.

AND SO I HANDED HIM THE LIGHT

BULB, AND HE SMASHED IT ON THE

FLOOR.

HE PICKED UP THIS BIG SHARD OF

GLASS.

HE HANDED IT TO ME AND SAYS, EAT

IT.

AND I TOOK THIS SHARD OF GLASS,

AND I PUT IT IN MY MOUTH AND I

BIT DOWN ON IT, FULLY EXPECTED

IT TO CUT ME UP.

BUT IT TURNED INTO LITTLE

GRANULES OF SAND, COMPLETELY

HARMLESS, WHICH HE OBVIOUSLY

KNEW.

BUT HE -- THIS WAS A TEST.

AND HE JUST KIND OF NODS AND

WALKS AWAY.

>> TRY TO EXPLAIN TO ME THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SOLDIER AND

A GREEN BERET.

IT SAYS WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER,

THOUGH WE BE THE LAST, WHICH

MEANS WE DIE IN PLACE.

WE DON'T SURRENDER.

WE DIE IN PLACE.

AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE'RE

THE LAST.

AND I THINK A COUNTRY HAS TO

HAVE THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE WITH

THAT KIND OF MENTALITY, THAT WE

DON'T SURRENDER.

AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE US

ON, YOU ARE GOING TO PAY.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO PAY DEARLY.

>> SO, NOW, I DIDN'T HEAR THIS

FROM YOU, BUT I SAW A PHOTOGRAPH

OF YOU WEARING A PURPLE HEART.

YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A MEDAL THAT

YOU DON'T WANT TO GET.

BUT WE WERE IN A MISSION INTO

NORTH VIETNAM, AND ON THE FIFTH

DAY, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE

GETTING PULLED OUT THAT DAY, BUT

WE HAD BEEN SURROUNDED BY THESE

GUYS FOR THE WHOLE TIME THAT WE

WERE THERE, BUT

I HEARD SOME NOISE UP TO THE

SIDE OF OUR POSITION, AND I WENT

DOWN THERE TO -- CRAWLED DOWN

THERE, BASICALLY TO SEE WHAT WAS

GOING ON.

WE WERE ON A RIDGE

AND SO I PULLED OUT A GRENADE,

AND I PULLED THE PIN OUT, OUT OF

THE GRENADE.

AND ABOUT THAT TIME I HEARD A

THUMP UP IN FRONT OF ME, AND THE

NVA DOWN BELOW ME HAD THROWN A

GRENADE UP TOWARDS ME, AND ABOUT

THEN IT GOES OFF.

AND I FEEL A SEARING PAIN IN MY

NECK.

AND SO MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO

GET RID OF THIS GRENADE WITH THE

PIN OUT OF IT.

AND I KNEW WHERE THAT GUY WAS.

AND I PUT IT DOWN THERE AND GOT

HIM.

AND THEN EVERYTHING ERUPTS AND

WE GET INTO A BIG GUNFIGHT.

SO AT ONE POINT, I WAS UP

AGAINST A TREE AND THESE BULLETS

STARTED TO HIT RIGHT ABOVE MY

HEAD IN THE TREE, AND I ROLLED

OVER ON MY SIDE TO GET LOWER TO

THE GROUND.

AND THE BLOOD HAD POOLED IN MY

LAP, JUST POURED ONTO THE GROUND

LIKE A BUCKET, BECAUSE I BLED

THAT MUCH IN A SHORT PERIOD OF

TIME.

AND THEN I JUST STARTED TO GO

INTO SHOCK, AND MY VISION

STARTED TO CLOSE DOWN.

AND FORTUNATELY SOMEONE GOT UP

TO ME AND PUT A PRESSURE BANDAGE

ON THERE AND GOT THE BLEEDING TO

STOP.

BUT WHEN THE HELICOPTERS CAME IN

FINALLY, AND I CAN'T TELL THIS

STORY WITHOUT SAYING HOW

COURAGEOUS THOSE GUYS WERE

BECAUSE THIS WAS BAD NEWS ALL

AROUND, BUT THEY DID, AND WE GOT

BACK AND -- TO DA NANG.

AND I CONSIDER IT MY BEST DAY OF

MY LIFE BECAUSE EVERYBODY THAT

WAS THERE WAS HUGGING US AND,

YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE -- IT WAS

JUST A MAGNIFICENT MOMENT.

>> YOUR BEST DAY.

>> YEAH, DEFINITELY BEST DAY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO AFTER NINE YEARS, YOU LEFT.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT

AND HOW YOU ENDED UP AS A

WRITER.

>> I HAD TOLD MYSELF WHEN MY

DEAR FRIEND, BILL BROWN, WAS

KILLED, I'D JUST COME BACK, AND

THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WHOLE TEAM

HAD BEEN LOST.

AND I TOOK IT STOICALLY AT THE

TIME, I JUST NODDED, BECAUSE,

YOU KNOW, I HAD HEARD THAT KIND

OF NEWS BEFORE.

BUT THAT NIGHT, I WAS WALKING BY

HIS HOOCH AND IT WAS HIS -- HIS

PARENTS HAD SENT HIM A LITTLE

ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE AND --

BEFORE THEY WENT OUT ON THE

MISSION.

AND WE HAD TRIMMED THIS

CHRISTMAS TREE.

AND THAT NIGHT I'M WALKING PAST

THE HOOCH AND THE WIND BLEW THE

DOOR OPEN.

AND I LOOKED IN THE HOOCH AND

THERE WAS THAT CHRISTMAS TREE

LIT UP.

AND I JUST FELL TO MY KNEES.

IT WAS THE ONLY TIME I EVER

CRIED IN VIETNAM IN THE ALMOST

THREE YEARS I SPENT THERE.

AND I JUST FELL TO MY KNEES AND

I SOBBED.

AND WHEN I GOT UP, I SAID THAT

SOMEDAY SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO

HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT -- ABOUT

THESE PEOPLE.

AND I DECIDED THEN I WAS GOING

TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THIS.

AND WHEN I GOT OUT, I WENT TO

COLLEGE, THINKING THAT THEY

COULD TEACH ME HOW TO WRITE, AND

QUICKLY FOUND OUT THAT THEY

CAN'T, BUT I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT

I HAD THE GIFT OF WRITING.

AND I WAS ON THAT FIRST SENTENCE

OF THAT BOOK FOR FIVE YEARS.

AND I WAS DOING THESE NOWHERE

JOBS, JUST KEEPING MYSELF ALIVE,

EVERY NIGHT COMING HOME AND

TRYING TO START THIS BOOK.

AND WHEN THE FIRST SENTENCE

CAME, "AT 25 YARDS, THE FRONT

SIDE OF THE MACHINE GUN NEARLY

COVERED THE BACK OF THE RESTING

SOLDIER'S HEAD", THAT'S -- IT

STARTED, AND I WROTE THE WHOLE

BOOK IN NINE MONTHS.

>> AND HAD YOU NOT -- HAD YOU

NOT HAD THAT EXPERIENCE, YOU

MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN HAD THE

CALLING TO WRITE, WHO KNOWS?

>> WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY IT.

AND SO I CONSIDER THE THREE

MAJOR BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE TO

HAVE BEEN, ONE, BEING ACCEPTED

INTO THE SPECIAL FORCES FAMILY,

WHICH IS EXTRAORDINARILY

SPECIAL.

THE SECOND BLESSING, A LOT OF

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS,

BUT IT IS VIETNAM BECAUSE

VIETNAM PROVIDED THE ATMOSPHERE

TO HAVE THE BEST FRIENDSHIPS I

WILL EVER HAVE IN THIS LIFE AND

THE DEEPEST FRIENDSHIPS.

AND THE THIRD BLESSING IS HERE

AT THE DAILY PROGRESS BECAUSE

THIS HAS -- I LOVE THE DAILY

PROGRESS, AND IT HAS GIVEN ME

THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE MOST

AMAZING THINGS FOR ALL THESE

YEARS, TO BE STANDING RIGHT NEXT

DOOR OR NEXT TO A SURGEON,

HARVESTING A LIVER IN BECKLEY,

WEST VIRGINIA, AND FLYING BACK

WITH HIM AND STANDING NEXT TO

HIM AS HE PUTS THE GOOD LIVER IN

A PERSON HERE AT UVA.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST

ENDLESS, ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES

THAT YOU GET AS A JOURNALIST

THAT YOU WOULDN'T GET IN ANY

OTHER JOB, SO IT'S JUST A GREAT

BLESSING.

AND YOU GET -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE

READ YOUR STUFF.

SO WHAT'S BETTER FOR A WRITER

THAN TO HAVE PEOPLE DOING THAT?

>> WHAT'S THE MOST RISKY

PROJECTS YOU'VE EVER ATTACKED?

>> WELL, I TELL YOU THE ONE THAT

JUMPS TO MIND IMMEDIATELY IS

THAT I DID THIS GUY WHO'S COMING

HERE TO THE AREA TO HAVE THESE

PEOPLE WALK ON COALS, RIGHT?

>> OH, OH, OKAY.

>> THE 1200 DEGREE COALS.

AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS LIKE

TAKING A RUN AND GOING TIPPY

TIPPY AND THEY'RE OFF OF THEM,

RIGHT?

BUT I SAID TO MYSELF, NOW, I CAN

CAN'T DO THAT.

I'M A SPECIAL FORCES GUY.

AND IF I'M GOING TO -- IF I'M

GOING TO WALK ON THE COALS, I'M

GOING TO WALK ON THE COALS,

RIGHT?

>> OKAY.

>> SO I STEP OFF ONTO THESE 1200

DEGREE COALS, AND SURPRISINGLY

ENOUGH, IT FELT EXACTLY ON MY

BARE FEET LIKE BURNING HOT COALS

WOULD FEEL.

AND I'M GOING, I'M IN TROUBLE

HERE.

BUT WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING

IS THAT IT DIDN'T REALLY BURN

THE SOLES OF MY FEET LIKE YOU

WOULD THINK.

AND YOU DID WRITE THE ARTICLE?

>> I DID INDEED.

>> IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO

SEE WHAT YOU WROTE

>> YEAH.

I'LL HAVE TO REVISIT THAT ONE.

>> YEP, DEFINITELY HAVE TO DO

THAT.

>> DAVID, THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> IT'S LIKE BLOWING UP A

BALLOON.

USE YOUR CHEEKS TO PUSH THE AIR.

YEAH, SEE?

GO AHEAD AND STAR AGAIN.

STOCK, STOP, STOP

LOVELY.

>> OUR GUEST TODAY HAS OVER

THREE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE

WORKING IN GLASS, COLOR, AND

LIGHT.

JOIN US AS WE VISIT WITH MASTER

GLASS BLOWER CHARLES HALL.

COME ON!

>> CHARLES, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO

BECOME A MASTER GLASS BLOWER?

>> MASS TO HER, THAT'S PRETTY

HIGH PRAISE.

>> BUT IT'S TRUE.

>> THANK YOU

>> GOSH, I DON'T KNOW.

I'VE DONE IT FOR SO LONG, I'VE

KIND OF FORGOTTEN THE BEGINNING

OF IT.

I JUST KNOW THAT I REALLY LOVE

DOING IT.

IT'S AN AMAZING MATERIAL AND

INCREDIBLE THING TO BE ABLE TO

WORK WITH.

>> AND YOU STARTED IN METAL,

RIGHT?

YOU WENT TO SCHOOL AND STARTED

IN METAL?

>> YEAH, I STARTED IN METALS.

I'VE DONE PRETTY MUCH ALL

DIFFERENT KINDS OF METALS, FROM

MACHINING TO CASTING, FORGING,

JEWELRY MAKING AND, ACTUALLY, IN

HINDSIGHT, I THINK IT WAS A

REALLY GOOD WAY TO START INTO

THIS PROCESS BECAUSE IT GAVE ME

A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW

TEMPERATURE AFFECTS THINGS,

WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT WITH THIS.

AND SO I KIND OF HAD A HEADS-UP

WITH IT UNTIL I GOT INTO IT.

>> WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR

WORK.

IF SOMEONE ASKED YOU TO DESCRIBE

YOUR WORK, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

>> I'M NOT A BIG MOLD BLOWING

PERSON.

I REALLY LOVE THE MATERIAL

ITSELF, SO I'M WORKING WITH IT

WHILE IT'S WORKING ITSELF, I

GUESS IS THE WAY TO SAY IT.

AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN A PROCESS

OF LEARNING TO LET GO OR

LEARNING HOW TO GET SOMETHING TO

HAPPEN WITHOUT TOUCHING IT, YOU

KNOW, LETTING IT DO WHAT IT

WANTS TO DO.

>> SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

>> IT JUST TAKES PRACTICE.

I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO

DESCRIBE IT.

YOU WANT TO TOUCH SOMETHING, BUT

IF YOU DON'T, WHAT HAPPENS?

OH, LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW.

IT'S A PROCESS OF DISCOVERY.

IT'S A LOVELY THING.

>> OKAY, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE

PROCESS.

TAKE US THROUGH IT.

>> WELL, SO, THIS IS A FURNACE

WHICH HOLDS THE GLASS.

>> ALL THAT WET, MELTED GLASS.

>> THERE'S A SMALL TUB IN THERE

THAT HOLDS ABOUT 80 POUNDS OF

GLASS.

>> GLASS ITSELF IS BASICALLY

DIRT.

IT'S THE PRETTIEST DIRT ON THE

PLANET.

IT'S SAND.

WHAT ALLOWS ME TO MELT IT IS

THAT THE FORMULATION INCLUDES

FLUXES.

AND FROM METAL, FLUX, WHEN YOU

DO WELDING, FLUX MELTS AT A VERY

LOW TEMPERATURE.

WHEN IT MELTS, IT TURNS REALLY

ACIDIC AND IT EATS THE SILICA.

SO WHILE YOU THINK IT'S MELTING

SAND, IT'S -- REALLY THE FLUX IS

EATING THE SILICA IN THE

SOLUTION.

AND SO IT HAPPENS AT 2300

DEGREES, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT TEMPERATURE -- CAN I SAY

THIS STORY NOW?

>> YES.

>> THAT TEMPERATURE IS HOT

ENOUGH TO COOK A FULLY FROZEN

JUMBO SHRIMP IN A SECOND AND A

HALF, BUT IT CAN'T BE A STRAIGHT

SECOND AND A HALF BECAUSE THAT

WOULD EXPLODE IT.

IT HAS TO GO IN, OUT, IN, OUT,

IN, OUT, DONE.

>> OKAY.

>> AND WE COOK BEEF TIPS IN

HERE, TOO.

THEY TAKE LIKE FIFTEEN SECONDS.

THEY'RE LOVELY.

IT'S MEAT CANDY, IT'S SO GOOD.

>> OKAY, SO YOU --

>> GATHER THE GLASS.

>> GATHER THE GLASS.

>> THE GLASS COMES OUT.

HOPEFULLY I'VE MADE SOME SORT OF

DECISION IN MY HEAD BEFORE I

START WORKING SO I KNOW WHAT IT

IS AT LEAST I'M TRYING TO MAKE.

>> OKAY.

>> SO MY COLORS WILL BE READY.

I'LL HAVE OTHER TOOLS OUT THAT I

NEED.

AND THEN I LOVE WORKING WITH

COLOR.

I THINK THAT GLASS AND COLOR ARE

JUST FABULOUS TOGETHER, SO I

COLOR THINGS.

AND THEN THE WAY THAT I'M

PUTTING IT TOGETHER, I'M ADDING

THINGS IN PLACES BUT IT THEN IS

GOING TO MOVE THE WAY IT WANTS

TO MOVE BECAUSE OF THE THINGS

I'VE PUT IN THE PLACES THAT I'VE

PUT THEM SO --

>> BECAUSE OF THE BALANCE.

>> BECAUSE OF THE BALANCE,

BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA MASSES, THE

TEMPERATURE CAUSES MOVEMENT IN

CERTAIN DIRECTIONS, BUT I JUST

LET IT DO ITS MOVEMENT AS MUCH

AS I CAN.

I'M NOT PULLING IT OUT OR

FORCING IT TO DO THAT.

AND SO I THINK -- I THINK MY

WORK RETAINS A LOT OF FLUIDITY.

IT RETAINS A LOT OF THE

PROPERTIES THAT THE GLASS HAS

WHEN IT'S MOLTEN.

AND I REALLY LIKE THAT.

I REALLY -- I'VE DONE A LOT OF

OCEAN WORK, AND I THINK MY GLASS

LENDS ITSELF TO LOOKING LIKE

IT'S GROWN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE

OCEAN.

IT HAS A VERY, VERY, I DON'T

KNOW, ALIVE FEELING.

>> WELL, AND THEN YOU TAKE IT

OUT OF HERE AND YOU SPIN IT.

>> YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT MOVING.

IT HAS LIQUID PROPERTIES SO IT

IS AFFECTED BY GRAVITY, IT'S

AFFECTED BY CENTRIFUGAL FORCE.

SO ANY TYPE OF MOVEMENT LIKE

THIS IS GOING TO ELONGATE IT.

ANY MOVEMENT THAT GOES LIKE HAS

A TENDENCY TO THROW IT OUT.

THEN HOLD IT UP AND DOWN AND

IT'S GOING TO FOLD IN, TRY AND

FOLD IN ON ITSELF AND FALL.

AND, I MEAN, ALL THOSE ARE

VIABLE WAYS TO TRY AND GET THE

GLASS TO MOVE.

SOMETIMES IT'S AS SIMPLE AS JUST

STOPPING TURNING AND LETTING IT

DO SOMETHING.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST --

PRETTY MUCH EVERY MOVEMENT YOU

DO IS GOING TO HAVE SOME EFFECT

ON IT.

>> SO THE WHOLE TIME YOU'RE

WORKING, YOU'RE CONTINUALLY

PUTTING IT BACK INTO -- WHAT IS

THAT?

>> IT'S CALLED THE GLORY HOLE

BECAUSE THE MINUTE YOU PULL IT

OUT OF THE FURNACE, IT'S

STARTING TO COOL.

>> RIGHT.

>> AS IT COOLS, IT LOSES ITS

SOFTNESS, BECOMES HARD.

AND IF YOU WANT TO KEEP WORKING

IT, YOU NEED TO REHEAT IT.

>> SO YOU CAN EXPERIMENT BUT YOU

HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE IT IS

VERY HOT.

>> OH!

>> FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MANY TIMES,

CAN YOU EVEN COUNT HOW MANY

TIMES YOU'VE BEEN BURNED?

>> I COULDN'T EVEN TELL YOU.

>> YOU STILL HAVE YOUR EYEBROWS,

I SEE.

>> YEAH, SOMETIMES.

I MEAN, YOU CAN'T -- IF YOU'RE

COUNTING YOUR BURNS, YOU MIGHT

AS WELL NOT BOTHER.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT'S -- I MEAN, YOU JUST --

IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

YOU'RE GONNA GET BURNED.

>> RIGHT.

>> I REALLY -- I JUST -- I WANT

TO BE HERE.

I LIKE DOING THIS STUFF.

AND I -- YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER

EVEN CONSIDERED THE TIME, YOU

KNOW.

I MEAN, I KNOW HOW LONG I'VE

DONE IT BUT IT'S NOT LIKE --

>> YEAH, HOW LONG?

>> 28 YEARS.

>> YEAH, 28 YEARS.

>> BUT I'M NOT SAYING IT LIKE,

OH, 28 YEARS, YOU KNOW, LIKE

POOR THING.

>> WELL, LET'S GO BACK TO

TALKING ABOUT THE CREATIVITY OF

IT AND HOW YOU PUT IT ALL

TOGETHER.

TALK ABOUT THE VARIETY OF PIECES

THAT YOU MAKE.

>> WELL I -- YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND

OF LARGE.

>> JUST RATTLE OFF A HANDFUL.

SO, CONCH SHELLS, VASES --

>> WELL, VASES, BOWLS,

ORNAMENTS, ALL THAT BASIC STUFF.

BUT THEN I STARTED MAKING FISH,

I'VE DONE -- I'VE MADE CORAL,

TRUMPETS, TOOT, YOU KNOW WHAT I

MEAN.

>> OKAY.

SO THAT SOUNDS DIFFICULT, SO

JUST TALK ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY.

COMPARE THE DEGREE OF

DIFFICULTY.

SO YOU MAKE AN ORNAMENT, WHICH

IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE SIMPLER

THINGS YOU MAKE.

>> BUT STILL TAKES A LITTLE BIT,

YOU KNOW.

GLASS -- I THINK AN ORNAMENT, IT

PROBABLY TOOK ME FOUR YEARS TO

BE ABLE TO MAKE A GOOD ORNAMENT.

>> OKAY.

>> IT'S NOT -- AND THIS HAPPENS

A LOT; PEOPLE COME INTO THE SHOP

AND THEY SEE ME WORK AND THEY

GO, WOW, THAT'S SO COOL, I WANT

TO DO THIS.

AND THEN THEY TRY AND THEY'RE

LIKE, MAN, THIS IS HARD.

I'M LIKE, YEAH, IT IS.

THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY DAYS

WHEN I'VE WALKED ON BROKEN

GLASS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA, AND SO

MANY TIMES WHERE I BLOW

SOMETHING AND IT GOES BLOOP AND

JUST SOMETHING WEIRD.

IT'S VERY -- IT'S REALLY

INTENTIONAL AND IT'S -- AND PART

OF THAT PROCESS WAS LEARNING HOW

NOT TO DO THINGS.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU KNOW YOU CAN BE -- YOU

CAN TOTALLY MOLD SOMETHING, BUT

BEING ABLE TO DO IT FREE AND IN

THE AIR AND LETTING IT DO WHAT

IT WANTS TO DO, I -- IT'S MUCH

-- IT LOOKS BETTER TO ME.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT ALLOWING -- YOU KNOW,

LEARNING HOW TO DO THAT, IT'S --

YOU KNOW, IT TAKES TIME.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY -- PEOPLE

SAY, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO

MAKE THAT PIECE?

AND I'VE LITERALLY GOTTEN TO THE

POINT WHERE I SAY 28 YEARS,

BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN

ABLE TO MAKE IT IF I HADN'T BEEN

DOING THIS WORK FOR THAT LONG.

>> SO YOU WERE 2014 STATE

AMBASSADOR OF GLASS.

>> I WAS CHOSEN BY THE ARTISANS

CENTER OF VIRGINIA, AND I'M NOT

QUITE SURE WHAT ALL THE

RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, BUT THE

ARTISANS CENTER, I'VE BEEN

INVOLVED WITH THEM, I DON'T

KNOW, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS,

AND THEY ARE FIGHTING A GOOD

FIGHT FOR THE ARTS IN VIRGINIA,

AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.

THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER ARTISAN

TRAILS.

I'M SURE YOU SAW THE SIGN FOR

IT.

>> SO THAT'S A NICE DEAL,

THOUGH, TO HAVE THAT HONOR.

>> YEAH. I'LL PUT THAT ON MY

RESUME.

>> SO YOU'RE HERE AT MCGUFFEY.

TALK ABOUT HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN

HERE.

>> I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUILDING

FOR 14 YEARS, I THINK.

>> SO HERE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE.

>> 14 YEARS.

>> AND ANOTHER 14 OR 15 IN NEW

YORK.

>> IN NEW YORK, IN THE FINGER

LAKES, YEAH.

>> SO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE

GALLERIES.

YOUR WORK IS IN DIFFERENT -- WE

HAVE SOME LOCAL SPOTS THAT YOU

HAVE.

>> I HAVE WORK IN VIVIENNE'S,

WHICH I'VE -- I'VE SOLD TO

VIVIENNE SINCE I CAME TO TOWN.

>> WOW.

ON THE DOWNTOWN MALL

>> YEAH.

IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD

SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP.

YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE TO GO

DOWN TO HERE; SHE TELLS PEOPLE

TO COME TO ME.

I'VE GOTTEN SOME CUSTOM WORK OUT

OF IT.

AND I GET TO DISPLAY WORK AT A

GREAT PLACE ON THE MALL.

I SELL AT A PLACE OUT IN THE

MIDDLE OF NOWHERE CALLED THE

BARN SWALLOW.

>> OH, THAT'S, ON 250.

THAT'S FABULOUS.

>> I KNOW.

THEY'RE LOVELY.

THEY'RE LOVELY.

AND I SELL AT THE GALLERY AT SUN

SPOTS WHERE I WORK.

>> WHICH IS IN STAUNTON.

>> WHICH IS IN STANTON.

>> WHICH IS IN STANTON.

BUT I USED TO DO SHOWS FROM

MAINE TO FLORIDA, CHICAGO TO NEW

ORLEANS.

AND I'VE -- MAN, I'VE TRAVELED

SO MANY MILES, AND JUST AT SOME

POINT IT GOT KIND OF TIRING.

>> WELL, AND TALK ABOUT -- YOUR

WORK, I MEAN, YOU'VE SOLD IT TO

PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,

RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> AND I THINK A LOT OF -- A LOT

OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE I

STOPPED DOING SHOWS, IT'S BEEN A

DIFFERENT KIND OF GROUNDING, AND

SO IT'S MORE LIKE, INSTEAD OF

RUNNING OUT AND TRYING TO SELL

MY WORK EVERYWHERE, INSTEAD I'M

JUST SLOWLY, IF IT HAPPENS, IT'S

GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> THIS WILL BE GREEN AND YELLOW

WITH A SWIRL IN IT.

>> YOU DO SHOWS HERE, THERE'S AN

ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE

MCGUFFEY HAS AN ANNUAL OPEN

HOUSE EVERY DECEMBER, RIGHT?

>> WE HAVE A HOLIDAY -- HOLIDAY

OPEN HOUSE.

WE'VE DONE THAT EVER SINCE WE'VE

BEEN IN HERE.

WE HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY FOR

THE PUBLIC.

AND I ALSO DO BENEFIT WORK FOR

2ND STREET GALLERY.

I'VE DONE BENEFIT WORK FOR

I'VE DONE BENEFIT WORK FOR

PIEDMONT CRAFT.

I'LL DO IT FOR ANYBODY THAT

WANTS TO DO IT.

>> AND CAN PEOPLE JUST WALK IN

YOUR STUDIO WHEN YOU'RE HERE OR

SHOULD THEY HAVE AN APPOINTMENT?

>> OH, IT'S -- NOW, WITH THE

TIME THAT I'M SPENDING IN

STANTON, I'M GOING TO HAVE A

COUPLE OF DAYS THAT ARE GONNA BE

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT

GENERALLY IT'S GOING TO BE BY

APPOINTMENT.

AND THERE WILL PROBABLY BE

PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE IT.

I GET A LOT OF REPEAT, REPEAT

PEOPLE, BUT PEOPLE LOVE IT.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY THINK IT'S THE COOLEST

THING IN THE WORLD.

AND IT IS.

TALK ABOUT THIS PASSION THAT YOU

AND HOW THAT IS PART OF YOUR

WORK. TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> I MEAN, IT'S LIKE EVERYTHING.

COLOR, LIGHT, IT'S ALL OF IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T -- YOU SEE

IT IN EVERYTHING YOU LOOK AT.

GLASS, SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY

GLASS TRANSMITS OR REFLECTS AND

THE DISTORTIONS THAT IT MAKES

AND HOW IT -- YOU KNOW, I MEAN,

YOU CAN -- I'LL MAKE A SIMPLE

PAPERWEIGHT, BUT THEN I'LL GRIND

A LENS IT IN.

AND SO YOU CAN LOOK IN THIS

THING AND SEE THE PATTERN OF

COLOR, BUT THEN IF YOU LOOK

THROUGH THE LENS, IT'S A

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

OF THE SAME THING.

AND YOU CAN DO THAT WITH GLASS,

AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITH OTHER

MATERIAL.

YOU KNOW, METAL IS BEAUTIFUL,

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SEE

THROUGH IT; ALL YOU CAN DO IS

REFLECT, SO THAT'S ALL YOU'RE

GOING TO GET IN ITS LIGHT, EVEN

IF YOU, YOU KNOW, START DOING

ENAMEL WORK.

YOU KNOW, ENAMEL, YOU'RE ONLY

GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT AS A

REFLECTION OF LIGHT.

AND I LOVE ENAMEL WORK.

I THINK SOME OF IT IS GORGEOUS.

BUT IT'S -- YOU DON'T GET WHAT

YOU GET WITH GLASS.

AND THE FORMING OF IT, IT'S 360

DEGREES TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.

I MEAN, IT'S INFINITE.

YOU COULD MAKE ANYTHING.

SOME PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF THAT,

YOU KNOW, PICK UP THE PLIERS AND

PULL.

I MEAN, WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE

GOING TO GET?

>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK.

FOR WHTJ, I'M TERRI ALLARD.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON

CHARLOTTESVILLE INSIDE-OUT.

>> BLOW!

KEEP GOING.

MORE, MORE, MORE.

KEEP GOING.

GO, GO, GO, GO.

STOP RIGHT THERE.

PERFECT.

>> THIS PRESENTATION WAS MADE

POSSIBLE THANKS IN PART TO THE

PATRONS OF "CHARLOTTESVILLE

INSIDE-OUT", COMMITTED TO

EXPLORING THE PEOPLE, PLACES,

AND QUALITY OF LIFE THAT

UNIQUELY DEFINE CHARLOTTESVILLE

AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.