WEBVTT 00:02.602 --> 00:07.507 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Lakeland PBS presents Common Ground, brought to you by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund 00:07.507 --> 00:13.747 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% and the citizens of Minnesota. Production funding of Common Ground is made possible, in part, by First 00:13.747 --> 00:29.696 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% National Bank Bemidji, continuing their 2nd century of service to the community. Member FDIC. 00:43.376 --> 00:43.710 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% instrumental music.... 00:49.549 --> 00:54.888 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Welcome to Common Ground. I'm Producer/Director Scott Knudson. In this episode, Steven Weagel, 00:54.888 --> 00:59.826 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% of the Pequot Lakes area, displays his artwork at the Crossing Arts Alliance in Brainerd, Minnesota, 00:59.826 --> 01:11.738 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and demonstrates his glass blowing at Vandalia Glassworks in South St. Paul. 01:14.240 --> 01:19.512 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Hello, my name is steven Weagel. I'm from Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, 01:19.512 --> 01:24.451 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and I'm a glass and metal artist. We're here at the Crossing Arts Alliance 01:24.451 --> 01:39.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% in Brainerd, Minnesota at an exhibition called "Light, Color, and Minnesota Landscape. 01:45.972 --> 01:52.145 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I've created the shades down at Vandalia Glassworks in South St. Paul, and I've done 01:52.145 --> 02:07.794 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% all of my metal work. I'll start this at my studio outside of Pequot Lakes. 02:29.716 --> 02:38.758 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Before I start adding color to a piece, I want to create a form. Harvey Littleton wrote a book 02:38.758 --> 02:48.501 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% way back and the name of his book was "A Search for Form" and for most of us glassblowers , as we 02:48.501 --> 02:53.573 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% learn to create glass and we learn to control the glass and we learn to create new shapes, 02:56.676 --> 03:06.186 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% then, the main concern for me is that it's got a good form, and form, it's called "form sense" by 03:06.186 --> 03:10.757 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% other artists, and form sense only comes from a lot of trial and error and a lot of work. 03:13.927 --> 03:20.466 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% My first thought is, "what form do I want,", "is this going to be a good form," and "how do I get there." 03:25.205 --> 03:33.513 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Once I have the forms worked out in my head and in the glass, then I can begin to add color 03:33.513 --> 03:39.786 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% to it and let the color enhance the form. I'm going to reheat it. For most of us, 03:39.786 --> 03:48.595 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% as glass blowers, we're always in a search for form. Of course, that's endless, that's infinite, the 03:48.595 --> 03:58.204 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% old medieval guild symbol for glass workers was a female symbol with infinity on top of it. That 03:58.204 --> 04:13.920 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% is what glass is, glass is infinite . Let's go to Vandalia Glassworks in South St. Paul, Minnesota. 04:23.196 --> 04:29.435 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% This is a unique situation. This is one of the finest studios in the country. Essentially, 04:31.938 --> 04:36.476 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% I will be going here, opening this door, and gathering. 04:41.114 --> 04:46.853 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Then I will come out of there, and generally, I will go to the bench, 04:52.292 --> 04:56.796 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and I will use this tool called a block, okay, and then I will be here. 05:00.199 --> 05:08.474 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% I will be in and out of here constantly, and then back to the bench. So, that's where I get, there's 05:08.474 --> 05:12.712 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% about 300 pounds of molten glass in there, that's the melter, or the furnace. Back in the old days, 05:15.481 --> 05:21.621 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% we did everything with gas, and it was a kind of a standing joke that an "electric furnace", because 05:24.257 --> 05:30.830 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% it's cost prohibitive. Well , now the price of propane and natural gas has gone up to 05:30.830 --> 05:36.669 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% the point that electricity is a viable solution, and the nice thing about electricity is, you can 05:39.339 --> 05:46.446 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% seal that tight. With propane or gas, you've got to relieve the pressure. With electric, 05:46.446 --> 05:52.185 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% you can have it shut tight and hold all the heat in there. This is relatively new in 05:52.185 --> 05:59.392 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% the last 10-15 years. When I started blowing glass in 1968-1969, we had to build everything, 06:01.594 --> 06:06.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and now there's a whole industry that build these commercial units. 06:06.933 --> 06:13.740 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% This is totally state of the art. Craig, over here, has been blowing glass for 40 years also, 06:13.740 --> 06:16.642 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and we both feel the same way, we walk in here and it's like we're kids in heaven. 06:21.314 --> 06:26.819 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% There's a lab here. "Hardest working glassblower in Minnesota right here, this guy right here. Okay. 06:33.693 --> 06:40.400 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% So, take a smaller gather, you can just see the glass; actually, it reflects like water so 06:42.802 --> 06:48.741 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% as I approach the glass with my blowpipe, I'm looking for the reflection, and as soon as I 06:48.741 --> 06:54.547 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% see the my blowpipe in the reflection, I know I'm close, because I don't want to have it too 06:54.547 --> 06:58.484 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% deep. I don't want to have glass way down on the blowpipe. We'll let that chill just a little bit. 07:01.187 --> 07:05.458 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% i don't like too much glass up on the pipe, it's a waste of glass, and it causes other problems, so 07:07.827 --> 07:10.630 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I take two small gathers to start, instead of trying to do it all in one gather. 07:15.935 --> 07:20.773 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I just set that up so there's enough glass on there to have a foundation for a shade. 07:23.109 --> 07:24.777 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% This time I'm going to start with white, 07:27.480 --> 07:32.952 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% because I want a base behind the color, and because it's going to be lit from the inside. 07:36.956 --> 07:45.798 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% I want it to be somewhat opaque, I want the light to diffuse when I turn it on, and so what happens 07:45.798 --> 07:51.037 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% is, I get dichroic glass. I get glass that's one color when the light is reflected off of it, 07:54.240 --> 07:58.144 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and when the light is turned on, it's now transmitting light and it changes color. 08:02.148 --> 08:05.518 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60% I'm going to put another layer of white 08:11.290 --> 08:19.432 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% and then I'm going to get that melted back in. Now, I'm just building up the color, so you can 08:19.432 --> 08:23.736 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% see it's kind of lumpy, I want that to get nice and smooth and I will build up layer upon layer. 08:26.839 --> 08:29.675 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Okay, I'm coming out, and I'm going to begin to build up 08:31.844 --> 08:35.147 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% the blue, so that's called aquamarine, and this blue is fairly opaque. 08:38.918 --> 08:43.222 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% I'm going to stick with a fairly light blue, and then I'm going to put dark blue designs into it. 08:47.827 --> 08:54.901 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Okay, you're good. Now I'm going to do one layer of a deep cobalt blue, and you can see this 08:54.901 --> 09:00.206 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% is really fine. Now you can see how much that changed. Now, what I'm going to do 09:03.042 --> 09:08.214 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% is heat in again, and I'm going to go back to that lighter blue, and that will give me variations, 09:10.917 --> 09:14.820 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% with the dark blue peeking out from behind the lighter blue. The aquamarine, this color is. 09:18.157 --> 09:22.061 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% This doesn't take as long to fuse in, because it's so fine. 09:22.061 --> 09:25.331 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Okay, we'll do now, we'll go back one more in the aquamarine. 09:35.975 --> 09:39.211 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% i'm just going to block this, just to get it off the pipe a little bit. 09:46.953 --> 09:50.990 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Now what I'm going to do is, I'm going to get it into that optic mold. Nice and hot, 09:53.459 --> 09:53.693 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% okay, 09:58.297 --> 10:05.204 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% see the ridges? I'm going to give this a quick heat and I'm going to go over there to the color, see 10:05.204 --> 10:13.212 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% how I'm twisting that, now look at the color, how it's gone into those low spots. I'm gonna do that 10:13.212 --> 10:18.284 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% one more time, I'm just gonna heat this enough to fuse it, and I'm gonna pick up just a little more. 10:20.920 --> 10:26.092 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Now, I'm going to get it really hot again and then I'm going back to that optic mold. 10:32.465 --> 10:36.302 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Now, as I go in here, I'm going to have lines go across the lines that are there. 10:39.839 --> 10:47.913 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Quick reheat, and then I'm going back to that fine powder again, only this time I'm going 10:47.913 --> 10:56.222 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% to turn it in the opposite direction, so I will twist it across the lines that were there. I've 10:56.222 --> 11:03.229 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% got the color set up, we'll fuse everything, I'll get it really really hot, I'll block it, and I'll 11:03.229 --> 11:10.870 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% blow a bubble into it. So, occasionally, I'll just come out ..and like now, can you see the pattern that 11:10.870 --> 11:16.142 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% formed in there? It's very subtle right now, but as I blow it out, it will become much more apparent. 11:22.081 --> 11:28.354 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I've got to get this really hot so I've got to be a little patient here. 11:32.425 --> 11:33.192 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% I take my block again. 11:43.903 --> 11:46.172 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I'm gonna go reheat once more, it's not doing quite what I would like it to. 11:49.341 --> 11:49.875 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% Okay, that's better, 11:53.512 --> 11:56.382 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% now I'll block it again, 11:59.118 --> 11:59.885 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% okay, then I'm gonna blow. 12:09.628 --> 12:10.396 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% I've gotta add a little heat. 12:18.404 --> 12:24.410 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% All right, we'll let that settle back a little bit. 12:37.089 --> 12:41.260 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% All right, it just started to blow, I stop immediately, and I will block that. 12:47.767 --> 12:51.103 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Now we're starting to get some really nice interesting things happening with that color. 12:53.806 --> 12:57.409 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I don't want to blow that out too much, so I just barely puffed that one. 13:01.480 --> 13:07.953 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Okay, we've got the bubble set up, I've got the white peeking through, I've got the light 13:07.953 --> 13:14.059 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% blue peeking through, and the dark blue is on the outside. I'm going to let this 13:14.059 --> 13:21.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% cool. Now, these tools we use are made out of fruitwood; in this case, these happen to be 13:21.600 --> 13:27.506 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% applewood that I've saved. Cherrywood works, and the reason we use fruitwood is it's really hard 13:27.506 --> 13:33.312 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% on an end cut, and it doesn't have any resins that mark the glass, but most importantly, we use 13:35.981 --> 13:38.951 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% we use cherrywood or applewood, the fruitwoods, because they don't rot in water. 13:41.353 --> 13:46.325 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% So, most of these tools have been in water for 3 - 4 13:46.325 --> 13:51.530 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% years before I ever carved the wood. I store the wood in big tubs, and as I need it, I take it out 13:54.767 --> 14:00.139 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and carve it, form it, whatever it is I need to make. Most people think it's because 14:00.139 --> 14:05.144 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% it doesn't mark, but one of the main reasons is - it'll last forever in water. It'll last 14:05.144 --> 14:16.522 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% longer in water than drought, than being out in the air. Okay, we're ready for a big gathering 14:29.101 --> 14:30.536 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% You can make a nice big shade with that amount. 14:44.250 --> 14:45.985 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Could have taken a little less, but I can make this work. 14:50.823 --> 14:56.695 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% You can see how easily that could have gotten away from me. Once it laps up on that block like that, 14:56.695 --> 15:04.470 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% if a person isn't paying attention, it can lap up onto an arm or a hand, but that's not going 15:04.470 --> 15:08.908 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% to happen, we've got it under control. I'm going to put a neckline in it while it's still good and hot. 15:11.010 --> 15:14.146 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% There are other ways to do this, but I'm kind of "old school" 15:17.349 --> 15:21.487 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and this is the way I like to work the glass. Some people use wet paper to do this part. 15:26.625 --> 15:31.263 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% All right, I've got that nice and centered, I'll block it one more time. I'm going to go reheat 15:34.733 --> 15:39.104 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% and then I'm going to neck it again and probably reheat one 15:39.104 --> 15:40.606 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% more time. Then, I'm going back over to there, over there to those optic molds. 16:08.367 --> 16:22.648 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% I still need to keep that bottom, heavy. 16:27.453 --> 16:30.089 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% Okay, back to reheat. Now, we'll start forming 16:33.826 --> 16:36.662 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% the shape, 16:48.240 --> 16:50.676 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% make sure I've got a good neckline, 16:53.145 --> 16:55.214 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% till the bottom, blow it out, 17:01.754 --> 17:04.690 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% till the bottom, 17:06.258 --> 17:06.492 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% blow it out, 17:09.461 --> 17:09.461 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% and again, 17:14.466 --> 17:18.704 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I have to make certain I keep that bottom tilled or it'll get paper thin. 17:32.484 --> 17:33.318 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60% Okay, I'm going to reheat again. 17:40.059 --> 17:46.732 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% Okay. 18:20.532 --> 18:21.600 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% All right, that's as tall as I want it. 18:24.636 --> 18:28.774 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I'll till this line again and I'm going to remove it from the blowpipe, I'll hang it up, 19:13.886 --> 19:24.830 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% a little water, 19:31.803 --> 19:39.745 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and let's go reheat. Now I'm going to get the top third of that really hot, and I'm going 19:39.745 --> 19:49.688 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% to blow it out. I'm going to expand it with a steam stick. I will get it hot as far back as I want it 19:49.688 --> 19:57.529 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% to blow out and I'll use my steam stick in it to create pressure so I can blow it without blowing, 19:57.529 --> 20:08.307 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and the reason I want to do that is I want to expand that, it's going to be the lip end, okay. 20:08.307 --> 20:12.444 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% So, now here's my steam stick and 20:15.948 --> 20:20.886 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% see it blow up, 20:22.921 --> 20:25.924 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% so that expanded that. I need to start that out a little, 20:28.160 --> 20:34.900 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% so now I've got a nice swell to it. Now we'll begin to open it 20:41.373 --> 20:42.641 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% and I like to use a wooden stick if I can, 20:47.846 --> 20:55.621 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% because it doesn't show glass so much. Okay, we've got a flare, here we go now, this is going to get 20:55.621 --> 21:02.928 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% real sudden. So, I'm going to go back, I'm going to reheat, I'm going to spin it and I'm going to (not understandable word). 21:22.514 --> 21:30.956 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% One quick flash, 21:37.796 --> 21:39.031 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% and I'm going over to crack off now. You ready? 21:43.869 --> 21:45.737 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% Now I will 21:48.940 --> 21:49.441 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% smooth that out, 21:52.644 --> 21:58.984 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% put a little extra heat down here, 22:00.752 --> 22:01.586 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% and we'll go into the annealing oven. 22:09.561 --> 22:12.998 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% That went in nice. 22:17.302 --> 22:23.275 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Harvey Littleton was a ceramics instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and they 22:23.275 --> 22:30.315 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% wanted to see if they could come up with a way for one or two people to work with hot glass and to 22:30.315 --> 22:34.886 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% create art with it, and to take it out of the realm of utilitarian, and get it into the realm of art. 22:38.123 --> 22:47.733 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% I believe, about 1965, may have been earlier, the first class was offered at Madison, Wisconsin. It was 22:47.733 --> 22:54.339 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% in the Masters of Fine Arts Program. The furnace that they came up with to melt glass was called 22:54.339 --> 23:00.612 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% a Day Tank. Those of us that started early used that design of furnace for years and years and 23:00.612 --> 23:06.485 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% then in the factories, in order to cool the glass and take all of the stress out of it they had a 23:06.485 --> 23:12.758 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% unit called a Lehr. Essentially, it was a metal conveyor belt moving through a heat zone, 23:15.627 --> 23:21.266 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% and it would go from approximately a thousand degrees fahrenheit, and by the time it reached the 23:21.266 --> 23:27.973 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% end it would be down to room temperature. Of course, that wouldn't work in a small studio, so they came 23:27.973 --> 23:37.048 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% up with an Annealing oven. Hot glass, once it's melted and formed, must be cooled, slowly, but 23:37.048 --> 23:41.686 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% before it can be slowly cooled, it must be to held at a temperature that's 50 degrees below slumping. 23:44.756 --> 23:51.830 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Most glass slumps at around 1050 degrees, but it varies, and there are ways to find out that 23:51.830 --> 23:57.602 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% slumping temperature, but what that Annealing point does, if you hold it at that temperature 23:57.602 --> 24:01.573 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% for up to an hour for thinner pieces, weeks for other pieces - heavy pieces, 24:03.775 --> 24:06.611 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% then it relieves all the strains that are going on inside of that glass, 24:09.381 --> 24:19.124 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and it allows it then to be cooled slowly and be stress-free so that it doesn't just explode. 24:24.996 --> 24:31.670 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Here is one of my finished pieces, you'll notice the metal has all been darkened 24:31.670 --> 24:35.474 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% with heat, the shade is attached, and it's ready to be in somebody's home. 24:43.014 --> 24:49.187 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% We are at the Crossing Arts Alliance Gallery and Shop in Brainerd, Minnesota, at 711 24:49.187 --> 24:54.392 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Laurel Street. As an artist, I've been making art for a very long time. 24:54.392 --> 25:00.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I do art fairs and festivals, and I sell my work there, but to have a show set up 25:00.966 --> 25:07.806 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% in a gallery where people can come and visit and talk with me and find out about my art, 25:07.806 --> 25:13.111 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% where my art comes from, where I came from, where my thought process is, understanding the inspiration 25:16.348 --> 25:24.589 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% that drives me; well , without Crossing Arts Alliance in Brainerd, we would have no resource, really, 25:24.589 --> 25:29.594 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% to exhibit our work. One of the things that the Crossing Arts Alliance does, that Lisa Jordan 25:29.594 --> 25:36.167 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% is so good at, is getting us out in the public eye. The gallery situation in Brainerd, and 25:36.167 --> 25:40.906 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% the artists, didn't used to be as visible as they are now. Lisa Jordan has really done a great job 25:43.275 --> 25:46.778 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of bringing this art, our art, all of the artist's art, out to the community. 25:58.023 --> 26:03.228 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Thank you so much for watching. Join us again on Common Ground. 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