[PA-NJ Glassblowers] Young glassworker at Blenko wants to become an artisan
Tony Patti
gaffer at glassblower.info
Sun Aug 7 21:54:59 EDT 2016
Several aspects of this article (which was a Google Alert tonight) resonated
with me,
not the least of which, I believe that many famous glassblowers started the
same way,
doing these same chores on the production floor.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/business/young-glassworker-at-blenko-wants-to
-become-an-artisan/article_e1211033-9e50-51d2-b28e-ee41ca989729.html
Young glassworker at Blenko
wants to become an artisan
MILTON - Brian Prichard always considered himself a hard worker and a
creative person.
"I have always wanted to make a career as an artisan, but I wasn't really
sure how I was going to do it," he said.
Prichard, 30, of Midkiff in Lincoln County, got his chance when he was hired
by Blenko Glass Company in Milton three years ago.
"My step-brother worked at Blenko and helped me get a job," he said.
Prichard accepted the entry-level "bit boy" position having no previous
experience.
"I may take gathers, do starts, brings bits, clean pipes, run errands,
shield the gaffer, open doors to the furnace ... clean-up, sweep floors or
other chores and take the blame for everything when stuff goes wrong," he
said with a smile.
During his break and lunch times Prichard would watch other glassblowers and
try to learn as much as possible.
"It's a lot of watching, listening and learning from the best and Blenko
Glass has the best in the industry," he said. "It's also a lot of trial and
error. Timing in glassblowing is extremely critical and there's very little
room for error."
Dean Six, the company's vice president for marketing and sales, says a
number of workers have passed through Blenko Glass Company in Milton.
"This is not new to the glass industry," Six explained. "It's always been a
place where people came to work and often stay just a little while. Some
think it may be something they want to do as a lifetime occupation, but the
truth is that it is very hard work."
Six said when someone like Prichard comes along with the right natural hand
and eye coordination skills, proper attitude and eagerness to learn you
don't pass on them.
"He has the aptitude and natural abilities to do well in this occupation,"
he said.
In glassblowing there's a million ways to make something, and in
glassblowing there's also a million and one ways to screw things up.
"Mistakes happen on a daily basis," Prichard said. "For the most part, they
go unnoticed. It's not how you make the piece, but how you save it from
destroying itself. You have to learn how hot it can be or how cool it can be
during the process. During the process of forming, the piece could check,
crack or explode if one is not careful."
Solo glassblowers have to be one part octopus and two parts marathon
athlete.
"When you consider that there may be hundreds of small steps involved in the
making of a single piece of glass, you begin to realize that it is quite a
complicated process," Prichard said.
Prichard said he started making small glass pieces, like angels and cats on
his own.
"I would try to make paper weights and small things," he said. "As I got
braver, I started trying to make other stuff."
Making things by himself is a very rewarding part of his job.
"It makes me feel like a real glassblower when I make something on my own,
no matter what it is or how small it is," he said. "I feel like an artist
when I do it and it's something I want to continue to learn about. I want to
make it a career."
Other times, Prichard is part of a team of workers that make larger
customized and specialty pieces of glass.
"There is no substitute for a team of highly skilled hands," he said. "Some
pieces are so complicated that they require the extra hands to pull it off.
On other occasions, like production, you have a series of glassblowers that
do the same task all day long, and the pipe gets passed from hand to hand,
straight down the line."
Prichard said once a plan is laid out, the team of glassworkers move like a
well-oiled machine.
"Everybody just goes to work and I am always amazed by the results of such
beautiful pieces made here," he said.
Since the glass can be heated to over 2,000 degrees, one of the most
frequently asked questions of glassblowers is, "Do you ever get burned?"
"If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that question, I could
retire in comfort and luxury right now," Prichard said. "The answer is, of
course you get burned."
Cuts and burns are common injuries suffered by artists working with glass.
"It comes with the territory so to speak," Prichard said. "I love it here
and plan to stay and continue to learn this art."
0807_blenkoartisan_0_02918.jpg
Tony Patti
<http://www.glassblower.info> www.glassblower.info
<mailto:gaffer at glassblower.info> gaffer at glassblower.info
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