First vessels

The fruits of my studies: results from weeks 3 and 4... however will week 5's turn out??  Tune in to see... 

Last night, I completed Public Glass' 5-week introductory course on the basics of the ancient art of glassblowing.

Yes, it's as intimidating as it looks. Mastery of the basics is hard enough--gathering the proper amount of glass, popping the bubble, marvering it to the right shape, getting your punty on center, figuring out how long and how deep to heat your piece in the glory hole so that it gets neither too hot nor too cold...and that's before you even start shaping your vessel!!   But then, there's the heat.

Oh my god, the HEAT.  It's impossible to overstate just how intense the heat is.  How can I describe.... it's like face planting onto the sun or perhaps like stepping into the depths of hell, either way, seriously,  you have not experienced heat until you stand in front of the open door to the 2100-degree furnace for too long and all your arm hair gets singed right off.  The intensity of the heat on my face was enough to take my breath away a couple of times.

I also cannot overstate how TOTALLY ADDICTIVE hot glass is!  The sense of accomplishment in popping your first bubble, of forming your first vessel, in learning how to break that first vessel off your punty without shattering it or sendng it crashing to the floor, is overwhelming.  And the pride in turning out an attractive, usable vessel is.... well, we will see when I pick up the finished piece from the studio tomorrow.  [YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!]