What's it like to be a modern glassmaker? - The Conversation podcast, BBC World Service

Key Concepts:

• Glassblowing: A glass forming technique using a furnace to melt soda-lime glass, gathering molten glass, and shaping it by blowing air into it.
• Flame working: A glass forming technique using a torch to melt borosilicate glass, shaping it with hand tools, and manipulating it in the flame.
• Borosilicate glass: A type of glass resistant to high temperatures, used in flame working.
• Soda-lime glass: A common type of glass with a lower melting point than borosilicate, used in glassblowing.
• Annealing: A process of slowly cooling glass to relieve internal stresses and prevent cracking.
• Gathering: The process of collecting molten glass from a furnace onto a blowpipe or punty.
• Didymium glasses: Special tinted glasses or goggles worn to protect the eyes from the flares of the flame during flame working.
• Flow state: A state of deep focus and immersion in an activity.

Glassmaking Techniques and Processes

• Flame working (Mira Davida):
  • Uses a torch with a flame around 2000 degrees Celsius.
  • Employs borosilicate glass, which is high-temperature resistant.
  • Involves manipulating glass rods and tubes directly in the flame.
  • Requires mobility in the fingers for twisting and turning the glass.
  • Uses Didymium glasses to protect the eyes from flares.
  • Limited to smaller sizes, typically up to 30-40 centimeters.
  • Borosilicate glass is more forgiving in terms of heating and shaping.
  • Annealing is crucial to prevent fractures.
• Glassblowing (Phoebe Stubbs):
  • Uses a furnace kept at 1170 degrees Celsius.
  • Employs soda-lime glass, which has a lower melting point.
  • Involves gathering molten glass from the furnace.
  • Requires constant reheating as the glass cools rapidly.
  • Allows for the creation of larger pieces.
  • Soda-lime glass is less forgiving; cooling too much leads to cracking.
  • Relies heavily on experience to judge temperature and prevent failures.

Examples of Glassware Created

• Phoebe Stubbs (Gather):
  • Tableware: wineglasses, bowls, jugs.
  • Lighting fixtures.
  • One-off sculptural pieces for artists and designers.
  • Vessels with looping, nested handles.
• Mira Davida:
  • Natural glass sculptures.
  • Botanical shapes and interpretations of nature.
  • Orchid sculpture (recent project).

Challenges and Realities of Glassmaking

• Fragility and Mistakes:
  • Borosilicate glass (flame working) is more forgiving, allowing for more time to work and correct mistakes.
  • Soda-lime glass (glassblowing) is less forgiving; mistakes often lead to cracking and breakage.
• Business Challenges (Phoebe Stubbs):
  • Rising gas and energy prices.
  • Difficulty selling glassware at affordable prices due to high production costs.
  • The need to cater to a luxury market.
• Personal Challenges (Mira Davida):
  • Balancing the introverted creative process with the extroverted demands of marketing and sales.

Gender Dynamics in the Glass Industry

• Hungary (Mira Davida):
  • Women may not be taken as seriously, and ambition can be perceived negatively.
• Sweden (Mira Davida):
  • More open-mindedness and gender equality.
• United Kingdom (Phoebe Stubbs):
  • Historically, studios were often run by men, with women sometimes hired for their appearance rather than skills.
  • Mansplaining is a common experience for women in the industry.

Paths to Glassmaking

• Phoebe Stubbs:
  • Unrelated degree in religious studies and philosophy.
  • Worked in interior lighting design.
  • Took a weekend glassblowing class and quickly pursued it as a career.
  • Technical training class on the south coast.
• Mira Davida:
  • Started at an art high school at age 14, majoring in glass.
  • Continued studying glass at university and for a master's degree in Sweden.

Notable Quotes and Statements

• Mira Davida: "So there, when it can happen, this flow state, you get into it and then it's just something really enjoyable and special and honestly an amazing experience."
• Phoebe Stubbs: "The beginnings of glass making is just relentless failure listening to things just crash and crash onto the floor and break."
• Phoebe Stubbs: "There was a thing that people used to say, where they would kind of say that these kind of well-known glassmakers would hire like one attractive woman to just be in the studio, to be a thing to look at. Which is pretty gross."
• Mira Davida: "It is difficult because you have a different mindset when you're creating than when you are actually selling or you're marketing or managing a business."

Synthesis/Conclusion

The conversation highlights the distinct techniques of flame working and glassblowing, emphasizing the unique challenges and rewards associated with each. While flame working offers more flexibility and control over smaller pieces, glassblowing allows for the creation of larger, more complex forms but demands precision and experience. Both Mira and Phoebe share their personal journeys into glassmaking, revealing the dedication and perseverance required to succeed in this demanding art form. The discussion also touches on the gender dynamics within the industry and the economic pressures faced by glass artists today, underscoring the need for greater public awareness of the costs and skills involved in creating handmade glassware.