Flame Affinity Group Meeting Notes: Equity and Access in Public and Private Spaces

GEEX Flame Affinity Group
Equity and Access in Public and Private Spaces
February 23, 2023 7PM EDT
Facilitated by Amy Lemaire and Madeline Rile Smith

Notes compiled by Amy Lemaire and Madeline Rile Smith.
Entries in quotes are copied directly from the chat.
Each bullet point represents a comment by a participant.

Do you rent a studio? Rent a space? Work in an institution? What is your workspace like?

Multiple workspaces:
- I maintain two workspaces: one is private, and one is community oriented
- Make monotonous work in the institutional space so it’s easy to interact with others while working, and when I don’t want to be interrupted I work in my private studio.
- Private flameshop at home, and working out of the places I teach
- My private studio is limited in firepower, so when I need larger equipment and assistance, I move the project to the school I teach at (Salem Community College)
- Work at several universities, in group studio spaces, where there are constant interruptions, so it’s nice to also have a home studio when I need quiet time
- Home garage studio, rent time in a friend’s shop for lathe and cold shop access
Private studios:
- Private, rented, flameworking studio in a building full of flameworkers and I also work as a tech at an institution (Tyler), where there are a lot of interruptions in the workflow
- Historic studio space — there are limitations of alteration to convert to a flame shop
  - Shipping container — running a kiln off a generator and solar power
  - Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI)
  - Portable flameworking setup on wheels used for on-site public demos
- Early on I had a studio in parent’s basement, and now I have a nice studio in my home
- Turned an old greenhouse into a hotshop
- Built a flameworking studio in a school bus
- Moved to a rural location and set up a flameshop in the basement, which was not ideal, so moved to a better space with a studio in a separate studio
- We do production work in the mornings, which is team oriented, and in the evenings everyone has a chance to work independently and do their own thing
- There are no schools or institutions nearby to work at so we built our own shop
- In a rural location, closest rentable studio is 3 hours away, built a home studio in the garage over a couple of years
- Home studio with 4 torches, rents out studio space and teaches
- Background is in neon, and also does a little flameworking
  - Have some neon torches set up in a tractor garage on a rural farm, while pursuing other types of making beyond glass
Institutional studio:
- Works at Pittsburgh Glass Center
  - A public studio can be challenging to access some times of the year because it is very busy with multi-week classes, production glassworking
  - Some limitations with ventilation and the way the studio was designed
  - Have done neon demonstrations outside, with some wind covering, and plan to do more of that at home
- Glassblower, and longtime “institutional leech” — has always had institutional relationships of different types to gain studio access, but it is a hustle working at many institutions at once; have a university position and access to an amazing facility
“I like the idea of occasionally renting out time in a private studio as a form of passive income.”

What environment do you prefer to learn in? (For example, traveling to an institution group studio to take an in person class, participating in a webinar virtually in your home studio and accessing instruction virtually through Twitch/Discord/Zoom)

Take classes in the spaces I teach in, and seek out new skills to learn though instructional classes
Early on, I attended immersive classes at institutions, and was exposed to many master craftspeople who I got to know in the studio, and also outside the studio.
Started off as an apprentice, traveling and sleeping on friends couches, and living on a budget to have access to the masters. Now, I appreciate peace and space in the studio on a set schedule, and I appreciate the organization of having my own space.
Teaching or assisting with teaching allows me to absorb intimate knowledge and gives access to many different perspectives.
I have a meandering path with learning, started with a BFA in ceramics, and then started flameworking, when there were not a lot of classes available at the time, so collaborating and learning from other artists has been a big part of the educational process and to be able to travel and work that way is still my preference.
I think if you take a class with someone you are more likely to emulate what you saw, while if you collaborate with another artist you learn but are able to internalize the lesson and put your own spin on it right away and make a piece that survives.
“My favorite way to learn is applying for scholarships at craft schools each summer with varying success.”
“I was initially drawn to flameworking for its individuality and being able to gain a style independently — over time I have come to realize how important it is to have community and external influences on my work”
“I like learning something new. Working on another degree. I like learning from older people with 20 more years in their field”
“You can learn more about the larger history and culture of flameworking by traveling to other studios and meeting new people”
“I learn from the students while I have the opportunity to experiment with new techniques. (while teaching or assisting)”
Traveling, learning in new environments and cultures:
- Like to combine travel and learning; prefer to travel to a studio to take a class
- I like to travel around the world and take a class in a different culture
- I love meeting new people in a group setting, and then going back to my private studio to practice what I have learned
- Taking workshops wherever I could get a scholarship (at institutions like PGC, Corning, Pilchuck) many years in a row, consistently. Scholarships make classes accessible, especially to students on a budget.
- I like going to a new shop to get out of my comfort zone and meet new people.
- Traveling to be with a group of people to learn helps me quite a lot, and I also value one on one mentorship.
- I like to take classes at Penland, because the studio space and food are amazing
- “I travel to take classes based on a subject matter and teacher I want to learn from. I’m not choosy about the facility. Even if it is crappy I’m only there briefly anyway.”

How do you assess the safety of a space, and what does a safe space look like to you, socially, emotionally, and physically?

Set-up, architecture, and design for safety:
- Feeling physically safe in a shared space is important – bench setup, ventilation, proper flooring
- Good ventilation
- Important for institutions to model best safety practices (i.e. ventilation), especially since institutions are often the first experience students have with a flameworking studio
- Modeling best practices at public events, like Glass Vegas and Flame-Offs, that often don’t have any ventilation and are also often the first exposure folx have to flameworking
- In an institution, attention to details, like having basic first aid supplies available, such as bandaids
Awareness, attentiveness and caution:
- “A sense of organization and care is important for the space to feel safe and welcoming. In public spaces, I feel cared for when technicians or staff check in on renters.”
- “I saw a CGI video demonstrating how a propane tank can explode or become a rocket and shoot through the ceiling while starting flameworking! A good visual to remember to keep the propane tanks outside at the end of the day.”
- “Fear in the right doses sharpens your vigilance.”
- “If I can find it there’s a good video of a stringer removal from someone’s eye…”
Communication, attitude and codes of conduct:
- I prefer not to be around people drinking alcohol in the studio, or cigarette smoke in the workspace, and excessive fuming (heavy metals on glass) without proper ventilation
- Attitude in a group space, and keeping emotions in check in a public setting, especially when glass breaks
- Being respectful of personal boundary issues in a group space: being respectful of my time, and of my work (not ripping off my designs)
- Maintaining good communication in a group space, and if there is dispute, handling it professionally, and promptly so the situation does not escalate
- My studio is very queer, and I’m hoping to keep it that way. Many studios nearby are female dominated. The institutions keep respect for gender identity and misogyny in check, but in personal studios the situation can vary.
- Some studios in the 1970s were really unsafe. Having clear rules and a union are helpful when working in the universities to keep things in check.
- Respect for different cultural traditions in a group space
- Being around microaggression and aggression in a white dominated space is challenging. Being tokenized and forced to adapt culturally in a white dominated studio space
- Being considerate of how people are actually feeling in a space instead of making them adapt to what’s going on
Concerns in private flameworking studios:
- In a private flameworking studio, safety can be unchecked. Ex: piles of broken glass around the lathe and hoses, neighbors setting off the sprinklers/fire alarm, people having guns in a nearby studio space
- In private shops, it can be harder to push back against unsafe situations
- In private shops, whose responsibility is it to be the safety police?
- Limiting how long I let people come and work in our home studio is helpful in keeping a safe atmosphere, physically and emotionally
Additional comments:
- “Great point to reconsider the ‘this was grandfathered in…’ mentality”
- “I feel like I’ve had to figure out how to deal with the things that go on in the studios I’ve worked in because for me, it’s kind of the price of access.I end up having to figure out what I can and cannot deal with and just manage that on my own. This sometimes ends up being that I don’t work in that studio or that equipment.”
- “I guess what makes me feel unsafe is when you can tell safety is not other peoples’ priority.”

Salem Community College (public/institutional studio)
- Large open space, two 20-seat benches for torches and shared bank of lathes. Easy to move from studio to studio (i.e. can easily roll a lathe)
Madeline’s home studio (private studio)
- In her backyard, climate controlled, large windows, small footprint, but high ceilings, custom flame shop buildout

Building in a little bit of flexibility in studios: incredibly helpful
Prioritize sweeping glass off the floor so it doesn’t pop wheelchair tires
Accessibility for different types of abilities in glass: creating an accessible, inclusive environment for all artists to feel comfortable in
Raising awareness for different physical abilities in the studio (i.e. accommodating a person using crutches or allowing a person to bring a stool to sit on during long demos)
Ergonomics in glassworking: paying attention to working conditions so you’re not in pain, like using the lathe for larger pieces, or not hunching over which causes back pain
“I have had to go to shade five (filters) because my eyes are too sensitive for lighter shades (of safety glasses).”

Hoping it will be a good example of a well built, forward thinking institutional studio
Accessible height bench, great ventilation, ongoing opportunities for visiting artists to teach, ongoing search for full time faculty in glass
Auto shutoff manifolds for oxygen, propane tanks on scales
Studio is ADA compliant, and two of the benches have adjustable height to accommodate wheelchairs and different body types
“Great way to create a space for making where being able-bodied is not immediately assumed or expected.”
“UW’s shop will have 15 total stations including an instructor bench and 2 ADA accessible workstations each with 4′ spacing.”

Add contrast: put something dark (graphite pad) between the flame and the bench
Penland offers a movement class, and the movement instructor will come into your class and give advice
Using a set of rollers to create a point of reference in the flame can help with depth perception issues, especially when flame is pointed at an angle
- In a group studio, using rollers can be a way to address depth perception issues or hand shakiness without calling attention to the student
Hands/movement:
- Shaky hands: make a brace for your hands right next to the torch and use a yoke to stabilize the hand
- What kind of hoses are on your torch? Thick hoses wear out your wrists when working on the lathe
Grateful for environments like Flame Affinity Group that prepare me for different abilities that come up when teaching
Approaching health topics in a sensitive way tends to make students feel more comfortable and open to disclosing their situation
Worked with a person who was deaf in the class who had a sign language interpreter