The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) provides craft artists with support and resources for disaster and emergency relief, education programs, and readiness grants to strengthen preparedness.
Their Studio Protector resources outline the factors to consider for your studio space, storing artwork and materials, keeping records, preparing for emergencies, and more.
This is an Instructable to walk you through how to make a sensor-controlled relay power strip using an IR sensor.
“I am an instructor who teaches Plasma Design in the Scientific Glass Technologies program at Salem Community College. One of the challenges has been finding a reliable and affordable transformer to run small plasma displays. Unfortunately, there are not many products on the market, so I decided to make a device which can be used with any transformer to initiate and control the length of time a bulb is turned on. It works great for student displays, especially with Tech22’s L7020 transformer.
I use this device in my own plasma work, and find it handy to use in exhibitions. The device is designed to minimize the risk of injury or the glass being damaged, uses less power, and extends the life of the transformer. By waving their hand in front of the sensor, viewers can initiate the illumination of a plasma bulb without touching the device itself, retaining the interactive quality that is unique to plasma displays. The timer can be set to customize the output for many different situation, including animating the plasma display.
Although this device was designed for use with plasma displays, the output can be any device that plugs into a standard plug on the power strip. It could be used for many other purposes, including art installations.”
Limits the amount of time transformer is on, keeping plasma display from overheating and extending the life of the transformer
Optimizes use of plasma in exhibition or installation, so that plasma display is only activated by the presence of the viewer and remains off the rest of the time, making for minimal maintenance by the gallery staff, and adding an extra layer of safety, and conserving energy.
Optimizes off-the-shelf transformers (such as Tech22’s L7020) to light high-pressure plasma designs for short durations of time without overheating.
Provides ability to animate multiple plasma displays by changing the code on the microcontroller.
Introduces students to electronics, using sensors and microcontrollers, and coding, by building this device.
This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only. If others modify or adapt the material, they must license the modified material under identical terms.
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.”
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).”
Want a tool for beginners struggling to keep pipes/punties level? Ken Flanagan developed the punty level as a glassblowing teaching aid for Professor Helen Lee at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
This tool emits a tone based on the degree of deviation from the level plane. It is loud enough to hear over the ambient noise in the hot shop. It attaches to a pipe/punty with a 3D-printed clamp that can accept a large range of different pipe/punty diameters. The hinges are printed in place, meaning that there is no assembly once the print is complete (other than the electronics).
To minimize awkwardness for the gaffer, the punty level is quite small and can easily be mounted on the far end of the pipe/punty. It is secured with a rubber band.
An easy-to-use spreadsheet for artists and designers producing sellable objects, created by artist and maker Heather Kraft. This worksheet provides a breakdown of cost of labor, fees, materials, markup, retail, wholesale, and asking price.
“This worksheet is a truth-teller, so it can be difficult to face. Work is expensive to make. Many artists and designers undervalue their work, according to what the market will pay for. Based on your results, you might decide the work isn’t worth the limited revenue stream. Be honest with yourself — and be kind to yourself.”
To use, visit the resource link below and make a copy or download the Google Sheets document.
Facilities – “a torch in the corner” scenario in colleges
Flameworking discouraged in institutions (within context of furnace glass)
“Impossible” to get into glass classes at university
Hard to vet info found on the internet (you tube) for quality
Have to come up with funding for classes (grants, scholarships)
Available resources have toxic or “bro-ey” overtones
Experiencing queerphobia in community space
Distinction between furnace glassworking/ torchworking can lead to hierarchy/division
Only had access to soda-lime glass, no borosilicate
Hierarchy where one mode of working is pitted against the other
Having to spend a lot of time convincing people in institutions of the value and potential of flameworking
Perceived stigma of pipemaking
Flameworking is not regarded as a medium that is relevant in contemporary art or contemporary glass (stigma in the glass community and in the art community)
“Within larger art contexts, most people don’t know enough about glass to care which processes are used”
There isn’t much exposure to high school students (so folx can get a jumpstart on learning handskills)
Lack of opportunities available for flameworking – scholarships, grants, open calls for exhibit)
Lack of professional development in the arts (re: making money off our artwork/skills)
Being an artist is considered taboo, not economically viable
“Making money off your skills in art is still considered dirty and it is stunting the growth of our development as artists and the growth of our community.”
Opportunities available to Students coming out of glass programs and also their Peers in adjacent programs (ceramics, jewelry) are often low-wage, hard labor jobs often in glorified factory settings, even with an MFA
Attitudes that making marketable work is selling out.
Little to no skills are taught for how to make a functional or sellable object. Students focused on making conceptual work, so do not develop marketable skills and are often not even viable as an assistants in some situations.
Institutions are not set up to support long term access (‘overstaying one’s welcome”)
Toxic environments in some of the factories/businesses/institutions exploit and underpay workers.
Lack of women in the field
Lack of diversity in the field
A lot of these glass programs are in places dense with cultural diversity (cities, and rural locations as well), but this is not reflected in the programs.
Institutions tend to be old school, old boys club and still want things run a certain way (Legacy). But new generation is not feeling those attitudes.
Institutions don’t acknowledge these changes in the (art) world which is gravitating away from physical tangible things. Cryptocurrencies, NFT;s and digital art and changing the conversion, and the glass collector market.
GAS is largely white (though they are working on changing this)
ASGS used to have the “men’s tour” – glassblowing and the “women’s tour”- shopping
Not a lot of institutional resources to do outreach.
In university programs – mostly women in classes. In flameworking community college program – only a few women in the classes.
Instructors at universities may not feel comfortable teaching flameworking
Students have to weed through info on online platforms like instagram and you tube to find usable material. (ex: #lampworking on instagram)
Some of the opportunities available to students (jobs, etc. ) are known toxic environments.
Didymium glass is very expensive (for safety glasses) so not everyone can have safety glasses for large demos.
What can we do to help people have access who don’t know about institutions or think that existing institutions aren’t for them?
Should we focus on fixing the institutions as they are or start making something new?
Letters of recommendation, professional images of work, and submission and application processes are direct barriers to accessing institutions who do not have the resources.
Gatekeeping in the education system – our job as educators is to teach people skills they can use, not to decide who gets to learn.
“A big challenge that I see in accessing flameworking in institutions is having issues in accessing the institutions.”
“Not necessarily a challenge, but a lot of students want to learn pipemaking. I see why it’s taboo, but learning pipemaking only expands knowledge on vessel making in general”
“Lack of access to resources is a massive issue in UK. There is little opportunity to learn even as a vocational course in this country. The postgraduate programme i’m on has no full time tutors who use torches”
“the prejudice that hot glass workers have against flameworking carries over in institutions, in my experience I was the only person in my glass program with any significant flame working experience. I once had a professor tell me to stoop flameworking and focus on hot glass.”
“Money is a very important topic! What to do after school is a conversation that I did not hear enough about while I was in school. “
Business practices for flameworkers!
“Entrepreneurship on how to create a glass business needs to be a class and how to professionally market yourself for high paying jobs in glass as well”
“general business classes are not always very helpful to students looking to start their own glass/art business”
“The problem is can school find real successful entrepreneurs, you need to know marketing, product design and etc. The class would almost have to bring in a different teacher every other week or something”
“Some university programs strongly discourage students making production while in school “
“Try not to limit yourself” is a great saying, but there are people out there who have real limits. Like being able to sustain a practice is a real limit that people have to consider, which is where I think a lot of these production/business questions are getting at.”
“And it is a shame that the sort of diversity outreach work we need falls on the shoulders of BIPOC most times”
“I think a lot of it comes down to a lack of exposure into these communities. So many people just simply don’t know about flameworking”
““Letters of recommendation” are probably one of the biggest barriers to entry”
“The most difficult part of flameworking to improvise (that I’ve run into) is the safety part. I haven’t found a good alternative to the didi glasses to protect from sodium flare.”
Making new online spaces from the ground up which are inclusive and supportive (ex: facebook groups)
“I end up teaching my fellow undergrads how to work with the torch”
Insist on bringing torches and flameworking bench into the hotshop
Lead by example by flameworking in the hotshop and cross-pollinating
Consider all modes of glass working (flameworking, furnacework, etc. ) to be equal and valid.
Getting more recognition and visibility within institutions
Being an advocate for the value and potential of flameworking in institutions
Exposure to younger people could be beneficial to the community as a whole – high school and younger, also so the time they enter college program, they have some skills to build on
Educate the community on how to make a living with flameworking (jobs in the sciences – scientific glassblowing, R & D, tech, etc, and also entrepreneurship (pipemaking, etc. )
Create more opportunities for scholarships, open calls for exhibitions, and classes offered for glass and flameworking
Bring back apprenticeships
Bring in post docs, MFA all together in one class to encourage cross-pollination between the arts and sciences.
Create classes with more diversity to encourage cross-pollination (sciences, arts, engineering, etc. )
More university and institutional programming for flameworking (open access)
Try to collaborate with Scientific glassblowers in institutions.
Coming together to discuss inequities and challenges instead of dealing with it individually
Pooling our resources
Find a community college near you or be willing to travel to a community college for access/instruction
Educate students about viable and lucrative career paths in engineering, R&D, scientific glassblowing
Reach out to companies (silicon valley, engineering, etc. ) to create opportunities to gain experience/training for students while still in school through collaborative programming (internships, jobs, apprenticeship, professional mentorship)
Schools – improve marketing for professional opportunities in glass (engineering, etc.)
Schools could collaborate with tech companies, production companies to create opportunities for students
Prep students for professional interviews so they can get professional glass jobs in tech/engineering
Lead by example – Hire somebody and pay them well (so they can go out and do the same thing)
Open up more discussion about professional development in schools
Normalize being an artist who supports themselves with their art.
Normalize production work and fabrication as a viable way to sustain an income in the arts
Teach students more marketable skills – project management, handskills, teamwork, professional communication, budgeting)
Teach students to become self employed to support themselves (and normalize supplementing self-employment with other work)
Teach people to set up an independent torch setup (low cost/overhead)
Use the internet to connect with a market – the internet is vast! Harness the power of social media to connect with an audience.
Create diversity outreach programs to connect POC in local communities. – you can make a career in glass.
Bring more FREE opportunities for women and BIPOC folx
Get a group of artists engineers, makers, together and start showing some other models for what glassworking looks like – maybe online platforms like tic tok
Create new models and collaborations that contextualize glass in the context of cryptocurrencies, digital art, NFT’s –
address the changes that are really effecting the next generation and acknowledge a movement away from tangible/physical objects.
Create new spaces for the new generation – both digital and physical institutions.
Develop a “Kahn Academy of Glassworking”, instructional videos, maybe use a Patreon page to fund it.
Create programming with business programming geared towards creatives. (ex: program in Boston where students 12-14 yr. had business class in morning, alternated between flame and furnace work in pm and had a gallery to sell work in as part of the program.)
Continue building the community when we start to pull people in (through outreach programs, etc. )
Make resources available to teachers to make it easier for people to teach flameworking.
Showing examples of artists work to show many different ways to flamework – maybe in an open source online gallery scenario that could be searchable.
What is the most basic (inexpensive and simple) systems that can be set up for flameworking and what can be done with that? (Ex. stringers and an alcohol candle, hothead torch, etc. – creativity comes from limitations)
Provide longevity within institutions to support glassmakers. (who do not have access to resources)
Vet opportunities for students that are safe and not toxic work environments.
Get a diddyclip or didymium filter for your camera and a television and present the demos for the public on a screen so that everyone can safely watch.
Compiling high quality educational videos that are vetted for teaching.
Put videos out of instructional demos (even in the context of a business, or product making) – process videos will help your business.
Do away with letters of recommendation – direct barrier for scholarships, access to institutions for POC
Rethink application and submission processes for accessing institutions to remove the barriers for POC – maybe set up a table in the community and register people at in person events. POC might not have extra time/leisure time so meet people where they feel comfortable – make it easy and remove the barriers for entry.
Build a new system that’s not based off the western (white, privileged) way of doing things from the ground up.
“Could GEEX be a viable platform to experiment with making new systems?”
“Have your Art Dept. come to your glassblowing area to try things out. “
“I think schools that teach glass processes have a responsibility to introduce flameworking as it is the most accesible way to continue glassworking after students graduate and keep their hands on glass”
“The glass world needs to lean more into science and engineering”
“A new age glass center might be a good idea to create, these older school center are stuck in their ways.”
“I think a place like Salem and other organizations could create a youtube channel together”
“I like the idea of creating something new. I also feel like the existing institutions have a lot of baggage to overcome and wonder if it would actually be easier to start something new rather than fix what’s there.”
“Maybe every few weeks someone create some piece of art and science and Salem post to there youtube”
“more women in the field”
“I was hoping to create a direct alternative to Torch Talk on Facebook with the Rainbow Flameworkers Coalition. I am afraid of retaliation from them if I name it as a direct foil to that group”
“More resources for BIPOC flameworkers, or environments for diverse flameworkers
more cross-pollination across disciplines”
“How can we create, offer, and expand on free classes for interested students?”
“online and in person classes, workshop, pop up store event and exhibition “
“There’s a part of me that thinks one of the basic steps of getting the field more diverse is to get more people started in that field. And I think a part of that is to figure out how to get more people started with the bare minimum about of startup costs.”
“People of color need to see that it’s possible to make money off of glass”
“What about creating a mobile studio and going to underserved areas and doing demos?
The other question is, how can we provide free lessons in glass, while still paying the teacher for their work and experience”
“visiting predominantly BIPOC highschools in the area?”
“You could take a few students and host a workshop at several different BIPOC highschools
This is something that would benefit Tyler School to do too! we’re around so many schools k-12 yet seldom visit the shop”
“The bare minimum to get started that I found is getting a MAPP gas torch, some stainless steel welding rods, some clay for bead release, and a crock pot full of vermiculite for an annealer. (And some glass, of course)”
“And when privileged white folks are the ones reaching out it doesn’t always give the right impression”
“I took business of art classes at NYFA and at my local arts council. Check out resources in your area. They covered everything from marketing, websites, taxes, law issues, etc. (look beyond glass)”
“torch talk FB group although the culture is moderately toxic”
“GAS was my first venture out into the world of glass beyond Southern California”
“Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Residency – Corning …https://www.cmog.org
“michigan glass project seems to be doing something right”
“PGC offers many opportunities to the glass & non glass community. “
“I put my demos on blackboard for the University of Ma. YouTube for the University of Vermont”
“I always recommend a hothead torch and beadmaking kit when people are really interested. Could even hand these out”
“Love the online gallery idea – great for new students, but also to help the public understand the potential of flameworking”
https://www.didyclips.com/product/didyclip “Or You can make one with a lens from some broken glasses”, “also Aura lenses makes a similar product, also one that screws over a DSLR camera”
“This is a design for a portable polariscope. A polariscope is a useful tool for viewing stress in transparent materials such as glass or plastic. Using either linear or circular polarization, stress in glass is visible through the polariscope viewfinder. It is a useful teaching tool for understanding the properties of glass or plastics, and a necessity in the glassblowing studio to aid in the fabrication, quality control and troubleshooting of glass work.”
These lists are meant to encourage institutions to set up flameworking equipment and support co-learners in autodidactic explorations of flameworking. The intention is to provide suggestions for basic flameworking equipment and provide resources for purchasing supplies in different regions of the country, and not to endorse any particular supplier. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather a starting point for building a flameworking studio or workstation.
“Since some studios require face coverings while blowing glass, this easy augmentation makes it easy and comfortable to use a blow hose/swivel with a face mask.”