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Seekers®
Glass Gallery presents the
work of Brian Becher, who creates a series of large sculptural vessels that
combine classical glassblowing techniques with his original contemporary colors
and styling.
Artist’s Statement: “My work is primarily Venetian in style, but with a
distinctly American character to it.
“In
my Color Weave Series I strive to achieve a balance between color and form. I begin by applying
layers of pure color to my blowpipe, followed by layers of glass cane, which I
have made and laid out ahead of time. I apply the cane to the hot glass in such
a way that they produce a woven effect on the surface of the vessel. The
interior of the vessel remains a solid color.”
Once
all of the canes have been picked up onto the surface of the molten glass
vessel, Brian fire polishes them flat in a special furnace called a glory hole.
He then encases the entire piece in clear crystal for added brilliance and a
smooth surface.
He uses ancient glassmaking techniques, along
with many of his own invention. He achieves his distinctive color combinations
through use of concentrated formulations of metallic oxides such as gold,
silver, cobalt and others, which he blends into the molten glass.
Brian blows each piece freely, without the use
of molds, using traditional glassblowing methods that are thousands of years
old. He creates each piece at the end of a five-foot long metal blowpipe,
constantly spinning and reheating the viscous mass as it has been done for
millennia.
He melts the glass in a furnace and works it at
temperatures in excess of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. When he completes the blowing
and shaping process, Brian removes the piece from the pipe and places it into an
annealing oven, where it will cool slowly.
In general, the larger and thicker the piece,
the longer the time required for it to anneal. Annealing slowly relieves the
internal stresses caused by the extreme heat at which the molten glass is
worked. Without annealing, the finished piece would shatter in the room
temperature air.
The main 20th Century innovation in glass
making occurred in 1962, when new techniques in small furnace construction
allowed individuals to use glass as a personal art medium outside of a factory
setting for the first time. This technological innovation has created what is
now known as the American Studio Glass Movement.
Brian earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree
in Glass from
Ohio
State
University
. He has subsequently studied at three of the world’s foremost glass schools:
a year at the Penland School of Crafts in
North Carolina
; seven years at the
Corning
Museum
’s
School
of
Glass
; and five years at the world renowned
Pilchuck
Glass
School
, in
Washington
State
, founded by the legendary Dale Chihuly.
Brian
Becher’s work has been shown at museums, fine galleries and juried exhibitions
throughout the
United States
and is included in numerous private collections.
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