Describe your process: I
sta rt-
ed at A lfr e d U n iv e rs ity in
ceram ics. T h e n I b egan e n g ra v -
in g glass as a w a y to d e v e lo p a
ta ctile ap p roach to th e su rface
and cre ate a m ark th at fe lt e x -
p re ssiv e and u n iq u e. I h a ve
fo u n d a co m p ro m ise b e tw e e n
th e in te n sity o f h o t glass and
in tim a cy o f th e c la y , e x p re sse d
th ro u g h th e en g ra ve d su rface.
Pilchuck connection:
I h ave
b een a s ta ff m em b er fo r nin e
su m m ers, w o r k in g in m an y
cap acities. In 2 0 0 9
1
tau gh t a
class called “ T h e U n e x p e c te d
O b je c t.”
W hat’s unique about your ap-
proach: I
ap p roach glass w ith a
stro n g k n o w le d g e o f its h isto ry
and an u n w illin g n e ss to co m -
p ro m ise o rig in a lity fo r
“ b e a u ty .”
W hat you like most about
glass:
It has an ab ility to cap tu re
and m an ip u late c o lo r and ligh t
lik e n o o th e r m aterial.
Biggest challenge with glass:
It
is n o t fo rg iv in g lik e o th e r m ate-
rials. M y p ro ce ss o f carvin g is a
re d u ctiv e o n e , so I can ’t add an y
m aterial o n ce it’s rem o v ed .
Proudest of:
I started m y stu d io
in 200
6.
G o in g to w o r k e v e r y
d a y to m ake art is to o g o o d to
b e true.
W orking on now:
A series o f
flat w a ll p an els m ade from
b lo w n cylin d e rs th at h a ve b een
slu m p ed o p en . T h e p an els are
b lo w n w ith laye rs o f c o lo r and
are e n g ra ve d w h e n th e y are flat.
T h e w o r k s are m y larg e st d e -
p artu re from th e ve sse l form .
W hat’s next:
T e a c h in g at th e
P ittsb u rg h G lass C e n te r in June
and p rep arin g fo r a solo s h o w at
th e T r a v e r G a lle ry .
the surface
Ethan Stern
Right:
Mark Zirpel
Orrery #3,
2009
mixed media
64 x 36 x 3d in.
Opposite:
Mark Zirpel
Homage to Stanley
M iller,
2009
lampvvorked
borosilicate glass,
latex, sand-cast
glass, aluminum
114 x 25 x 25 in.
Top:
Ethan Stem
Zoom Trio,
2010
blown, engraved glass
15 x 15 x 3 in. (each)
Above:
Ethan Stem
R ed Span,
2009
blown, engraved glass
11 x 26 x 4 in.
Right:
Ethan Stem
Changing Light,
2010
blown, engraved glass
13 x 13 x 3 in.
challenge
Mark
Zirpel
Pilchuck connection:
I cam e
to P ilc h u c k to run th e p rin t
sh op - m y first g lim p se in to the
glass w o rld . I w a s in trigu ed .
I h a ve w o r k e d th e re on s ta ff
m ost su m m ers, m o v in g from
th e p rin t sh o p to th e co ld sh op.
(I ran th e sto re on e su m m er
- learn in g I h a ve a p o o r ap titu d e
fo r a cco u n tin g .)
Biggest artistic influence:
M y b ig g e st in flu e n ce has b een
m y fa th e r - sp e cifica lly his in -
siste n ce on th e im p o rtan ce o f
d o in g w h a t o n e lo v e s and d o in g
it to th e b e st o f o n e ’s abilities.
T h is is an im p o rtan t lesso n fo r
an artist and o n e th at m akes
m ore sen se as I g r o w o ld e r and
re a lize the d eg re e to w h ic h
m any p e o p le are n o t d o in g that.
Biggest challenge with glass:
T h e lea rn in g cu rv e o n h o t glass
is s lo w and ste ep . A c q u irin g the
sk ills ta k e s m an y y e a rs and a
co n sid e ra b le in v e stm e n t o f re-
so u rces. A n d th en on e m ust
figu re ou t h o w to a p p ly th o se
sk ills in th e cre atio n o f art. O n e
co u ld sp en d a life tim e w o rk in g
on te ch n ica l p ro fic ie n c y and
n e v e r g e t to th e art.
Proudest of:
It is a huge challenge
in this culture to figure ou t h o w
to b e an artist. I d on ’t m ean figur-
ing ou t h o w to do som ething
w e ll, b u t to dedicate o n e se lf to
creative en d eavor, to y o u r im agi-
n atio n , and w h a t y o u b e lie v e is
im p o rtan t. B e in g an artist is an
o p p o rtu n ity to su g gest a ltern a-
tives to the path laid ou t b y o n e’s
culture. It is a sig n ifican t a cco m -
p lish m en t to fo llo w th is path.
I am w o rk in g o n it.
Working on now:
I’d rather
w o r k in m y studio than d o m ost
an yth in g else. In 20 0 8
1
to o k a
teach in g jo b at the U n iv e rsity o f
W a sh in g to n . S o w h a t I am really
w o rk in g on is try in g to arrive at
a sustainable balance b e tw e e n
em p lo ym en t and studio.
046 american craft fcb/m arn
H om age
photo: Mark Zirpel /
O rre ry
photo: Courtesy of Bullseye Gallery
