Artists in Residence: Dawson Kellogg in Rhapsody in Glass

At the risk of sounding like Beavis and Butthead, heh, pictures of molten glass look, heh heh, cool. Crisp digital video images of the glowing liquid combined with the skill of glass blower Dawson Kellogg add up to an interesting overview of the process of creating beautiful art from a very hot blob (2,200 degrees Fahrenheit) at the end of a long pipe. (In fact, seeing the glass take form on a hot summer night made me want to pluck the vessel from the television screen, add some ice cubes, and enjoy a cool beverage.) Although the producers are taking baby steps in using the video medium (digital camcorder, home video sensibilities), their hearts are in the right place (their goal is to showcase the work of lesser-known and living artists working in a variety of media including gold, iron, glass, fabric, paint, and clay) and, in this case, Kellogg makes an excellent subject. A natural teacher, Kellogg walks viewers through the moves, twists, and (surprisingly little) actual blowing involved in the process, as well as what he calls the “dance between hot and cold” as the glass is cooled with water and continually reheated in a fiery kiln while taking shape. While this could also be appropriate for older kids interested in the art, instructors should be aware of an unedited mild expletive uttered by an assistant after a mistake. A rough, but interesting, effort, this is a strong optional purchase for larger arts and crafts collections. Also available in the series: Ron Dahline: Reflections in Mud (clay), Paul Volker: Warped Plywood Dreams and Dave Brand: Bronze in the Tech Age. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Block)