It’s the time of year when many families are planning a special trip. Whether you’re visiting relatives or going to a tourist trap, take time to visit a local artist or craftsperson, especially those who give demonstrations.
Four years ago, I purchased this pretty, glass egg in Keystone, SD. Keystone is the closest town to Mt. Rushmore, so of course souvenirs of the famous landmark are easy to find, along with Black Hills gold and Sturgis Motorcycle Rally merchandise. There isn’t anything wrong with those things, but if you look closely, I’ll bet the snow globes are made in China. My egg came from a glassblowers’ studio.
They are not located on the main tourist street that runs through the middle of town. I may have never known they were in the area if it hadn’t been for my Dad. He’s a retired machinist and project person extraordinaire. He was showing me some of the miniature replicas of antique machines he made and entered into some competitions. One of them had a small glass bulb on it. My dad doesn’t work with glass, so I asked him where he found it. It turned out he had commissioned it from the glassblowers.
Glassblowing has fascinated me for a long time. In its most basic forms, it’s considered a craft, but in the hands of masters it truly becomes an art. My dad informed me the couple who owned the studio gave demonstrations to visitors. Of course, I had to go see them.
They start their demo the moment you enter. On the day I visited they made a vase. In a matter of minutes they had turned a blob of bright orange glass into a beautiful, multi-colored and useful vessel. After their demo they asked if there were questions. Naturally, I had a few, like where and how they had learned their craft, how hot the furnace was, and what kinds of materials created all the colors they used.
I surprised them, until they found out to whom I was related. They explained that no one had ever asked those questions before. I was dumbfounded. I assumed mine were obvious, and they were probably tired of answering them. To this day I don’t know what kind of questions their other visitors asked, or if any were asked at all.
When you find the craft-person or artist you want to visit, ask them meaningful questions about the pieces they make. It’s OK if you don’t completely understand the creative and technical processes they use. It will still give you a deeper appreciation of the memento you choose to purchase from them. And when you look back, you will have great memories of interesting people you’ve met on your life’s journey.
The Project Queen
Planning a trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota? Check out http://www.blackhillsglassblowers.com/
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