Our blog for inspirations and insights from Bernard Katz and our glass studio
Our blog is where Bernard writes about his influences and inspiration. He writes about the creative process in making glass sculpture. His articles touch on various aspects of creativity and art. Along the way, Bernard answers many questions he has encountered as an artist and sculptor.
Potato in Glass
Dipping a potato in a hot glass furnace may seem like an odd thing to do. This is actually an old glass factory trick. This little known trick helps with melting clean, bubble-free glass… And there is some actual science to back this up. Melting a pot of glass We fill the glass furnace with the raw materials for glass, known as ‘Batch’. Here is a link for more information and a video about what is in our glass. The cycle for melting glass is known as charging… And putting batch into the furnace is known as...
read moreMaking Glass Wall Sculpture Installation
The making of this contemporary art glass wall sculpture installation was a 4 month process. There were many steps involved from start to finish. A time lapse video at the bottom of this page shows some of the 4 month process. The Beginning We were contacted by Kate Sweeney, Founder of Perspective, an art advisory firm based in London, UK. The project was for the newly constructed building headquarters for the Endo Corporation located in Malvern, Pa. Kate felt we would be a good fit for this part of the project. Kate and the architects...
read moreCustom Hand Blown Glass
Custom hand blown glass is something we do. Creating custom work can be fun and interesting… And at times, the creative process for custom work can lead to other ideas to explore in our glass sculpture. There can be a lot of misconceptions in what is involved when making custom hand blown glass. People and clients sometimes say to me, “You blow glass so you should be able to make anything, right?” I usually respond, “Well yes… and no.” I like to think anything is possible. After all, we sent a man to the...
read moreShipping Art Glass Sculpture
Packaging and shipping hand blown art glass sculpture may seem like an afterthought to some. However, making sure your art work has arrived unbroken does take some special care. We are often asked by customers about how we will ship their newly acquired glass sculpture. They may express concern about possible damage during shipping… After all it is glass and glass can be fragile. Each piece we make has unique qualities in size and shape. This can make properly packing our work for shipping a challenge. Because we have years of...
read moreAutumn Foliage | Art Glass | Fall Colors
The Autumn Foliage Series of hand blown art glass was inspired by the fall colors found during autumn. Pennsylvania is a great place to be this time of year. As the fall season is approaching, I enjoy reflecting on this art glass work I created many years ago. I grew up and live in this part of the world. Living here, it’s not hard to take inspiration from the changing autumn foliage. In the autumn, the leaves of many trees found in Pennsylvania begin their colorful transformation. From dark reds and oranges to vibrant yellows, the...
read more3 Ways To Tell If Glass Art Is Valuable
Is Your Glass Art Valuable? 3 ways to tell if your glass art is valuable… there may be more ways, but most likely there are less. Attaching a value to art in general is very tricky. The price of art compared to its value can be very different. Things people collect, whether it is art, antiques, or something rare and unique, are generally valued at what someone is willing to pay. There are many factors involved in determining an object’s value. Value Factors for Glass Art The following factors can help determine if...
read moreWhy People Buy Art
There are many reasons people buy art. But for the collector who is passionate about art, one reason looms large. A collector always talks about the story or their “experience” of how they acquired a particular artwork. These stories range from visiting an artist’s studio to stumbling upon a hidden gallery while traveling. I watch and listen to collectors beam with emotion as they reminisce about how a particular artwork came into their lives… Sometimes never talking about the actual artwork. The artwork is important...
read moreWilliam Morris Glass Sculpture and Influence
The glass sculpture by William Morris is usually the first thought I have when asked about which contemporary glass artists do I like. This is the type of question I could easily create a large list of artists and glass work. I could populate that list with glass blowers showcasing their technical skills and talent. I could include glass artists with a wonderful sense of aesthetic. I could “comb” through photos of amazing glass sculpture. I could even create categories based on functional and non-functional works in glass…...
read moreWhy Good Ideas Go Bad
Why do some good ideas go bad? All ideas start out as “good ideas”… but along the way some ideas become bad. It is easy to claim an idea as being good or bad when looking back in time. In art and in life, choices are the bits and parts of an idea as it is happening – “I think it would be a good idea to use this color because… ” or “This will be great as soon as I… ” When good ideas go bad Insecurities and realization are the cancer of ideas originally considered to be good. Sometimes...
read moreMaking Something
Making something that has the potential to strike an emotional chord with a viewer… Making something that may encourage someone to think a little deeper… Making something that draws in more than just a passing glance… That makes making something just a little bit more rewarding… and why some people become artists. -Bernard Katz photo credit: Addison...
read moreAuthor: Bernard Katz
Bernard Katz is a contemporary art glass designer, sculptor, and creative problem solver. 
