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00:00:06,382 --> 00:00:11,387
[Nick] Throw sand, lime and soda
into a 2,000 degree Fahrenheit furnace,
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00:00:12,055 --> 00:00:14,140
and you get liquid glass.
3
00:00:14,223 --> 00:00:18,311
Skilled glassblowers gather
the molten mixture using hollow pipes.
4
00:00:18,394 --> 00:00:23,024
And when they blow, glass inflates
to form a bubble to shape and sculpt.
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00:00:23,107 --> 00:00:26,986
The tools and techniques date back
to Roman times, but we're about to…
6
00:00:27,070 --> 00:00:28,571
-[whooshing]
-…turn up the heat.
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00:00:29,197 --> 00:00:31,657
We're back at North America's
largest hot shop
8
00:00:32,450 --> 00:00:34,410
to watch ten exceptional artists…
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00:00:34,494 --> 00:00:35,870
[blowing]
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00:00:35,953 --> 00:00:38,498
…fight fire with fire.
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00:00:38,581 --> 00:00:39,957
And now the fun begins.
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[dramatic string music playing]
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Go big or go home.
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[Nick] And with great risk…
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-[Minhi] Oh, God.
-Rest on the bench. Rest on the bench!
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00:00:47,882 --> 00:00:50,259
-I always come out swinging.
-…comes great reward.
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00:00:50,343 --> 00:00:51,511
-Yeah, baby!
-[Minhi] Whoo!
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[Nick] If they can survive
our fiery competition,
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they'll win a life-changing prize package
20
00:00:56,474 --> 00:01:00,311
that will establish them
around the globe as Best In Glass.
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I'm Nick Uhas, and this is Blown Away.
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00:01:03,147 --> 00:01:06,692
[sizzling, hissing]
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[cheerful music playing]
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Glassblowers! A new day, a new challenge.
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-I hope you're ready.
-Yeah!
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Me too.
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[chuckling] Self-doubt is here,
28
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cocky, confident,
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and I'm, like, all over the place.
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[all laughing]
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[Minhi] The fact that
I won the last challenge,
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I'm feeling confident.
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As artists working in glass,
this year is a huge deal for all of us.
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00:01:33,386 --> 00:01:38,683
The United Nations has deemed 2022
the International Year of Glass.
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00:01:39,267 --> 00:01:40,685
-Wow.
-It's friggin' awesome.
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That designation acknowledges
the monumental effect
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glass has had
on our past, present, and future.
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Glass is literally everywhere you look.
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I mean, it's in your house,
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it's in your car, it's on your phone…
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Ancient obsidian spheres,
Edison's light bulb,
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00:01:56,659 --> 00:01:59,328
fiber optic cables
that keep us all connected,
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00:01:59,412 --> 00:02:01,205
they all have two things in common…
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They have changed the world,
and they're made of glass.
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00:02:03,958 --> 00:02:07,753
We should probably also mention
mind-blowing work
46
00:02:07,837 --> 00:02:09,714
from glass artists such as yourselves.
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-Absolutely. [chuckles]
-And our guest evaluator, Chris Clarke.
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00:02:13,676 --> 00:02:14,844
[all clapping]
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00:02:16,470 --> 00:02:18,931
[Nick] Not only is Chris
a sculptor and curator,
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00:02:19,015 --> 00:02:21,309
he's also the director of operations
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00:02:21,392 --> 00:02:23,728
at the world-renowned
Pittsburgh Glass Center.
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-[John S] Yeah!
-I'm really excited that Chris is here.
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00:02:27,106 --> 00:02:28,941
His sculpting skills are awesome.
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00:02:29,650 --> 00:02:33,279
There is 5,000 years of innovation
all around us.
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But you'll only have five hours
for this challenge.
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00:02:36,199 --> 00:02:37,241
[all chuckling]
57
00:02:37,325 --> 00:02:41,245
We want you to design,
create, present a piece of art
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00:02:41,329 --> 00:02:42,872
that's inspired by a glass invention
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00:02:42,955 --> 00:02:45,541
that you think
made a huge difference in the world.
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00:02:45,625 --> 00:02:49,503
It could have a social impact,
a scientific one, environmental, cultural.
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00:02:49,587 --> 00:02:50,504
It's all fair game.
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I like this broad, open concept
where we have lots of places to go.
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[Katherine] We will be
evaluating your pieces
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00:02:56,636 --> 00:02:58,971
on design, concept and technical skill.
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00:02:59,055 --> 00:03:01,432
The artist that does not blow us away
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00:03:01,515 --> 00:03:03,809
will be eliminated
and asked to leave the hot shop.
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00:03:03,893 --> 00:03:06,145
[Katherine] The winner
will be named Best in Blow
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00:03:06,229 --> 00:03:08,814
and will receive
an advantage in the next challenge.
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00:03:08,898 --> 00:03:10,441
-Yay.
-[Minhi] Alright.
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00:03:10,524 --> 00:03:13,986
There's so many talented people here.
An advantage would be awesome.
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00:03:14,070 --> 00:03:16,781
Your five hours starts now.
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00:03:16,864 --> 00:03:18,950
[suspenseful string music playing]
73
00:03:19,033 --> 00:03:20,576
[John S] I'm really excited about this.
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00:03:20,660 --> 00:03:23,079
As a kid, I used to have,
like, an invention book
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00:03:23,162 --> 00:03:24,622
that I'd write down inventions in.
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00:03:24,705 --> 00:03:27,833
So I am making a piece
based off of Galileo's telescope,
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00:03:27,917 --> 00:03:31,671
and the controversy that
that sparked at the time
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00:03:31,754 --> 00:03:35,341
and, kind of, how controversy now
in the science world is still prevalent.
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00:03:35,424 --> 00:03:36,259
[blows]
80
00:03:36,342 --> 00:03:41,013
I'm trying to embody
5,000 years of glass into one piece.
81
00:03:41,097 --> 00:03:45,226
Well, there's a traditional form
in glassblowing called an amphora vase.
82
00:03:45,309 --> 00:03:46,769
And that'll be the focal point.
83
00:03:46,852 --> 00:03:49,563
And then I'll have these people
coming together around it
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00:03:49,647 --> 00:03:51,816
that represent the future of glass.
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00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,403
I took chemistry in high school,
and it was one of my favorite classes.
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00:03:55,486 --> 00:03:57,613
Science and glass go hand-in-hand.
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00:03:57,697 --> 00:04:00,408
And so I guess the message
behind this piece is "science is cool."
88
00:04:01,367 --> 00:04:05,955
[John M] I'm making two hands of different
skin tones that are holding a smartphone.
89
00:04:06,038 --> 00:04:08,249
But it also has this connotation
of being a black mirror,
90
00:04:08,332 --> 00:04:10,584
like, something that you,
kind of, get lost into.
91
00:04:11,252 --> 00:04:14,547
I'm making a smartphone
with a blade coming out of the top.
92
00:04:14,630 --> 00:04:18,426
Sort of book ends on the story of glass,
the most modern tools
93
00:04:18,509 --> 00:04:20,761
and some of the first glass tools
that were ever used.
94
00:04:21,345 --> 00:04:24,765
I'm inspired by these lenses
that correct color blindness.
95
00:04:24,849 --> 00:04:27,852
I'm going to make a portal into color.
96
00:04:28,519 --> 00:04:33,482
Everything outside of the portal
will be in a gray scale pallet.
97
00:04:34,066 --> 00:04:37,486
So, my first idea was maybe not super PG.
98
00:04:38,112 --> 00:04:44,577
But I also was thinking about
how important Pyrex has been culturally.
99
00:04:44,660 --> 00:04:46,579
Everyone's gotten
their grandmother's Pyrex dish.
100
00:04:46,662 --> 00:04:49,999
Like, I know the pattern
my grandmother had, and it's a part of me.
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00:04:50,082 --> 00:04:52,626
My father lives in Portugal,
and I live in the UK.
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00:04:52,710 --> 00:04:54,879
The central piece will be a globe,
103
00:04:54,962 --> 00:04:57,590
and then there'll be cane
to represent the fiber optics
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00:04:57,673 --> 00:05:01,260
being used to connect people
from different parts of the world.
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00:05:01,344 --> 00:05:03,054
My dad's very proud that I'm here.
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00:05:03,137 --> 00:05:06,140
It keeps me sane
to know that I've got people at home
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00:05:06,223 --> 00:05:07,808
that are rooting for me.
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00:05:07,892 --> 00:05:09,727
[upbeat orchestral music playing]
109
00:05:10,311 --> 00:05:13,564
So we're gonna make a lot of parts,
so we're gonna need a lot of hustle today.
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00:05:13,647 --> 00:05:16,317
I'm just looking for a color,
but it doesn't seem to be here.
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00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,778
So I am searching for an alternative.
112
00:05:18,861 --> 00:05:20,279
-[dings]
-[clacking]
113
00:05:20,363 --> 00:05:23,783
I have alabaster.
Hold on, I don't have that one yet.
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00:05:24,867 --> 00:05:26,494
[John S] Are there any more trays?
115
00:05:29,372 --> 00:05:33,584
Five hours is a lot of time in the shop.
But I have a lot of pieces to make.
116
00:05:34,168 --> 00:05:36,921
Each individual piece
isn't that complicated.
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00:05:37,004 --> 00:05:39,382
It's just making the whole thing together.
118
00:05:39,465 --> 00:05:40,341
But we'll see.
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00:05:40,424 --> 00:05:41,967
[breathes deeply]
120
00:05:47,223 --> 00:05:48,599
[flame whooshes]
121
00:05:50,643 --> 00:05:55,314
So the UN names 2022
the International Year of Glass.
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00:05:55,398 --> 00:05:56,857
What does that mean to you guys?
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00:05:57,566 --> 00:05:58,651
Honestly, I don't know.
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00:05:58,734 --> 00:05:59,693
I feel like every year
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00:05:59,777 --> 00:06:01,779
-is a year of glass for me.
-[laughs]
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00:06:01,862 --> 00:06:04,490
[Chris] I think it's a great time
for people all around the world
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00:06:04,573 --> 00:06:08,494
to really understand how important
glass has been through history.
128
00:06:08,577 --> 00:06:10,413
It's everywhere in our lives.
129
00:06:10,496 --> 00:06:11,414
[John M] Flip.
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00:06:12,540 --> 00:06:15,459
[Dan] Glassmaking, it's got
thousands of years of history.
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00:06:15,543 --> 00:06:17,169
And it's one of those things
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00:06:17,253 --> 00:06:20,297
where no one person
could figure it out all by themselves.
133
00:06:20,381 --> 00:06:23,134
There's just thousands
of years of innovation.
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00:06:23,217 --> 00:06:25,761
And so we stand
on the shoulders of giants.
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00:06:25,845 --> 00:06:26,679
Lift.
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00:06:28,347 --> 00:06:32,726
I feel like I saw a few ideas
centered around, like, a smartphone.
137
00:06:32,810 --> 00:06:36,939
When you think about it, like,
we are interacting with glass constantly,
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00:06:37,022 --> 00:06:38,232
all day every day.
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00:06:38,315 --> 00:06:39,483
[dramatic music playing]
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00:06:39,567 --> 00:06:41,068
[John M] Stay right there, please.
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00:06:42,236 --> 00:06:45,197
John Moran looks like
he's making a too.
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00:06:45,281 --> 00:06:47,700
But it doesn't really bother me.
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00:06:47,783 --> 00:06:51,412
I think it's gonna be two completely
different avenues towards the same idea.
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00:06:51,495 --> 00:06:55,666
Because so many things have really changed
our whole world that are glass.
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00:06:55,749 --> 00:06:58,419
I think I'd probably
go back to, like, the 16th century,
146
00:06:58,502 --> 00:07:00,463
when the microscope was created.
147
00:07:00,546 --> 00:07:02,339
I mean, that opened up,
like, so many things.
148
00:07:02,423 --> 00:07:06,927
Biology, medicine,
the vials that we put vaccines in.
149
00:07:07,011 --> 00:07:09,138
That may be
the hardest part of this challenge,
150
00:07:09,221 --> 00:07:12,933
is picking one thing
that's had such a profound effect.
151
00:07:13,017 --> 00:07:14,852
[intense music playing]
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00:07:16,061 --> 00:07:19,607
[John S] So I'm kind of doing
a pretty ambitious sculpture.
153
00:07:19,690 --> 00:07:21,650
It's a decent-sized telescope I'm making.
154
00:07:21,734 --> 00:07:24,695
But I'm gonna build that
with smaller components.
155
00:07:24,778 --> 00:07:25,946
Flip.
156
00:07:26,030 --> 00:07:28,407
Sculpting can kinda be
like building blocks,
157
00:07:28,491 --> 00:07:31,494
using simple shapes
to make these complex objects.
158
00:07:32,870 --> 00:07:34,205
Paddle. Nice.
159
00:07:35,539 --> 00:07:38,542
It's always fun doing shapes
you've never done for a challenge.
160
00:07:38,626 --> 00:07:41,170
I'm still learning what I'm doing here.
161
00:07:41,253 --> 00:07:43,797
I have an unorthodox start in glass.
162
00:07:43,881 --> 00:07:48,344
I didn't go to school for it.
I didn't learn the basic shapes.
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00:07:48,427 --> 00:07:49,803
All right. Good enough.
164
00:07:50,596 --> 00:07:52,723
It's good enough. Let's keep rockin'.
165
00:07:52,806 --> 00:07:54,183
It hasn't been easy.
166
00:07:54,266 --> 00:07:57,019
I started off
doing production-factory work.
167
00:07:57,102 --> 00:07:59,480
I learned a lot from the people
that worked at those places,
168
00:07:59,563 --> 00:08:01,065
and that kinda shaped who I am.
169
00:08:01,148 --> 00:08:03,192
I don't know where I'd be without glass,
170
00:08:03,275 --> 00:08:05,986
but I can definitely say
that I'm in a better place.
171
00:08:06,070 --> 00:08:06,904
Hold…
172
00:08:06,987 --> 00:08:09,365
My PhD is in glass and sculpture,
173
00:08:09,448 --> 00:08:11,700
but I have over $100,000
in student loan debt.
174
00:08:12,826 --> 00:08:14,453
Well, I'm famous in the glass world,
175
00:08:14,537 --> 00:08:17,122
but it doesn't equal financial stability,
by any means.
176
00:08:17,206 --> 00:08:20,918
I'm gonna make, like,
a dark-skin hand, a light-skin hand.
177
00:08:21,001 --> 00:08:23,337
So this is the left hand.
Left hand. Left hand.
178
00:08:24,004 --> 00:08:27,675
So I'm gonna solid sculpt the hand
and basically shape it into a mitten form,
179
00:08:28,175 --> 00:08:30,427
and I'll cut the fingers out
so it looks like a glove.
180
00:08:31,512 --> 00:08:33,055
And then I'll go into details.
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00:08:34,723 --> 00:08:36,725
Grace has got
a nice-looking thing going on.
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00:08:36,809 --> 00:08:38,936
-[Nick] It is really nice.
-[Katherine] Isn't it?
183
00:08:39,436 --> 00:08:43,816
I wanna push what glass can do,
my concepts and my technical skills,
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00:08:43,899 --> 00:08:47,987
and my relationship with the material
as much as I can while I'm here.
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00:08:48,070 --> 00:08:50,531
And I think that will
take me to the end, hopefully.
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00:08:50,614 --> 00:08:52,533
Whoo! One down. [chuckles]
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00:08:52,616 --> 00:08:54,618
[pleasant music playing]
188
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[Nick] All right,
so let's talk hot shop glass.
189
00:09:01,083 --> 00:09:03,627
What made you guys want to work in glass?
190
00:09:03,711 --> 00:09:06,088
Even as a child,
I had-- I really loved fire.
191
00:09:06,171 --> 00:09:08,465
Camp fires, watching how it danced.
192
00:09:08,549 --> 00:09:10,092
And when I got to college,
193
00:09:10,175 --> 00:09:12,678
I saw-- I had an opportunity
to play with something
194
00:09:12,761 --> 00:09:14,597
that was on fire all the time.
195
00:09:14,680 --> 00:09:17,349
I found a home where I was comfortable
and enjoyed being.
196
00:09:18,100 --> 00:09:20,311
[John S] You get to play
with fire all day!
197
00:09:20,394 --> 00:09:21,687
What do you not love about that?
198
00:09:21,770 --> 00:09:24,273
Like, flamethrowers, molten glass.
199
00:09:24,356 --> 00:09:25,816
Oh, it's amazing!
200
00:09:25,899 --> 00:09:29,612
[Dan] Glass is an incredible material.
It's a dance, it's a choreography.
201
00:09:29,695 --> 00:09:33,324
I almost have a hard time seeing
how everybody doesn't want to do this.
202
00:09:33,407 --> 00:09:36,201
It's the love of my life, glass.
It really is.
203
00:09:36,285 --> 00:09:38,454
My body craves blowing glass.
204
00:09:38,537 --> 00:09:40,748
I mean, glass is like
another animal in the room.
205
00:09:40,831 --> 00:09:42,708
It's gonna do what it's gonna do.
206
00:09:42,791 --> 00:09:46,086
But it's about how
you communicate with it, really.
207
00:09:46,170 --> 00:09:49,048
I think glass and I have
a pretty good relationship.
208
00:09:49,131 --> 00:09:50,758
Right now we're communicating well.
209
00:09:50,841 --> 00:09:52,718
Oh, yeah!
210
00:09:52,801 --> 00:09:54,094
[exciting music playing]
211
00:09:54,178 --> 00:09:57,264
[Dan] I feel really fortunate
to have a career in glass.
212
00:09:57,348 --> 00:09:59,892
I mean, I've done a lot of jobs.
I worked as an auto mechanic,
213
00:09:59,975 --> 00:10:02,519
I owned a tow truck, drove tow trucks.
214
00:10:02,603 --> 00:10:03,646
I mean, I was 20 years old,
215
00:10:03,729 --> 00:10:08,233
and I just saw the guys that I worked with
that were where I am now in life.
216
00:10:08,317 --> 00:10:10,277
And they just didn't seem
like happy people.
217
00:10:10,361 --> 00:10:12,112
Take it. Lift.
218
00:10:12,196 --> 00:10:15,908
And when I saw glass,
it was like a path out for me.
219
00:10:16,533 --> 00:10:18,869
-[Minhi] All right, open her up.
-Both?
220
00:10:19,620 --> 00:10:22,373
[Minhi] Let's see how fast
we can spin open a rondelle.
221
00:10:24,249 --> 00:10:29,338
Minhi has a rondelle, which is one way
that window glass used to be made.
222
00:10:29,421 --> 00:10:30,714
With centrifugal force and heat,
223
00:10:30,798 --> 00:10:33,425
the shape will kinda
open up into a big disc.
224
00:10:33,509 --> 00:10:36,970
And a lot of times that was used
to kinda cut smaller windows out of.
225
00:10:37,971 --> 00:10:38,806
[Minhi] Come on.
226
00:10:39,431 --> 00:10:40,766
Build up the heat!
227
00:10:40,849 --> 00:10:45,938
The rondelle references
the lens, or the portal, to my piece.
228
00:10:46,021 --> 00:10:49,858
If I don't have the rondelle,
then nothing is gonna make any sense.
229
00:10:52,861 --> 00:10:54,279
-[clangs softly]
-[both] There we go.
230
00:10:54,363 --> 00:10:55,656
[blows]
231
00:10:55,739 --> 00:10:56,907
Blast it.
232
00:10:58,534 --> 00:11:00,744
It is perfect. It's great.
233
00:11:01,286 --> 00:11:02,538
-Thank you.
-Yep.
234
00:11:02,621 --> 00:11:04,623
-Yes! We did it!
-Ha-ha!
235
00:11:05,124 --> 00:11:05,958
Victory!
236
00:11:09,336 --> 00:11:10,212
[clatters]
237
00:11:13,590 --> 00:11:14,758
[Brenna] Ready?
238
00:11:14,842 --> 00:11:18,512
Go straight down. I'll take it.
I'll take it. Straight down. Thank you.
239
00:11:19,263 --> 00:11:23,934
[Dan] I can see Brenna working.
And she's making a big amphora-style vase.
240
00:11:24,017 --> 00:11:26,562
-Man, it looks big from where I'm sitting.
-Blow.
241
00:11:27,062 --> 00:11:29,481
Blow hard. Don't push hard, blow hard.
242
00:11:29,565 --> 00:11:33,277
-Brenna is just a beast in the hot shop.
-[Dan] I don't even think she sweats.
243
00:11:33,777 --> 00:11:35,571
My brothers always called me a beast,
244
00:11:35,654 --> 00:11:37,948
and I hated it,
so I don't wanna be the beast.
245
00:11:38,699 --> 00:11:42,286
Katherine, you're more of a glassblower.
Chris, you're more a sculptor.
246
00:11:42,369 --> 00:11:44,580
What's the difference
and which one's harder?
247
00:11:44,663 --> 00:11:45,789
[whimsical music plays]
248
00:11:45,873 --> 00:11:48,208
Ooh, I think they're
both hard in different ways.
249
00:11:48,292 --> 00:11:49,960
The main difference, I would say,
250
00:11:50,043 --> 00:11:53,464
is when you're blowing, most of the time,
you're working symmetrically.
251
00:11:53,547 --> 00:11:56,592
[Chris] And where sculpting glass,
you wanna be more asymmetrical,
252
00:11:56,675 --> 00:11:57,634
more natural-forming.
253
00:11:57,718 --> 00:12:01,805
In nature, life is not symmetrical,
so therefore an asymmetrical form
254
00:12:01,889 --> 00:12:03,682
does look more natural.
255
00:12:03,766 --> 00:12:07,519
I'm in my element, I get to sculpt today,
and it's nerdy subject matter.
256
00:12:07,603 --> 00:12:09,480
I actually really want
to win this challenge.
257
00:12:09,563 --> 00:12:11,482
It's really up my alley.
258
00:12:11,565 --> 00:12:15,027
I never had a telescope growing up,
but I really wanted one.
259
00:12:15,110 --> 00:12:17,654
I think space is really interesting
because it's so grand.
260
00:12:17,738 --> 00:12:19,239
It's infathoma…
261
00:12:19,323 --> 00:12:22,034
-Like, its an uncomprehens… [slurring]
-[music slowing]
262
00:12:22,117 --> 00:12:25,621
-[music distorting]
-It's uncomps… Uh, it's inimagin-- in--
263
00:12:25,704 --> 00:12:27,706
It's really big! [laughs]
264
00:12:28,749 --> 00:12:30,876
-[upbeat music playing]
-[grunts happily]
265
00:12:30,959 --> 00:12:32,294
So glad that came off.
266
00:12:32,377 --> 00:12:33,712
He's really going for it.
267
00:12:34,421 --> 00:12:37,549
His piece looks really great,
and it's a little bit worrisome.
268
00:12:37,633 --> 00:12:40,177
I'm trying not to think
about that too much.
269
00:12:40,719 --> 00:12:43,013
Dude! Yeah.
270
00:12:45,557 --> 00:12:48,936
I'm making hearts, lots and lots of hearts
271
00:12:49,019 --> 00:12:50,771
that have got little bits on them
272
00:12:50,854 --> 00:12:53,106
so that I can eventually
connect 'em together.
273
00:12:53,649 --> 00:12:57,152
I'm just gonna flash it.
I'm so paranoid with the flashing.
274
00:12:57,236 --> 00:13:00,239
Flashing. It's like… [imitates whooshing]
275
00:13:00,322 --> 00:13:01,782
…and then out. [chuckles]
276
00:13:01,865 --> 00:13:04,576
Back at home I work in a lead-based glass,
277
00:13:04,660 --> 00:13:07,329
and here it's a soda-lime based glass.
278
00:13:07,412 --> 00:13:10,290
Lead glass is heavier,
it retains its heat for longer,
279
00:13:10,374 --> 00:13:12,459
so you don't have to flash it so much.
280
00:13:12,543 --> 00:13:15,796
So you've got more working time
with the glass that I have at home.
281
00:13:16,296 --> 00:13:17,130
Thank you.
282
00:13:17,214 --> 00:13:20,509
It is quite a big learning curve for me,
but I'm getting there.
283
00:13:21,677 --> 00:13:22,886
[John M] Flip.
284
00:13:26,348 --> 00:13:28,058
-Hi, Minhi.
-Hi, Katherine.
285
00:13:28,141 --> 00:13:31,228
-How are you feeling after your win?
-I feel really good.
286
00:13:31,311 --> 00:13:34,106
[chuckles] Winning the challenge
was a confidence boost.
287
00:13:34,189 --> 00:13:36,400
I just hope that I can
stick around for a while.
288
00:13:36,483 --> 00:13:38,694
I feel a change in your demeanor.
289
00:13:38,777 --> 00:13:41,822
When I first got here, I was very nervous,
290
00:13:41,905 --> 00:13:45,659
and I'm starting to loosen up
and feel a little bit more normal.
291
00:13:45,742 --> 00:13:48,620
I definitely am getting more of a sense
of your personality these days.
292
00:13:48,704 --> 00:13:50,873
[Minhi chuckling] I'm glad to hear it.
293
00:13:51,456 --> 00:13:55,627
I am half Korean.
My childhood was really hard. [chuckles]
294
00:13:55,711 --> 00:13:59,339
I grew up in a really small town
where I was different.
295
00:13:59,423 --> 00:14:01,633
That was a really big struggle for me.
296
00:14:01,717 --> 00:14:04,344
So the more people
that I meet in this community,
297
00:14:04,428 --> 00:14:07,014
the more I realize
that this is my community.
298
00:14:07,097 --> 00:14:08,181
This is where I belong.
299
00:14:08,682 --> 00:14:10,058
[sizzling]
300
00:14:11,935 --> 00:14:16,231
Four hours have passed, everyone!
There is only one hour left!
301
00:14:17,024 --> 00:14:19,401
I've got ten hearts made already.
I need three more.
302
00:14:19,484 --> 00:14:22,696
I do love my hearts.
They're very cute. [chuckles]
303
00:14:23,864 --> 00:14:26,533
There's one hour left.
I'm gonna use every last second.
304
00:14:27,242 --> 00:14:28,368
Got a big piece of glass here
305
00:14:28,452 --> 00:14:30,787
I'm gonna try and blow out
into a bell jar form.
306
00:14:30,871 --> 00:14:35,167
So I've gotta make a big enough bell jar
to encapsulate this -knife.
307
00:14:35,250 --> 00:14:37,753
It needs to be 16 1/2 inches.
308
00:14:37,836 --> 00:14:40,130
-[indistinct conversations]
-[blowing rapidly]
309
00:14:41,882 --> 00:14:43,008
Ah!
310
00:14:43,717 --> 00:14:44,635
[exhales]
311
00:14:44,718 --> 00:14:46,553
Not a little bit lightheaded, a lot.
312
00:14:47,095 --> 00:14:48,180
[exhales sharply]
313
00:14:48,263 --> 00:14:49,806
[clacking softly]
314
00:14:52,392 --> 00:14:53,769
How are you doing, John Moran?
315
00:14:53,852 --> 00:14:55,646
-Good. How are you doing, Kathy?
-I'm good.
316
00:14:55,729 --> 00:14:57,189
How are you feeling about the fact
317
00:14:57,272 --> 00:15:00,442
that both Rob and Claire
have gone home already,
318
00:15:00,525 --> 00:15:02,152
very accomplished glass artists?
319
00:15:02,235 --> 00:15:03,695
It's definitely intimidating.
320
00:15:03,779 --> 00:15:06,031
I'm looking around,
and it's all babies now, except Dan.
321
00:15:06,114 --> 00:15:09,576
So, we're feeling old, and, uh,
wondering if we're gonna make it through.
322
00:15:11,453 --> 00:15:13,622
I met John Moran about 20 years ago.
323
00:15:14,247 --> 00:15:17,250
[John M] We took a class together,
hung out every night in the studio,
324
00:15:17,334 --> 00:15:20,420
talking art and making crap…
[laughing]
325
00:15:20,504 --> 00:15:21,421
…and really having fun.
326
00:15:21,505 --> 00:15:24,216
[Dan] And a bottle of whiskey
and good art times.
327
00:15:24,299 --> 00:15:28,387
To see his approach to glassmaking
and sculpting, it was influential.
328
00:15:28,470 --> 00:15:31,306
[John M] I've seen him do
so many amazing things over the years.
329
00:15:31,390 --> 00:15:34,851
He's just an intimidating person.
Dan's a big competition for sure.
330
00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:37,771
Hey, guys, we have 45 minutes left!
331
00:15:38,397 --> 00:15:40,023
Forty-five minutes!
332
00:15:40,691 --> 00:15:46,113
I'm making these playful Pyrex pieces
that have a life of their own.
333
00:15:46,196 --> 00:15:50,242
So I want a really opaque finish
and, like, really strong color.
334
00:15:50,325 --> 00:15:54,997
I have to get several layers
of this fine frit on the outside.
335
00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:59,710
I'm wearing this bandana to protect myself
from the glass dust in the air.
336
00:15:59,793 --> 00:16:01,586
I'm going into the glory hole,
337
00:16:01,670 --> 00:16:04,047
I'm getting the glass
really, really, really hot,
338
00:16:04,131 --> 00:16:07,050
and then I'm rolling it
in this fresh frit.
339
00:16:07,134 --> 00:16:10,012
I want that color right on the surface.
340
00:16:10,095 --> 00:16:11,471
Whee!
341
00:16:11,555 --> 00:16:13,473
Ring around the color! [laughs]
342
00:16:14,224 --> 00:16:16,393
[Trenton] I think
using clear glass is risky.
343
00:16:16,476 --> 00:16:18,812
Everyone around me
is using color and I'm using clear.
344
00:16:18,895 --> 00:16:21,648
Definitely with the clear glass,
the imperfections are gonna show.
345
00:16:21,732 --> 00:16:25,277
You gotta really focus on the form,
the thickness and the clarity.
346
00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:27,029
So that's definitely a challenge.
347
00:16:28,447 --> 00:16:34,661
I am working on an incalmo,
the portion of my piece that transitions
348
00:16:34,745 --> 00:16:38,331
from the colored world
to the uncolored world.
349
00:16:38,415 --> 00:16:41,084
So much can go wrong
with an incalmo. [laughing]
350
00:16:41,168 --> 00:16:47,549
An incalmo is a technique that allows you
to splice two colors together
351
00:16:47,632 --> 00:16:50,010
in a very sort of crisp way.
352
00:16:50,093 --> 00:16:51,261
Yes.
353
00:16:51,344 --> 00:16:53,513
I love a challenge. [chuckles]
354
00:16:54,097 --> 00:16:55,140
[clanks softly]
355
00:16:55,724 --> 00:16:56,558
[blows]
356
00:16:56,641 --> 00:16:59,061
Artists, there's only 15 minutes
left on the clock!
357
00:16:59,144 --> 00:17:00,103
[groans]
358
00:17:00,187 --> 00:17:02,272
[clock ticking]
359
00:17:10,947 --> 00:17:13,784
You can just break it off yourself.
Okay? Keep turning.
360
00:17:13,867 --> 00:17:15,494
To make these fiber optics,
361
00:17:15,577 --> 00:17:19,706
I'm going to string a piece of hot glass
all the way across the hot shop.
362
00:17:19,790 --> 00:17:21,374
The strings become so thin
363
00:17:21,458 --> 00:17:24,461
because you're pulling
at such a high temperature so quickly.
364
00:17:24,544 --> 00:17:26,797
And that's actually
how fiber optics are made.
365
00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:27,756
Boom.
366
00:17:29,382 --> 00:17:32,385
[John M] With this, I can either
make all the individual components,
367
00:17:32,469 --> 00:17:34,596
and then once they've cooled,
I can glue them together.
368
00:17:34,679 --> 00:17:36,807
But I would like to assemble this hot.
369
00:17:38,308 --> 00:17:39,142
Okay, flash.
370
00:17:40,102 --> 00:17:42,521
So when I have the glass hot
and I put them together,
371
00:17:42,604 --> 00:17:45,065
I can actually bend
parts of the fingers and the hands
372
00:17:45,148 --> 00:17:48,568
so they really cup the phone mirror
in the right way.
373
00:17:48,652 --> 00:17:50,153
It will feel the most natural.
374
00:17:50,237 --> 00:17:51,696
This is a huge risk
375
00:17:51,780 --> 00:17:54,491
because if it falls off the pipe,
I lose everything.
376
00:17:54,574 --> 00:17:55,408
Flash.
377
00:17:55,492 --> 00:17:57,911
Glassblowers,
there's only six minutes left.
378
00:17:57,994 --> 00:17:59,746
[suspenseful music playing]
379
00:17:59,830 --> 00:18:00,664
Flip.
380
00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:03,792
Paddle on the lip on time.
381
00:18:09,798 --> 00:18:11,091
-Hot.
-[Brenna] Got it?
382
00:18:11,174 --> 00:18:12,008
Yep.
383
00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,388
[John M] Grab it and squeeze
the arms together. Good. Beautiful.
384
00:18:16,471 --> 00:18:17,430
[clacking]
385
00:18:19,266 --> 00:18:22,352
All the way over here
to the other side of the world.
386
00:18:22,435 --> 00:18:23,854
Coming through, hot glass.
387
00:18:23,937 --> 00:18:26,690
Get your pieces in the annealer.
Time is up!
388
00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,526
Nice! Look at that.
389
00:18:29,609 --> 00:18:30,694
[sighs loudly]
390
00:18:30,777 --> 00:18:31,653
[music stops]
391
00:18:32,571 --> 00:18:33,738
[pleasant music playing]
392
00:18:39,035 --> 00:18:40,036
[light clunks]
393
00:18:40,745 --> 00:18:44,583
[Grace] For this challenge,
we had to honor a glass invention
394
00:18:44,666 --> 00:18:46,209
that made a big impact on the world.
395
00:18:46,293 --> 00:18:51,548
I think my personality
and energy is evident in this work.
396
00:18:51,631 --> 00:18:54,593
[Dan] The knife is a reference
to the Paleolithic era,
397
00:18:54,676 --> 00:18:57,804
when hunting and gathering
were how we sustained ourselves.
398
00:18:57,888 --> 00:19:02,851
And the cell phone is how I conduct most
of my business and how I feed my family.
399
00:19:02,934 --> 00:19:04,561
[Maddy] We can talk to each other
400
00:19:04,644 --> 00:19:06,771
from millions of miles away
across the planet
401
00:19:06,855 --> 00:19:09,232
all because of these
tiny, little strands of glass.
402
00:19:09,316 --> 00:19:10,483
It is pretty cool.
403
00:19:10,567 --> 00:19:14,154
[Brenna] Looking at my piece,
the ancient form really comes across.
404
00:19:14,237 --> 00:19:19,534
I hope the evaluators see the story
of glass and its endless possibilities.
405
00:19:19,618 --> 00:19:21,953
[John M] The hands coming together
really represent unity,
406
00:19:22,037 --> 00:19:24,581
and then the screen
being this kind of void.
407
00:19:24,664 --> 00:19:26,541
It's my best piece
I've made in this competition.
408
00:19:26,625 --> 00:19:29,336
[Trenton] I'm really hoping
that the evaluators appreciate
409
00:19:29,419 --> 00:19:31,296
my technical skills on this challenge.
410
00:19:31,379 --> 00:19:35,717
[Minhi] I want the experience
to be like stepping into Oz.
411
00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,053
Suddenly, everything is in color.
412
00:19:38,136 --> 00:19:39,930
I'm really happy
with the piece I made today.
413
00:19:40,013 --> 00:19:43,016
I think it reflects me
and my skills in the hot shop.
414
00:19:43,099 --> 00:19:45,518
I definitely think I'm in the running
to win this challenge.
415
00:19:45,602 --> 00:19:47,979
It'll be tight.
There's some really nice pieces.
416
00:19:49,898 --> 00:19:51,775
[intriguing music playing]
417
00:19:51,858 --> 00:19:55,820
[Nick] Welcome to "2022: A Glass Odyssey."
418
00:19:55,904 --> 00:19:56,905
[Katherine] Impressive.
419
00:19:56,988 --> 00:19:59,908
-Not the joke, but the gallery.
-[chuckles]
420
00:19:59,991 --> 00:20:01,910
First up, we have Grace's work.
421
00:20:01,993 --> 00:20:06,873
"This exemplifies the significance
of familial recipes and dishware,
422
00:20:06,957 --> 00:20:09,000
passed down
from generation to generation."
423
00:20:09,084 --> 00:20:13,004
They've done a really great job
of making handmade vessels
424
00:20:13,088 --> 00:20:16,216
that immediately we recognize
by the color, the shape.
425
00:20:16,299 --> 00:20:17,300
Excellent job.
426
00:20:17,384 --> 00:20:20,929
[Nick] This yellow casserole dish
reminds me of green bean casserole
427
00:20:21,012 --> 00:20:23,098
-and the crispy onions on top.
-Mm-hmm. Yeah.
428
00:20:23,181 --> 00:20:24,724
I mean, I can almost taste it.
429
00:20:24,808 --> 00:20:27,602
It really does hit the look in memory
for me as well.
430
00:20:28,311 --> 00:20:30,230
[Nick] This is Dan's piece.
431
00:20:30,313 --> 00:20:31,982
[Chris] I find this piece
very interesting.
432
00:20:32,065 --> 00:20:36,194
The phone's very recognizable,
a point referencing the obsidian spears.
433
00:20:36,278 --> 00:20:38,446
And a bell jar makes it very precious.
434
00:20:38,530 --> 00:20:42,284
This is a nice example of Dan's sculpting
and blowing skills being combined.
435
00:20:42,367 --> 00:20:44,619
Uh, you see both ends of his talent.
436
00:20:44,703 --> 00:20:47,539
I'm not really sure
what he's trying to say with the piece.
437
00:20:47,622 --> 00:20:52,919
It's certainly showing the range of glass
from ancient to very modern applications,
438
00:20:53,003 --> 00:20:55,588
but it seems
like it just sort of stops there.
439
00:20:55,672 --> 00:20:56,631
Its a nice design.
440
00:20:57,257 --> 00:20:59,467
[Nick] This is John Moran's piece.
441
00:20:59,551 --> 00:21:01,720
We're seeing exemplary craftsmanship.
442
00:21:01,803 --> 00:21:06,016
The hands are really beautifully sculpted.
He's done a lot of what's called bit work.
443
00:21:06,099 --> 00:21:08,310
Really, kind of,
a technical tour-de-force.
444
00:21:08,393 --> 00:21:10,437
I feel there's more of a message here
445
00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:12,564
than maybe in Dan Friday's piece,
for instance.
446
00:21:12,647 --> 00:21:14,899
[Chris] I do get the black as, you know,
447
00:21:14,983 --> 00:21:18,278
screens currently are viewed
as a almost black hole sometimes.
448
00:21:18,361 --> 00:21:22,699
People lose themselves in their devices.
I actually really do like this piece.
449
00:21:22,782 --> 00:21:26,161
This was all put together hot,
which is pretty incredible.
450
00:21:26,244 --> 00:21:27,996
[Chris] Really nice accomplishment.
451
00:21:28,079 --> 00:21:29,748
This is Minhi's piece.
452
00:21:29,831 --> 00:21:34,210
I love that she's really exploiting
the optical properties of glass as a lens.
453
00:21:34,294 --> 00:21:36,671
It just opens up into this magical world.
454
00:21:36,755 --> 00:21:38,298
And I love that metaphor.
455
00:21:38,381 --> 00:21:42,344
This piece is very well done.
Uh, the colors are really popping.
456
00:21:42,427 --> 00:21:45,305
The incalmo on the ball
is really well done.
457
00:21:45,388 --> 00:21:48,183
It's a nice show of technical skill.
458
00:21:48,266 --> 00:21:50,769
[Nick] This is Trenton's chemistry set.
459
00:21:50,852 --> 00:21:55,607
This piece is well executed.
The forms look like scientific apparatus.
460
00:21:55,690 --> 00:21:58,985
Trenton took a bit of a risk here
because he was just using colored water
461
00:21:59,069 --> 00:22:01,321
as, kind of, filling in
to enliven the piece.
462
00:22:01,404 --> 00:22:04,699
Could've used some incalmo
to replicate the color inside.
463
00:22:04,783 --> 00:22:07,619
[Katherine] The blown glass elements
are really well done.
464
00:22:07,702 --> 00:22:09,913
Only thing, I feel like
this is a little bit literal.
465
00:22:09,996 --> 00:22:13,625
All in all, very straightforward,
but shows a lot of skill.
466
00:22:13,708 --> 00:22:14,793
-Agreed.
-[Chris] I agree.
467
00:22:15,418 --> 00:22:17,170
[Nick] Maddy decided to create a piece
468
00:22:17,253 --> 00:22:19,964
inspired by the importance
of fiber optics
469
00:22:20,048 --> 00:22:22,342
and how it has enabled people
to stay connected
470
00:22:22,425 --> 00:22:24,344
with their loved ones
from across the globe.
471
00:22:24,427 --> 00:22:26,388
She hasn't done a great job on the globe,
472
00:22:26,471 --> 00:22:29,182
what with in terms of getting
the continents on there,
473
00:22:29,265 --> 00:22:31,017
but even just making it round.
474
00:22:31,101 --> 00:22:34,145
Something that's supposed to be round
does not translate when it's not round.
475
00:22:34,229 --> 00:22:37,190
The message that I think she's trying
to get across can be powerful.
476
00:22:37,273 --> 00:22:39,109
I feel it's a little bit undermined
477
00:22:39,192 --> 00:22:41,403
by the simplification
of how she's rendered it.
478
00:22:41,486 --> 00:22:45,281
The pink hearts, a lot of glass artists
make those for their sweethearts--
479
00:22:45,365 --> 00:22:47,700
-Where do they put them?
-Often you see them in gift shops.
480
00:22:47,784 --> 00:22:49,327
-Oh!
-[Chris chuckles]
481
00:22:49,411 --> 00:22:50,787
[dramatic music playing]
482
00:22:50,870 --> 00:22:53,540
In this piece, Brenna marries
the ancient history of glass
483
00:22:53,623 --> 00:22:55,792
and the endless possibilities
of what's to come.
484
00:22:55,875 --> 00:22:57,085
[exhales]
485
00:22:57,168 --> 00:23:00,130
I clearly get the reference
to the fiber optics.
486
00:23:00,213 --> 00:23:02,715
Seems like there's
some kind of ritual going on here,
487
00:23:02,799 --> 00:23:04,926
like this worship
of this vase in the middle.
488
00:23:05,009 --> 00:23:07,470
And I feel like
for how important this vase is
489
00:23:07,554 --> 00:23:11,182
as, kind of, this… stand-in
for glass history…
490
00:23:11,266 --> 00:23:13,601
[sighs] …it's not hitting the mark for me,
491
00:23:13,685 --> 00:23:16,896
both in shape
and how it's fabricated, the color.
492
00:23:16,980 --> 00:23:20,108
One of the things that I see a lot
is glassblowers try to push a scale.
493
00:23:20,191 --> 00:23:23,570
And I'd rather see it a little bit smaller
and executed properly.
494
00:23:24,195 --> 00:23:26,448
[Nick] This is John Sharvin's telescope.
495
00:23:26,531 --> 00:23:30,034
"The debate between scientific evidence
and non-science thought
496
00:23:30,118 --> 00:23:33,872
has continued throughout history
and has increased in recent years."
497
00:23:33,955 --> 00:23:38,042
Love the little virus.
The texture here and the color contrast.
498
00:23:38,126 --> 00:23:41,379
It looks virus-y and evil.
499
00:23:41,463 --> 00:23:43,465
[Chris] I was nervous
when I saw John's design,
500
00:23:43,548 --> 00:23:45,758
thought that the telescope
might be too simple.
501
00:23:45,842 --> 00:23:48,511
I feared for the-- the outcome
of this piece.
502
00:23:48,595 --> 00:23:49,721
I think it's well executed.
503
00:23:49,804 --> 00:23:52,056
John's a great sculptor,
I like the little details.
504
00:23:52,140 --> 00:23:54,142
You can see the articulation of the joint
505
00:23:54,225 --> 00:23:56,519
that holds the base
and the telescope together.
506
00:23:56,603 --> 00:24:00,565
This does show his range as a sculptor.
I think he's done a really good job.
507
00:24:00,648 --> 00:24:03,109
I think this is
John Sharvin's best piece yet.
508
00:24:03,193 --> 00:24:04,319
Oh, agreed.
509
00:24:04,402 --> 00:24:06,571
Chris, Katherine,
do you think we have a clear winner?
510
00:24:06,654 --> 00:24:08,990
I think we need to talk
to the glassblowers first.
511
00:24:09,073 --> 00:24:09,949
Let's do it.
512
00:24:10,033 --> 00:24:11,117
[music stops]
513
00:24:12,869 --> 00:24:14,412
[dramatic music playing]
514
00:24:14,496 --> 00:24:18,249
[Grace] I want to show the evaluators
that I am not just a glassblower
515
00:24:18,333 --> 00:24:19,834
but I'm an artist at core.
516
00:24:20,418 --> 00:24:23,004
[Minhi] I think that
I question myself sometimes,
517
00:24:23,087 --> 00:24:24,839
particularly in this group,
518
00:24:24,923 --> 00:24:27,217
because everyone is just so talented.
519
00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:30,303
[Brenna] Even though
I may appear to be confident,
520
00:24:30,386 --> 00:24:33,473
I sometimes struggle
with a lot of self-doubt.
521
00:24:33,556 --> 00:24:35,350
My biggest critic is always me.
522
00:24:35,433 --> 00:24:37,310
Artists, welcome back.
523
00:24:37,393 --> 00:24:40,313
We had a chance to tour the gallery
and take in your work.
524
00:24:40,396 --> 00:24:42,524
I commend you on some really nice pieces.
525
00:24:42,607 --> 00:24:45,276
-Everyone really performed well.
-Nice.
526
00:24:46,152 --> 00:24:48,863
Brenna, we'd like to know
more about your piece.
527
00:24:48,947 --> 00:24:52,450
I love that my piece tells the story
of 5,000 years of glass,
528
00:24:52,534 --> 00:24:55,912
from the ancient form
to the innovative technology.
529
00:24:55,995 --> 00:24:57,664
I'm pretty happy with the concept.
530
00:24:57,747 --> 00:25:02,377
The execution, I feel,
could be a little… nicer.
531
00:25:02,460 --> 00:25:04,087
-Thanks, Brenna.
-Thank you.
532
00:25:04,796 --> 00:25:06,673
-John Moran.
-[Katherine] I was a bit distracted
533
00:25:06,756 --> 00:25:09,050
by the whiteness of the fingernails
534
00:25:09,133 --> 00:25:11,553
when everything else
was done so realistically.
535
00:25:11,636 --> 00:25:13,096
But it's a small point.
536
00:25:13,179 --> 00:25:16,599
I was hoping that the white would go
a bit more translucent on the fingernails.
537
00:25:16,683 --> 00:25:19,185
But I agree, they are a little bit
on the white side. [chuckles]
538
00:25:19,269 --> 00:25:21,938
[Chris] I was impressed
that you put this all together hot.
539
00:25:22,021 --> 00:25:24,607
I felt it was, like, important
that it would feel natural.
540
00:25:24,691 --> 00:25:27,902
And sometimes when you glue an element,
it looks like it's floating in the hands.
541
00:25:27,986 --> 00:25:30,029
It was important
the hands were gripping the mirror.
542
00:25:30,113 --> 00:25:31,406
I think your risk paid off.
543
00:25:32,115 --> 00:25:33,324
-Thank you.
-Dan.
544
00:25:33,408 --> 00:25:37,787
Between the phone and the obsidian blade,
were those attached hot or were they cold?
545
00:25:37,870 --> 00:25:38,871
[Dan] It's a timing thing.
546
00:25:38,955 --> 00:25:41,666
You gotta hit these benchmarks
along the way as you're working.
547
00:25:41,749 --> 00:25:44,085
I almost don't know
if I could have done it that way.
548
00:25:44,168 --> 00:25:45,295
[Chris] It's cold connection?
549
00:25:45,378 --> 00:25:46,546
-Yes, absolutely.
-Okay, okay.
550
00:25:46,629 --> 00:25:47,630
It was a cold connection.
551
00:25:47,714 --> 00:25:48,798
And, uh, it was just
552
00:25:48,881 --> 00:25:50,967
-the most expedient way to do it.
-[chuckles]
553
00:25:52,594 --> 00:25:55,221
-Trenton.
-The challenge was very open-ended.
554
00:25:55,305 --> 00:25:59,976
But I decided to more specifically target
scientific glassware.
555
00:26:00,059 --> 00:26:02,854
Trenton, I know you used
colored water in the pieces.
556
00:26:02,937 --> 00:26:06,399
Did you think about the possibility
of maybe trying to use, uh, colored glass
557
00:26:06,482 --> 00:26:09,777
to try to up the glass level
on these pieces?
558
00:26:09,861 --> 00:26:12,864
That thought did cross my mind,
but I felt like with the time constraints,
559
00:26:12,947 --> 00:26:15,742
I probably could've only made,
you know, a few nice pieces.
560
00:26:15,825 --> 00:26:19,495
And my goal was really just
to try to make as many pieces as I could.
561
00:26:19,579 --> 00:26:21,456
-Thanks, Trenton.
-Thank you.
562
00:26:21,539 --> 00:26:24,208
Grace. That brings us to your Pyrex.
563
00:26:24,292 --> 00:26:28,296
The person who brought Pyrexware
into the forefront
564
00:26:28,379 --> 00:26:30,840
was the wife of a glassblower.
565
00:26:30,923 --> 00:26:32,759
Since then, women were also the ones
566
00:26:32,842 --> 00:26:36,054
to sell Pyrex,
share Pyrex, pass Pyrex down.
567
00:26:36,137 --> 00:26:38,056
We really think that you nailed it
568
00:26:38,139 --> 00:26:40,683
in terms of the reference
with the color and the shapes.
569
00:26:40,767 --> 00:26:42,602
I was maybe a little bit confused
570
00:26:42,685 --> 00:26:46,606
by, like, the lids and the slumping,
melting kind of aspects.
571
00:26:46,689 --> 00:26:48,900
I didn't want to just make,
you know, some dishware
572
00:26:48,983 --> 00:26:50,485
that we have seen, and, um…
573
00:26:50,568 --> 00:26:52,528
[laughing] I'm not trying
to talk about Trenton,
574
00:26:52,612 --> 00:26:55,990
but I-- Like, I thought about
just making a bunch of Pyrex dishes,
575
00:26:56,074 --> 00:26:59,744
but I also wanted to animate them
and have their own characters to them.
576
00:26:59,827 --> 00:27:01,037
And then, you know, the…
577
00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:01,954
[inhales deeply]
578
00:27:02,038 --> 00:27:04,207
The casserole dish just got overcooked,
579
00:27:04,290 --> 00:27:05,667
-so, you know…
-[chuckles]
580
00:27:05,750 --> 00:27:07,585
It happens. [chuckles]
581
00:27:07,669 --> 00:27:08,878
Thanks, Grace.
582
00:27:08,961 --> 00:27:09,962
Thank you.
583
00:27:10,046 --> 00:27:12,465
Thank you, artists.
We just need a few minutes to discuss.
584
00:27:12,548 --> 00:27:15,051
[suspenseful music playing]
585
00:27:15,677 --> 00:27:18,137
I'm nervous. Really, really nervous.
586
00:27:18,221 --> 00:27:20,098
[Chris] The concept for me is just weak.
587
00:27:20,181 --> 00:27:23,309
Your butt is on the line out there.
There's not a big margin for error.
588
00:27:23,393 --> 00:27:26,104
I mean, time was not
a factor for John Moran.
589
00:27:26,187 --> 00:27:30,608
I feel like the overall visual of my piece
could have been better.
590
00:27:31,275 --> 00:27:32,694
[Trenton] Been playing it safe.
591
00:27:32,777 --> 00:27:36,030
I definitely feel like I'm on
the lower end of the gallery this day.
592
00:27:36,114 --> 00:27:39,659
If you're here to play it safe,
then, like, go home.
593
00:27:42,745 --> 00:27:44,080
[Nick] Thank you for waiting.
594
00:27:44,163 --> 00:27:46,541
This decision was tough.
595
00:27:46,624 --> 00:27:49,585
But one piece stood out above the rest.
596
00:27:50,169 --> 00:27:53,798
It delivered on concept,
design and technical skill.
597
00:27:53,881 --> 00:27:56,050
The perfect trifecta.
598
00:27:56,676 --> 00:27:58,886
The artist who is today's Best in Blow is…
599
00:27:58,970 --> 00:28:01,472
[suspenseful music playing]
600
00:28:01,556 --> 00:28:02,557
[music stops]
601
00:28:03,224 --> 00:28:04,308
John Moran.
602
00:28:04,392 --> 00:28:06,394
[triumphant music playing]
603
00:28:06,477 --> 00:28:07,645
[Minhi] Good job.
604
00:28:07,729 --> 00:28:11,399
I am on cloud nine right now.
Finally I won one. [chuckles]
605
00:28:11,482 --> 00:28:13,776
This just solidifies my confidence.
606
00:28:13,860 --> 00:28:18,072
As the winner, you are going to get
an advantage at the next challenge.
607
00:28:18,156 --> 00:28:21,909
But you won't find out
what that is until next time.
608
00:28:21,993 --> 00:28:25,037
Now it's time to burst
one glassblower's bubble.
609
00:28:26,497 --> 00:28:29,333
The artist who did not
blow us away today is…
610
00:28:29,417 --> 00:28:31,711
[tense music playing]
611
00:28:34,130 --> 00:28:34,964
[music fades]
612
00:28:35,047 --> 00:28:35,882
Maddy.
613
00:28:35,965 --> 00:28:37,800
-[sentimental piano music playing]
-Aw.
614
00:28:37,884 --> 00:28:40,303
Thank you for the opportunity.
615
00:28:40,386 --> 00:28:41,220
Aw.
616
00:28:41,304 --> 00:28:44,640
It's been really amazing to meet
other glassblowers from around the world
617
00:28:44,724 --> 00:28:45,808
and to compete against them.
618
00:28:45,892 --> 00:28:47,602
I'm really proud of myself for being here.
619
00:28:48,519 --> 00:28:49,729
Bye.
620
00:28:51,647 --> 00:28:53,775
I came here to prove
I'm more than just an assistant,
621
00:28:53,858 --> 00:28:55,526
and I think I've proved that.
622
00:28:55,610 --> 00:28:57,278
[music fades]
623
00:28:57,361 --> 00:28:58,821
And then there were seven.
624
00:28:58,905 --> 00:29:01,824
We'll see you back in the hot shop
for your next challenge.
625
00:29:02,408 --> 00:29:06,496
It's sad when someone goes home,
and it's gonna only get harder
626
00:29:06,579 --> 00:29:07,705
as this progresses.
627
00:29:08,331 --> 00:29:12,668
I'm excited. I'm still here,
and I'm here to win it, damn it!
628
00:29:12,752 --> 00:29:13,753
[laughs]
629
00:29:13,836 --> 00:29:15,713
[closing theme music playing]