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00:00:06,466 --> 00:00:12,013
[Nick] Throw sand, lime and soda
into a 2,000 degree Fahrenheit furnace,
2
00:00:12,096 --> 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.
5
00:00:23,107 --> 00:00:25,651
The tools and techniques
date back to Roman times,
6
00:00:25,735 --> 00:00:26,986
but we're about to
7
00:00:27,695 --> 00:00:28,571
turn up the heat.
8
00:00:29,322 --> 00:00:31,657
We're back at North America's
largest hot shop
9
00:00:32,366 --> 00:00:34,410
to watch ten exceptional artists…
10
00:00:34,494 --> 00:00:35,870
[blowing]
11
00:00:35,953 --> 00:00:38,456
…fight fire with fire.
12
00:00:38,539 --> 00:00:39,957
And now the fun begins.
13
00:00:40,041 --> 00:00:41,626
[dramatic string music playing]
14
00:00:42,210 --> 00:00:43,294
Go big or go home.
15
00:00:43,377 --> 00:00:44,754
[Nick] And with great risk…
16
00:00:45,588 --> 00:00:47,799
-Oh, God.
-Rest on the bench. Rest on the bench!
17
00:00:47,882 --> 00:00:50,259
-I always come out swinging.
-…comes great reward.
18
00:00:50,343 --> 00:00:51,511
-Yeah, baby.
-[Minhi] Whoo!
19
00:00:51,594 --> 00:00:53,971
[Nick] If they can survive
our fiery competition,
20
00:00:54,055 --> 00:00:56,390
they'll win a life-changing prize package
21
00:00:56,474 --> 00:01:00,353
that will establish them
around the globe as Best In Glass.
22
00:01:00,436 --> 00:01:03,856
I'm Nick Uhas, and this is Blown Away.
23
00:01:03,940 --> 00:01:05,942
[hissing, sizzling]
24
00:01:07,568 --> 00:01:09,654
[dramatic music playing]
25
00:01:10,571 --> 00:01:13,116
Glassblowers, welcome back
to the hot shop.
26
00:01:13,199 --> 00:01:16,160
And congratulations
on making it to the final four…
27
00:01:17,370 --> 00:01:18,996
-again.
-[all chuckling]
28
00:01:20,164 --> 00:01:23,042
There's no room
to be mediocre at this point.
29
00:01:23,126 --> 00:01:25,336
I'd like to make it to top three.
30
00:01:25,419 --> 00:01:27,505
[John M] I have three wins right now,
31
00:01:27,588 --> 00:01:30,591
and I'm looking for a fourth,
a fifth and a sixth win. [chuckles]
32
00:01:30,675 --> 00:01:35,054
At the end of this competition
is a $60,000 prize package
33
00:01:35,138 --> 00:01:38,641
that includes a residency
at the Corning Museum of Glass.
34
00:01:38,724 --> 00:01:42,562
With that prize
and the title of Best in Glass,
35
00:01:42,645 --> 00:01:44,313
one of you will be over the moon.
36
00:01:45,064 --> 00:01:47,233
[Nick] And that brings us
to your next challenge.
37
00:01:47,316 --> 00:01:50,111
Since the first space launch in 1957,
38
00:01:50,194 --> 00:01:54,282
earthlings have been fascinated
with galaxies far, far away,
39
00:01:54,365 --> 00:02:00,955
including today's guest evaluator,
space scientist, Dr. Marianne Mader.
40
00:02:01,038 --> 00:02:02,707
[upbeat string music playing]
41
00:02:04,041 --> 00:02:04,959
Space scientist?
42
00:02:05,042 --> 00:02:09,297
She gets to, like, explore space
via, like, telescopes and data?
43
00:02:09,380 --> 00:02:10,673
Like, that is so cool.
44
00:02:11,257 --> 00:02:14,510
Marianne has lectured at the International
Space University in France,
45
00:02:14,594 --> 00:02:19,599
collaborated with NASA,
and hunted meteorites in Antarctica.
46
00:02:19,682 --> 00:02:23,519
As a kid, I remember
looking up at the night sky
47
00:02:23,603 --> 00:02:26,647
and being in complete awe of the universe.
48
00:02:26,731 --> 00:02:30,484
It fueled my curiosity
and sparked my imagination.
49
00:02:30,568 --> 00:02:34,363
One of the most humbling things
is-- is just looking into space.
50
00:02:34,447 --> 00:02:36,532
You feel that connection with greatness.
51
00:02:36,616 --> 00:02:40,369
For this challenge, we want you
to channel your inner billionaire
52
00:02:40,453 --> 00:02:42,830
with your very own space shuttle
53
00:02:42,914 --> 00:02:44,957
and create a stellar piece of art
54
00:02:45,041 --> 00:02:48,461
that is inspired by the vastness,
beauty and wonder of space.
55
00:02:48,544 --> 00:02:49,670
[dramatic music playing]
56
00:02:49,754 --> 00:02:52,965
Space is big. There's a lot there.
I want to make everything.
57
00:02:53,674 --> 00:02:56,177
We can literally
take this in any direction.
58
00:02:56,260 --> 00:03:01,057
We will be evaluating your work
on design, concept and technical skill.
59
00:03:01,140 --> 00:03:03,059
The sky's the limit on this one,
60
00:03:03,142 --> 00:03:05,686
so we want art that delivers a big bang.
61
00:03:06,562 --> 00:03:08,022
-Boom.
-[John S chuckles]
62
00:03:08,105 --> 00:03:10,691
Glassblowers, this is your mission.
63
00:03:12,401 --> 00:03:15,363
The winner of the challenge
will be named Best in Blow.
64
00:03:15,446 --> 00:03:19,784
The artist that does not blow us away will
be eliminated and must leave the hot shop.
65
00:03:20,534 --> 00:03:23,079
Glassblowers, prepare for blastoff.
66
00:03:23,162 --> 00:03:25,331
You'll have four hours for this challenge.
67
00:03:25,414 --> 00:03:27,917
Your time starts now.
68
00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,503
[dramatic string music playing]
69
00:03:30,586 --> 00:03:31,879
[rattles]
70
00:03:34,674 --> 00:03:41,097
I am making a piece that is inspired
by life forms of a galaxy far, far away.
71
00:03:41,180 --> 00:03:45,601
So I'm making a fungus alien mommy
72
00:03:45,685 --> 00:03:49,647
that births a little fungus alien baby.
73
00:03:50,398 --> 00:03:53,484
It's really open to the imagination
what's out there.
74
00:03:53,567 --> 00:03:56,070
And I think that's
what makes it so exciting.
75
00:03:57,530 --> 00:04:01,909
[John S] I am making a planet
with a moon crashing into it.
76
00:04:01,993 --> 00:04:05,329
Through chaos and destruction
comes new life and beauty.
77
00:04:05,413 --> 00:04:08,332
This is, kind of, my dream challenge.
I'm stoked about this.
78
00:04:08,916 --> 00:04:10,042
I love space.
79
00:04:11,168 --> 00:04:13,170
[classical piano music playing]
80
00:04:13,254 --> 00:04:15,423
[John M] With space,
I think about the vastness.
81
00:04:15,506 --> 00:04:19,218
It's something that in a weird way
terrifies me but also fascinates me.
82
00:04:19,302 --> 00:04:23,389
I'm gonna make a solid skull
that has a little planet inside
83
00:04:23,472 --> 00:04:25,516
that you can only see
through the eye holes.
84
00:04:25,599 --> 00:04:28,227
I wanted to, kind of, reference the idea
85
00:04:28,311 --> 00:04:31,355
that at one point we thought the earth
was the center of the universe.
86
00:04:31,439 --> 00:04:34,775
So it's, kind of, about the philosophy
of our existence as humans.
87
00:04:35,568 --> 00:04:37,695
[Dan] My design is a planet Earth.
88
00:04:37,778 --> 00:04:41,115
It will be suspended from the ceiling,
floating in space.
89
00:04:41,657 --> 00:04:43,242
If I was a billionaire,
90
00:04:43,326 --> 00:04:46,454
I probably wouldn't be
flying penises to other planets.
91
00:04:46,537 --> 00:04:48,873
I might just spend my money here on Earth.
92
00:04:49,790 --> 00:04:51,375
The earth must spin on.
93
00:04:52,501 --> 00:04:54,920
[intriguing string music playing]
94
00:04:57,006 --> 00:04:59,884
The first thing I need you to do
is to grab some bar color,
95
00:04:59,967 --> 00:05:01,302
so we can make some stringers.
96
00:05:02,261 --> 00:05:04,013
[Minhi in sing-song] Making glass.
97
00:05:04,513 --> 00:05:05,514
[hums]
98
00:05:06,057 --> 00:05:07,350
Let's do it.
99
00:05:07,975 --> 00:05:08,851
[John S] I feel good.
100
00:05:08,934 --> 00:05:12,938
After winning the last two challenges,
I wanna continue riding that wave.
101
00:05:13,022 --> 00:05:15,399
Especially with this challenge,
it's right up my alley.
102
00:05:15,483 --> 00:05:18,861
I can't wait to start making
some space stuff. [chuckles]
103
00:05:18,944 --> 00:05:21,655
[exciting string music playing]
104
00:05:21,739 --> 00:05:22,865
[blows]
105
00:05:23,616 --> 00:05:27,536
When I think of space,
I think about what's out there.
106
00:05:27,620 --> 00:05:29,413
That is so cute.
107
00:05:30,706 --> 00:05:33,417
This piece is an otherworldly alien.
108
00:05:33,501 --> 00:05:35,503
I'm going a little sci-fi.
109
00:05:35,586 --> 00:05:38,255
Do I believe in aliens?
Of course I believe in aliens.
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00:05:38,339 --> 00:05:39,298
[laughs]
111
00:05:39,382 --> 00:05:40,800
[fire whooshing]
112
00:05:41,425 --> 00:05:43,803
-[sizzling]
-[intriguing music playing]
113
00:05:49,225 --> 00:05:52,603
I'm making a planet,
and I've done, kind of, the-- the planets.
114
00:05:52,686 --> 00:05:54,021
Now I'm adding clouds.
115
00:05:54,939 --> 00:05:57,650
Eventually, I'll gather over this,
make the skull around it.
116
00:05:58,234 --> 00:05:59,151
Hope this works.
117
00:06:00,069 --> 00:06:01,612
I doubt myself every day.
118
00:06:01,695 --> 00:06:03,989
There's a little voice in your head
that starts to eat away.
119
00:06:04,073 --> 00:06:05,741
And that's just natural, I think.
120
00:06:05,825 --> 00:06:06,867
Back and forth.
121
00:06:07,535 --> 00:06:09,954
I am making a planet,
and this moon is going to be…
122
00:06:10,037 --> 00:06:12,206
[imitates whoosh, crash]
…crashing into it.
123
00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,460
I would love for you to tell me
about glass in space.
124
00:06:16,544 --> 00:06:19,672
Oh, my gosh.
Okay, this is a really cool topic.
125
00:06:19,755 --> 00:06:22,425
The way you get glass in space
126
00:06:22,508 --> 00:06:25,386
is you can have
these incredible impact events.
127
00:06:25,469 --> 00:06:27,930
Let's just say something
crashes into a planet that's huge.
128
00:06:28,639 --> 00:06:32,059
That force is so powerful
it can melt rock,
129
00:06:32,685 --> 00:06:35,438
and then you get this glass preserved.
130
00:06:35,938 --> 00:06:37,398
-Cool.
-That's amazing.
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00:06:37,481 --> 00:06:38,315
[chuckles] Yeah.
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00:06:39,900 --> 00:06:41,402
[Dan] It's awesome to think about,
133
00:06:41,485 --> 00:06:44,280
you know, that you're part
of the gears of the universe.
134
00:06:44,363 --> 00:06:47,408
How could you ever be
in the wrong place at the wrong time
135
00:06:47,491 --> 00:06:50,244
if this machine turns so harmoniously.
136
00:06:50,327 --> 00:06:52,204
Light, light. Lighter, yeah.
137
00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,167
My design is a planet Earth
suspended from the ceiling.
138
00:06:56,250 --> 00:06:57,835
You get the corners.
139
00:06:57,918 --> 00:07:00,713
I really want
to put some bling on this Earth.
140
00:07:00,796 --> 00:07:03,257
I don't know how it's gonna land,
but, uh, we're goin' for it.
141
00:07:04,008 --> 00:07:07,136
[Marianne] Katherine,
what is that glass that Dan's using?
142
00:07:07,219 --> 00:07:08,888
[Katherine] That is called dichroic glass.
143
00:07:08,971 --> 00:07:11,390
It has a film on it,
so when you're looking at it,
144
00:07:11,474 --> 00:07:12,933
it's reflecting one color,
145
00:07:13,017 --> 00:07:15,561
and when you're looking through it,
it's another color.
146
00:07:15,644 --> 00:07:17,021
-Fascinating.
-That's good.
147
00:07:18,981 --> 00:07:22,318
I think it was developed to be used
on the windows of the space shuttles.
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00:07:22,401 --> 00:07:25,070
-[Marianne] That makes a lot of sense.
-Good job.
149
00:07:28,282 --> 00:07:33,787
I want to create this almost tree-like
150
00:07:33,871 --> 00:07:37,583
fungus alien that sprouts pods.
151
00:07:37,666 --> 00:07:40,920
Okay, go ahead and grab that bit.
152
00:07:41,003 --> 00:07:45,132
I think that I thrive
in challenges like this one
153
00:07:45,216 --> 00:07:48,844
because I tend to try
to think outside of the box.
154
00:07:49,512 --> 00:07:50,721
Looks pretty weird.
155
00:07:51,555 --> 00:07:52,389
In a good way.
156
00:07:52,473 --> 00:07:53,349
[chuckles]
157
00:07:54,141 --> 00:07:55,100
I love it.
158
00:07:55,851 --> 00:07:57,853
[mellow jazz music playing]
159
00:07:59,730 --> 00:08:01,106
[blowing]
160
00:08:06,487 --> 00:08:09,073
[John M] I'm about to start
building up to sculpt the skull.
161
00:08:09,156 --> 00:08:11,992
I have made skulls before. It is tricky.
162
00:08:12,785 --> 00:08:16,288
It seems like it would be round,
but it has all these surfaces and facets.
163
00:08:16,372 --> 00:08:18,999
So, once I have
the glass, kind of, molten,
164
00:08:19,083 --> 00:08:23,254
I'm pushing the material around
with the corks to shape the head.
165
00:08:23,337 --> 00:08:27,591
I don't have, like, a plan going into it,
so I'm, kind of, feeling it out as I go.
166
00:08:30,761 --> 00:08:33,847
I've never made a moon before.
I've always wanted to make one of these.
167
00:08:34,557 --> 00:08:36,183
And then we gotta put some craters on it.
168
00:08:36,684 --> 00:08:40,521
I'm making the moon pretty thick,
that's so when I push these craters in,
169
00:08:40,604 --> 00:08:43,816
it will actually, kind of,
push some of the material out around it
170
00:08:43,899 --> 00:08:44,733
and make this, like…
171
00:08:46,193 --> 00:08:47,278
crater shape.
172
00:08:47,903 --> 00:08:50,656
[imitates take-off in high voice]
173
00:08:52,241 --> 00:08:54,243
[Dan] John Sharvin's moon is lookin' cool.
174
00:08:54,326 --> 00:08:57,079
Sharvin, who knew? The sleeper!
175
00:08:57,162 --> 00:08:59,707
There's a lot of pressure
on this competition.
176
00:08:59,790 --> 00:09:02,793
I did not really picture myself
being in the final four.
177
00:09:03,419 --> 00:09:06,797
Katherine, we're sending
one of these artists home today.
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00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,925
How do you think
that's going to affect them emotionally,
179
00:09:10,009 --> 00:09:12,678
so close to the end of the competition?
180
00:09:12,761 --> 00:09:14,179
[Katherine groans]
181
00:09:14,263 --> 00:09:16,015
I hope it's not devastating
182
00:09:16,098 --> 00:09:19,643
because they've all done
really, really well to make it this far.
183
00:09:19,727 --> 00:09:22,396
I actually feel like I can,
kind of, relate to this situation.
184
00:09:22,479 --> 00:09:26,317
So, I actually applied to be an astronaut
a number of years ago,
185
00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:27,860
and I-- I made it pretty far.
186
00:09:27,943 --> 00:09:28,861
Wow.
187
00:09:28,944 --> 00:09:31,238
[Marianne] And of course
it was disappointing
188
00:09:31,322 --> 00:09:32,948
not to make it to the end,
189
00:09:33,032 --> 00:09:37,202
but over the years,
I've had advice from numerous astronauts.
190
00:09:37,286 --> 00:09:39,371
And what they all say is,
191
00:09:39,455 --> 00:09:42,958
when you're shooting
for that big, audacious goal,
192
00:09:43,042 --> 00:09:45,544
make sure you love
what you're doing along the way.
193
00:09:47,379 --> 00:09:51,050
[John M] Being in this competition,
it's vindication for the things I've done,
194
00:09:51,133 --> 00:09:53,427
all of the work I've made
that's still sitting on shelves,
195
00:09:53,510 --> 00:09:56,013
and the things that have been
sitting in the gallery, not sold,
196
00:09:56,096 --> 00:09:58,098
but knowing that
I'm doing it for a reason.
197
00:09:58,682 --> 00:09:59,516
Flip.
198
00:10:00,142 --> 00:10:02,478
[Minhi] I'd love to make the top three.
199
00:10:02,561 --> 00:10:06,148
I really want to win this thing,
you know, to the point
200
00:10:06,231 --> 00:10:09,026
where I'm, like,
pushing myself to exhaustion.
201
00:10:09,735 --> 00:10:12,571
I've faced a lot of criticism growing up,
202
00:10:12,655 --> 00:10:13,614
throughout my life.
203
00:10:14,239 --> 00:10:16,742
I have definitely been underestimated.
204
00:10:16,825 --> 00:10:18,535
Awesome.
205
00:10:18,619 --> 00:10:20,162
That is so cute.
206
00:10:22,247 --> 00:10:24,416
[whimsical music playing]
207
00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,254
[Dan] I'm working on the planet Earth.
208
00:10:29,338 --> 00:10:31,965
I've cut a template
into the shapes of the continents.
209
00:10:32,049 --> 00:10:37,930
So we take a sifter and we build up glass
powder and frit onto a ceramic plate.
210
00:10:38,013 --> 00:10:44,061
Then we flash that in the glory hole
to bring it up to 1,050 Fahrenheit
211
00:10:44,144 --> 00:10:47,690
and, kind of, fuse the powders
into the shapes of the continents.
212
00:10:47,773 --> 00:10:50,567
And then I roll that up
on the outside of the bubble.
213
00:10:51,193 --> 00:10:52,277
Nice.
214
00:10:52,361 --> 00:10:53,654
It's tenuous.
215
00:10:53,737 --> 00:10:55,739
It's just hot enough to pick up
216
00:10:55,823 --> 00:10:57,741
and still fragile enough to break.
217
00:10:58,325 --> 00:11:00,411
We got it on there.
That was the hard part.
218
00:11:00,494 --> 00:11:01,954
But the worrying isn't over.
219
00:11:02,037 --> 00:11:03,997
[suspenseful music playing]
220
00:11:07,126 --> 00:11:09,837
[John S] Oh, did I fail to mention
that this is gonna be big?
221
00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:11,004
I've made the moon.
222
00:11:11,088 --> 00:11:13,882
Now it's time
to make a really large planet.
223
00:11:14,508 --> 00:11:18,554
The guys around me,
they're making big stuff.
224
00:11:19,471 --> 00:11:20,305
Flip.
225
00:11:21,682 --> 00:11:24,977
I tend to work in more of a small scale.
226
00:11:26,019 --> 00:11:28,981
Just because it's big
doesn't necessarily make it better.
227
00:11:29,773 --> 00:11:31,108
[chuckles]
228
00:11:31,191 --> 00:11:32,526
We got one hour left!
229
00:11:32,609 --> 00:11:35,070
-[squeals]
-We have one hour left, guys!
230
00:11:35,154 --> 00:11:36,905
[suspenseful music playing]
231
00:11:41,493 --> 00:11:42,870
[music fades]
232
00:11:42,953 --> 00:11:44,288
[Dan] Hi, Katherine.
233
00:11:44,371 --> 00:11:46,749
Looks like you've got
the whole world in your hands.
234
00:11:47,499 --> 00:11:48,625
I'm tryin'.
235
00:11:49,126 --> 00:11:51,879
So we're getting pretty deep
into the competition.
236
00:11:51,962 --> 00:11:54,214
You've been away
from your kids and family.
237
00:11:54,298 --> 00:11:55,382
How's that affecting you?
238
00:11:55,466 --> 00:11:58,552
Uh, yeah, it isn't easy.
You know, I miss my people.
239
00:11:59,470 --> 00:12:01,263
My wife and kids especially.
240
00:12:01,346 --> 00:12:03,682
I'm out here, kind of,
fighting for them too, you know?
241
00:12:04,475 --> 00:12:07,686
If it weren't for my wife, Christina,
you know, holding down the fort,
242
00:12:07,770 --> 00:12:09,229
I wouldn't be able to come here.
243
00:12:09,313 --> 00:12:10,856
The sacrifices she's made…
244
00:12:10,939 --> 00:12:12,816
You now, I wouldn't
be here today without that.
245
00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:13,901
All right.
246
00:12:15,319 --> 00:12:18,822
Don't you talk about my wife Christine
unless you're saying that she's a saint!
247
00:12:20,073 --> 00:12:20,908
Good job.
248
00:12:21,658 --> 00:12:23,702
-Super smooth.
-Yeah. Awesome.
249
00:12:23,786 --> 00:12:25,662
[John M] Keep it face-down at first.
250
00:12:25,746 --> 00:12:26,997
[dramatic music playing]
251
00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:28,874
Turn a little bit. Turn, turn, turn.
252
00:12:28,957 --> 00:12:31,376
When I sift color
on the outside of the skull,
253
00:12:31,460 --> 00:12:32,711
I can't see the planet,
254
00:12:32,795 --> 00:12:36,131
so I'm trying to clear out
the white powder in the eyes
255
00:12:36,215 --> 00:12:37,841
to make sure I have these windows there.
256
00:12:37,925 --> 00:12:41,512
I've never struggled so much
in my life to not burn color.
257
00:12:41,595 --> 00:12:42,846
I don't know what to do with it.
258
00:12:42,930 --> 00:12:44,389
I'm trying to find another solution.
259
00:12:44,473 --> 00:12:47,559
So I'm, like, thinking to, kind of,
make a lens in the head.
260
00:12:47,643 --> 00:12:50,229
'Cause it's the most important part,
is that this planet is visible.
261
00:12:50,312 --> 00:12:53,941
Everything's going wrong,
so let's get on track, let's get on track.
262
00:12:55,651 --> 00:12:58,028
There's half an hour left
in the challenge!
263
00:12:58,111 --> 00:13:00,030
-Just 30 minutes!
-[sighs]
264
00:13:00,572 --> 00:13:01,615
[timer ticking]
265
00:13:01,698 --> 00:13:05,369
[John S] We're going to make
the moon crash into the planet.
266
00:13:05,452 --> 00:13:08,580
This is kinda the fun part,
but it's also kinda the scary part.
267
00:13:08,664 --> 00:13:10,249
Need to focus the heat, uh,
268
00:13:10,332 --> 00:13:13,502
just where I want the moon to go to,
so I need to get it really hot.
269
00:13:15,754 --> 00:13:17,047
Uh, blow a little bit.
270
00:13:17,631 --> 00:13:21,635
I gotta get the timing right.
If it breaks, then I'm SOL.
271
00:13:21,718 --> 00:13:22,678
Can I say that?
272
00:13:22,761 --> 00:13:24,513
Blow, blow, blow, blow, blow.
273
00:13:26,223 --> 00:13:27,057
We're good.
274
00:13:27,766 --> 00:13:29,017
It looks great.
275
00:13:29,101 --> 00:13:31,728
Kind of the, like, last piece
of this whole puzzle.
276
00:13:31,812 --> 00:13:33,522
Whole thing. You got it?
277
00:13:33,605 --> 00:13:34,690
[clangs]
278
00:13:34,773 --> 00:13:36,275
[dramatic music playing]
279
00:13:39,653 --> 00:13:41,321
[Dan] We've got the earth made,
280
00:13:41,405 --> 00:13:43,907
and we're gonna start
the rondel to make the stars.
281
00:13:43,991 --> 00:13:46,618
I feel like it needs to be a big rondel.
282
00:13:47,327 --> 00:13:51,206
Just given the scale of the earth.
I mean, we are talking about space.
283
00:13:51,290 --> 00:13:53,292
Paddle on the lip a little bit.
284
00:13:54,668 --> 00:13:56,503
When we open up the rondel,
285
00:13:56,587 --> 00:13:58,380
you've gotta get it hot enough
286
00:13:58,463 --> 00:14:00,424
so that everything goes flat
287
00:14:00,507 --> 00:14:02,759
and then spreads open
with centrifugal force.
288
00:14:02,843 --> 00:14:06,096
If you don't get it hot enough,
there'll be some bumps in the rondel.
289
00:14:06,179 --> 00:14:07,431
So it's a one-shot deal.
290
00:14:07,514 --> 00:14:09,558
We got it flat, I'm pretty sure.
291
00:14:09,641 --> 00:14:13,353
The harder I spin it,
the more flat and thin it stretches out.
292
00:14:13,437 --> 00:14:15,647
-[tool tapping]
-[exhales]
293
00:14:16,565 --> 00:14:18,150
We get the piece in the box.
294
00:14:18,233 --> 00:14:19,818
-[assistant] Awesome. Great job.
-Score.
295
00:14:19,902 --> 00:14:22,195
But my rondel cracked in the annealer.
296
00:14:22,279 --> 00:14:23,780
It just got a little too cold.
297
00:14:23,864 --> 00:14:26,783
I think that it can be glued,
and that's what I'm hoping.
298
00:14:26,867 --> 00:14:28,994
Fifteen minutes left!
299
00:14:29,620 --> 00:14:35,334
As far as I can tell, Dan is done,
and there's still time left on the clock.
300
00:14:36,585 --> 00:14:38,211
I'm just trying to get through this one.
301
00:14:38,295 --> 00:14:39,838
Flash that for me, please.
302
00:14:40,464 --> 00:14:43,508
Everything's away, we're done,
but we still have a bit of time left,
303
00:14:43,592 --> 00:14:45,260
so I'm gonna make a satellite.
304
00:14:45,344 --> 00:14:47,596
-Nice and calm.
-[dramatic string music playing]
305
00:14:47,679 --> 00:14:50,474
Come over here
and trim from this side, okay?
306
00:14:50,557 --> 00:14:52,017
With the time that I have left,
307
00:14:52,100 --> 00:14:56,396
I'm making the terrain
for which the plant life lives on.
308
00:14:58,774 --> 00:15:00,901
-Yeah, just snip it. That's fine.
-[sizzles]
309
00:15:01,526 --> 00:15:06,990
I love pulling ladles out of the furnace.
It's the best. It just feels so powerful.
310
00:15:07,616 --> 00:15:08,617
Gorgeous.
311
00:15:09,826 --> 00:15:13,622
This is your final five minutes!
Five minutes left!
312
00:15:13,705 --> 00:15:15,123
Plenty of time.
313
00:15:15,207 --> 00:15:16,625
[music continues]
314
00:15:16,708 --> 00:15:18,710
[Minhi] Looks pretty good.
315
00:15:18,794 --> 00:15:20,754
[John M] Turn towards me. Towards me.
316
00:15:20,837 --> 00:15:21,713
[clangs]
317
00:15:22,214 --> 00:15:23,298
[Minhi] Hold on.
318
00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:25,384
Yeah. There we go.
319
00:15:26,927 --> 00:15:27,886
That's good.
320
00:15:27,970 --> 00:15:29,054
[assistant squeals]
321
00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:33,183
-[John S] Nice.
-[in sing-song] Gorgeous! Yes!
322
00:15:33,266 --> 00:15:34,101
Yeah!
323
00:15:34,851 --> 00:15:36,019
Beautiful!
324
00:15:36,770 --> 00:15:38,772
[gentle piano music playing]
325
00:15:43,443 --> 00:15:44,277
[clunks]
326
00:15:47,990 --> 00:15:49,992
[John S] We had to make a piece of art
327
00:15:50,075 --> 00:15:53,370
inspired by the vastness
and majesty of space.
328
00:15:54,413 --> 00:15:56,206
I'm really happy with my final piece.
329
00:15:56,289 --> 00:15:59,459
Everything went really well today.
I'm kind of over the moon.
330
00:16:01,044 --> 00:16:04,047
[Dan] I hope the evaluators see
that I've put some thought into this,
331
00:16:04,131 --> 00:16:06,967
and it's not just
a big globe hanging there,
332
00:16:07,050 --> 00:16:08,677
but that it tells a story.
333
00:16:10,804 --> 00:16:14,433
[Minhi] This piece really shows off
my sculpting abilities,
334
00:16:14,516 --> 00:16:18,937
my eye for color and my imagination.
335
00:16:21,356 --> 00:16:24,317
[John M] I wasn't sure how it'd work out,
so I'm really excited
336
00:16:24,401 --> 00:16:26,486
that it came out
close to how I envisioned it.
337
00:16:26,570 --> 00:16:27,612
I'm very proud of it.
338
00:16:30,532 --> 00:16:32,451
[intriguing music playing]
339
00:16:35,328 --> 00:16:38,165
[Nick] Welcome to the final four frontier.
340
00:16:39,458 --> 00:16:41,001
We'll start with John Sharvin's piece.
341
00:16:41,918 --> 00:16:44,838
-Marianne, you look absolutely giddy.
-[all laughing]
342
00:16:44,921 --> 00:16:47,674
I feel like you should
talk about this first.
343
00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:51,845
Planetary formation
and collisions is dynamic,
344
00:16:51,928 --> 00:16:53,764
and it's powerful.
345
00:16:53,847 --> 00:16:55,974
It feels like there's motion here,
something happening.
346
00:16:56,058 --> 00:16:57,267
That impact is real.
347
00:16:57,350 --> 00:16:59,770
I'm assuming that's
what these parts are here,
348
00:16:59,853 --> 00:17:03,565
is, kind of, the planet exploding out
from the impact of the asteroid.
349
00:17:03,648 --> 00:17:06,068
Exactly! Yeah, you get a sense
there's a shock wave
350
00:17:06,151 --> 00:17:08,737
and it's moving
through, uh, the entire planet.
351
00:17:09,571 --> 00:17:13,617
[Katherine] He made a great choice
with having that bright color underneath.
352
00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:15,660
So it shows through in the cracks
353
00:17:15,744 --> 00:17:17,079
and really, kind of, highlights
354
00:17:17,162 --> 00:17:19,372
the sense of the planet,
kind of, breaking apart.
355
00:17:19,456 --> 00:17:23,627
[Marianne] When I see the orange bits,
I'm visualizing there's melt forming here.
356
00:17:23,710 --> 00:17:25,629
We haven't mentioned yet
the little satellite.
357
00:17:25,712 --> 00:17:28,924
I think the satellite
adds a lot to this piece, honestly.
358
00:17:29,007 --> 00:17:31,676
And I feel like it does
give this planetary context.
359
00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,887
But, you know,
you have to be really, really good
360
00:17:33,970 --> 00:17:36,264
for things to not look cartoonish.
361
00:17:36,348 --> 00:17:39,601
I feel like there's a little bit
of a cartoony aspect to this.
362
00:17:39,684 --> 00:17:44,439
Yeah, maybe the design doesn't quite match
the realism of the planetary piece.
363
00:17:44,523 --> 00:17:45,440
Mm-hmm.
364
00:17:47,526 --> 00:17:49,820
[Nick] This is Dan's Mother Earth.
365
00:17:49,903 --> 00:17:53,448
Dan asks that we don't wait
another 26,000 years
366
00:17:53,532 --> 00:17:55,992
to learn to treat our mother with respect.
367
00:17:56,076 --> 00:17:57,744
I love the artist statement.
368
00:17:57,828 --> 00:18:01,581
I love the concept, too, and that idea
of wanting to protect it and preserve it.
369
00:18:01,665 --> 00:18:03,500
-And I feel like--
-Yeah! There's a fragility.
370
00:18:03,583 --> 00:18:05,168
-[Katherine] Yes.
-And it's glass.
371
00:18:05,252 --> 00:18:08,922
You know, I think Dan
had pretty high ambitions for this piece.
372
00:18:09,005 --> 00:18:12,050
I know he made the rondel.
It's obviously cracked.
373
00:18:12,134 --> 00:18:14,469
rondels are pretty quick
to make sometimes,
374
00:18:14,553 --> 00:18:16,221
so he could have remade it.
375
00:18:16,304 --> 00:18:17,722
It's a little distracting.
376
00:18:17,806 --> 00:18:23,145
The thing that I love the most about this
is that he used clear glass for the stars
377
00:18:23,228 --> 00:18:27,482
so that the light can shine
through the black space.
378
00:18:27,566 --> 00:18:31,945
[Katherine] Mm-hmm. It does,
kind of, set the stage for the Earth.
379
00:18:32,028 --> 00:18:34,948
But Dan also
is using the dichroic glass here
380
00:18:35,031 --> 00:18:37,284
for the areas of water.
381
00:18:37,367 --> 00:18:39,619
-It has a very particular look.
-[Nick] Yeah.
382
00:18:39,703 --> 00:18:41,788
The blue over here, it looks--
383
00:18:41,872 --> 00:18:44,291
I mean, it just looks like the ocean.
It looks incredible.
384
00:18:44,374 --> 00:18:48,086
I think it works really well there.
But other areas are purple and pink.
385
00:18:48,170 --> 00:18:50,505
Um, you know, that was a risk he took.
386
00:18:50,589 --> 00:18:52,382
I'm not totally sure it paid off.
387
00:18:52,966 --> 00:18:54,050
[uplifting music playing]
388
00:18:54,134 --> 00:18:56,094
[Nick] This is John Moran's skull.
389
00:18:56,887 --> 00:18:59,181
"Throughout human history,
we've looked to the sky
390
00:18:59,264 --> 00:19:01,266
and wondered about our existence."
391
00:19:01,349 --> 00:19:04,102
"This piece illustrates
the search for meaning."
392
00:19:04,186 --> 00:19:07,355
There's, I think, two key things
that are resonating with me.
393
00:19:07,439 --> 00:19:10,734
The fact that you see
this incredible skull.
394
00:19:10,817 --> 00:19:12,819
And when you look through the top,
395
00:19:12,903 --> 00:19:16,781
you're looking into
what I see as a nebula,
396
00:19:16,865 --> 00:19:19,159
maybe where stars are born.
397
00:19:19,242 --> 00:19:20,619
And it's quite beautiful.
398
00:19:20,702 --> 00:19:24,831
He has done an amazing job
on sculpting the skull.
399
00:19:24,915 --> 00:19:27,375
-I'm not on the same page. No.
-Ooh!
400
00:19:27,459 --> 00:19:28,293
No.
401
00:19:28,376 --> 00:19:30,921
I-- It's like an okay skull.
402
00:19:31,004 --> 00:19:31,880
[Katherine] Snap.
403
00:19:31,963 --> 00:19:32,797
What?
404
00:19:32,881 --> 00:19:34,090
-[laughs]
-So harsh.
405
00:19:34,758 --> 00:19:36,593
I do know that his original plan
406
00:19:36,676 --> 00:19:40,222
was that we would actually
be looking through one of the eye sockets
407
00:19:40,305 --> 00:19:42,390
to see the planet inside.
408
00:19:42,474 --> 00:19:46,019
Which is pretty challenging to, kind of,
get all of that positioned correctly
409
00:19:46,102 --> 00:19:47,896
and have that work for you in the end.
410
00:19:47,979 --> 00:19:50,857
But I think, otherwise,
he's done a really great job.
411
00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:54,653
[Nick] This is Minhi's piece.
412
00:19:54,736 --> 00:19:56,988
"Imagine life in a faraway galaxy,
413
00:19:57,072 --> 00:20:01,785
where the budding of plant life produces
invertebrates to carry on its species."
414
00:20:01,868 --> 00:20:05,997
"If we travel far enough into the vastness
of space, what will we find?"
415
00:20:07,332 --> 00:20:11,461
So I know towards the end,
Minhi decided to create this puddle base.
416
00:20:11,544 --> 00:20:12,629
Is it necessary?
417
00:20:12,712 --> 00:20:14,756
[Katherine] It's maybe
a little messy-looking
418
00:20:14,839 --> 00:20:16,466
compared to some of the other aspects
419
00:20:16,549 --> 00:20:19,844
that she's been a little bit
more, um, particular about.
420
00:20:19,928 --> 00:20:22,430
In my view it's actually cratered.
421
00:20:22,514 --> 00:20:26,685
And when you think of another planet,
usually they're riddled with craters.
422
00:20:26,768 --> 00:20:29,479
So it does kinda
draw me into, like, the idea
423
00:20:29,562 --> 00:20:31,022
that we're on another planet.
424
00:20:31,106 --> 00:20:35,277
That, to me, is kinda the only thing
that speaks of space in this piece.
425
00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:38,905
Yeah. So I actually think
it's an important part of it.
426
00:20:38,989 --> 00:20:42,701
If it wasn't there, maybe I'm like,
"Oh, we're in the deep ocean."
427
00:20:42,784 --> 00:20:45,370
I'm a little curious
about her color choice,
428
00:20:45,453 --> 00:20:46,663
the palette she's using here.
429
00:20:46,746 --> 00:20:49,499
[Marianne] Yeah, I can't tell
if I like the color or not.
430
00:20:49,582 --> 00:20:52,252
Sounds like we have
some questions for the glassblowers.
431
00:20:52,335 --> 00:20:53,545
Shall we bring 'em in?
432
00:20:53,628 --> 00:20:55,046
-Let's do it.
-All right.
433
00:20:57,132 --> 00:20:59,009
[suspenseful music playing]
434
00:21:01,678 --> 00:21:06,975
[chuckling] It feels so good
to be at this point in the competition,
435
00:21:07,058 --> 00:21:08,727
but it's also scary.
436
00:21:08,810 --> 00:21:11,438
I'm not ready to leave.
437
00:21:12,314 --> 00:21:16,276
I think my piece is really strong,
but so is everyone else's.
438
00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:18,695
[John M] I'm just trying
to, like, stay calm.
439
00:21:18,778 --> 00:21:21,531
But internally, my body's a mess,
my stomach's turning.
440
00:21:21,614 --> 00:21:23,116
I have no idea what's gonna happen.
441
00:21:23,616 --> 00:21:27,746
For this challenge, we asked you to create
a piece of art inspired by space.
442
00:21:29,039 --> 00:21:33,501
[Marianne] I was really impressed
with the diversity of the creations.
443
00:21:33,585 --> 00:21:38,298
You know, all the way from Mother Earth
to planetary formation to astrobiology
444
00:21:38,381 --> 00:21:40,592
to the human condition
and our imagination.
445
00:21:40,675 --> 00:21:41,634
I loved it.
446
00:21:43,094 --> 00:21:46,598
-Minhi, tell us about your alien life.
-[chuckles]
447
00:21:46,681 --> 00:21:48,808
So I wanted to create a narrative
448
00:21:48,892 --> 00:21:52,020
that was going to encourage people
to use their imagination
449
00:21:52,103 --> 00:21:53,521
of what it would be like.
450
00:21:53,605 --> 00:21:58,610
What if we did find life in another galaxy
or even in another universe?
451
00:21:58,693 --> 00:22:02,113
[Katherine] Can you talk a little bit
about what your inspiration was
452
00:22:02,197 --> 00:22:05,116
with your color choices,
and maybe even your forms.
453
00:22:05,742 --> 00:22:07,410
I was thinking about a creature
454
00:22:07,494 --> 00:22:11,164
that was, maybe, a cross
between plant life and an animal.
455
00:22:11,247 --> 00:22:14,167
Something different than
what we've seen before.
456
00:22:14,250 --> 00:22:17,087
I was trying to use cool colors,
457
00:22:17,170 --> 00:22:20,256
kind of inspired
by, like, the aurora borealis
458
00:22:20,340 --> 00:22:23,093
and the lights in the sky.
459
00:22:23,176 --> 00:22:24,761
-Thanks, Minhi.
-Thank you.
460
00:22:25,845 --> 00:22:27,263
John Sharvin.
461
00:22:27,347 --> 00:22:31,351
[Marianne] I actually really appreciated
the dynamic aspect.
462
00:22:31,434 --> 00:22:34,687
Like, I definitely had a sense of motion.
463
00:22:34,771 --> 00:22:36,272
You know, planetary formation,
464
00:22:36,356 --> 00:22:39,776
this is the leading theory
of how our moon formed, by impact.
465
00:22:39,859 --> 00:22:42,112
-So I really appreciated that.
-Thanks.
466
00:22:43,238 --> 00:22:44,364
Dan.
467
00:22:45,031 --> 00:22:47,575
[Katherine] So it seems like
you had some technical difficulties.
468
00:22:47,659 --> 00:22:49,244
-[Dan] Yeah.
-You wanna talk about those?
469
00:22:49,327 --> 00:22:52,038
Yeah. You know,
in the harmony of the universe,
470
00:22:52,122 --> 00:22:54,124
it wouldn't be complete
without chaos theory.
471
00:22:54,207 --> 00:22:55,542
And I had some of that.
472
00:22:55,625 --> 00:22:57,877
But all we can do
is just kinda roll with the punches,
473
00:22:57,961 --> 00:22:59,462
and I'm glad that it got together.
474
00:22:59,546 --> 00:23:01,464
And would I like
to make it ten more times?
475
00:23:01,548 --> 00:23:04,426
Probably, but, uh,
we get a one-shot deal here.
476
00:23:04,509 --> 00:23:06,719
Did you think about, maybe,
not including the rondel?
477
00:23:06,803 --> 00:23:10,056
[Dan] No, it just wouldn't be
the complete vision.
478
00:23:10,140 --> 00:23:11,683
-Thanks, Dan.
-Yeah.
479
00:23:12,392 --> 00:23:13,435
John Moran.
480
00:23:15,019 --> 00:23:18,064
Do you think, technically,
it worked out the way you wanted?
481
00:23:18,148 --> 00:23:19,774
Uh, it didn't work exactly as I wanted.
482
00:23:19,858 --> 00:23:23,403
Like, I hoped you would see the planet
a little bit more clearly in the eye.
483
00:23:23,486 --> 00:23:26,781
But you do discover it in the skull,
so I'm happy with it.
484
00:23:26,865 --> 00:23:28,825
I'm curious, why did you choose a skull?
485
00:23:28,908 --> 00:23:32,120
[John M] The skull, for me,
represents humanity through history.
486
00:23:32,203 --> 00:23:34,497
So it has this,
kind of like, finiteness to it.
487
00:23:34,581 --> 00:23:36,374
Like, it's not only our present,
488
00:23:36,458 --> 00:23:38,126
but it's our past
and it's also our future.
489
00:23:38,209 --> 00:23:41,463
So that was why I wanted
to use the skull as the image.
490
00:23:42,297 --> 00:23:43,840
-Thanks, John.
-Thank you.
491
00:23:44,632 --> 00:23:47,051
Thank you, artists.
We're gonna take a moment to discuss.
492
00:23:47,135 --> 00:23:49,554
[suspenseful music continues]
493
00:23:51,306 --> 00:23:53,683
There's no hiding at this point.
No middle of the pack.
494
00:23:53,766 --> 00:23:55,602
It's you go home or you win.
495
00:23:56,978 --> 00:23:59,272
[Dan] It is stressful
standing in the line.
496
00:23:59,355 --> 00:24:01,441
I'm a kinda "rip the Band-Aid off"
type of person.
497
00:24:01,524 --> 00:24:03,151
I just wanna know.
498
00:24:03,234 --> 00:24:05,320
I really loved the concept.
499
00:24:05,403 --> 00:24:06,529
But the execution,
500
00:24:06,613 --> 00:24:09,782
it didn't quite come out the way,
I think, maybe, they were hoping.
501
00:24:10,742 --> 00:24:15,705
At this point, I genuinely have no idea
whether or not I'm staying.
502
00:24:15,788 --> 00:24:17,499
They could have done a much better job.
503
00:24:17,582 --> 00:24:19,667
And I think that would have
helped the concept a lot.
504
00:24:21,085 --> 00:24:24,339
If I get eliminated,
I would feel like a failure.
505
00:24:25,632 --> 00:24:26,591
Thank you for waiting.
506
00:24:26,674 --> 00:24:30,637
Today, one artist created
a piece that was out of this world.
507
00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:36,476
While delivering on concept, design,
and technical skill, Best in Blow goes to…
508
00:24:39,270 --> 00:24:40,522
John Moran.
509
00:24:40,605 --> 00:24:41,648
[sighs happily]
510
00:24:42,690 --> 00:24:43,566
Congrats.
511
00:24:44,234 --> 00:24:45,068
Thank you.
512
00:24:46,611 --> 00:24:47,904
I'm really excited.
513
00:24:47,987 --> 00:24:50,490
This is the fourth win I've had,
and I wasn't expecting it,
514
00:24:50,573 --> 00:24:51,824
so I'm really ecstatic.
515
00:24:53,868 --> 00:24:59,958
[sighs] It's hard to see him keep winning
while I stand next to him and don't win.
516
00:25:00,041 --> 00:25:00,959
[chuckles]
517
00:25:01,042 --> 00:25:02,418
Congratulations, John.
518
00:25:02,502 --> 00:25:04,629
You're still in the running
for the grand prize
519
00:25:04,712 --> 00:25:06,464
and the title of Best in Glass.
520
00:25:06,548 --> 00:25:07,465
Thank you.
521
00:25:09,467 --> 00:25:13,346
Sadly, for one of you,
the planets just did not align today.
522
00:25:14,764 --> 00:25:17,475
The artist that did not blow us away is…
523
00:25:17,559 --> 00:25:19,185
[suspenseful music building]
524
00:25:22,647 --> 00:25:23,565
Dan.
525
00:25:24,524 --> 00:25:25,608
Coming home, kids.
526
00:25:25,692 --> 00:25:26,526
Thanks.
527
00:25:26,609 --> 00:25:27,860
-Dan.
-See you, guys.
528
00:25:27,944 --> 00:25:29,862
-Good luck.
-[John M] Thanks, buddy.
529
00:25:29,946 --> 00:25:32,740
Dan's a great friend, he's a great artist,
he's a great glassblower.
530
00:25:32,824 --> 00:25:34,784
He's been a huge, like,
person to pull us together,
531
00:25:34,867 --> 00:25:36,119
so I'm sad to see him go.
532
00:25:36,202 --> 00:25:39,122
[Dan] I had a good time.
Met some great people.
533
00:25:39,205 --> 00:25:41,958
I did want to go further,
but I'm proud of what I did.
534
00:25:42,041 --> 00:25:45,503
I pushed myself,
and, uh, it's what I came to do.
535
00:25:45,587 --> 00:25:47,755
That's how you grow,
is challenging yourself.
536
00:25:47,839 --> 00:25:49,382
That's all you can ask for.
537
00:25:51,134 --> 00:25:54,137
-Top three. You guys made it.
-[John S and John M] Yeah.
538
00:25:55,555 --> 00:25:58,641
I can't believe I'm here.
I'm looking forward to the next one now.
539
00:25:58,725 --> 00:26:02,103
I know it's been a long, grueling journey,
540
00:26:02,186 --> 00:26:04,105
but you guys are so close.
541
00:26:05,106 --> 00:26:08,401
You're one challenge away from the final?
Like, holy crap.
542
00:26:09,777 --> 00:26:11,654
[closing theme music playing]