| Artist Info |
| Name:
Ben
Coombs |
| Town
of residence: Portland,
Maine |
Brief
Bio:
Ben Coombs was born and raised in Bath, Maine. After
graduating with a BFA from Hartwick College in 1995,
he moved to Seattle, Washington, where he worked alongside
prominent glass artists from around the world, first
at the Pilchuck Glass School, and later at Benjamin
Moore, Inc. His mentors there included American glass
artists Dante Marioni, Richard, Royal, and Benjamin
Moore. In 2001, Ben returned to Maine to found the Portland
Glassblowing Studio, where he currently works and teaches
at his gallery in the old Nissen Bakery building on
Romasco Lane. During summers he has worked as a technical
assistant at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
in Deer Isle; in 2003 for Benjamin Moore, and in 2004,
with Dante Marioni. In 2004 his work was featured in
the Maine Crafts Association 20th Anniversary Exhibition
at the Colby College Museum of Art, and the Payson Art
Gallery of the University of New England.
Being the owner of a glassblowing studio changes the
artistic responsibilities for a glass artist. As you
read this, my glass furnace is using natural gas at
an astonishing rate. This creates two main issues; very
high utility bills, and a constant concern that the
furnace is running smoothly (the furnace holds the molten
glass and runs continuously for months at a time). Blown
glass can be manipulated into functional forms, and
sculptural objects. I have to balance commercial viability
and artistic freedom into many designs. At my studio
I create functional blown vessels that are inspired
by the rich tradition of glassblowing, and the contemporary
palette of colors available. I also design and create
sculptures that stem from many places and times in my
life. Both functional and non-functional works are created
using Venetian-styled tools and techniques that are
centuries old.
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| Website:
www.portlandglassblowing.com
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Artist's
Statement:
Atlantic Challenge found me at an intersection
in my creativity. I have been steadily moving away from the
craft/design side of glassblowing—vases, bowls, etc.—and
moving towards a wholly sculptural approach. I had been creating
Lobster Buoys in glass for four years now, and recently I
had started creating nautical “artifacts”: life
sized fids, oarlocks, and knots. I also started creating very
life like Lobsters. All of these new pieces were challenging
to make, and successful on their own, but weren’t quite
painting the whole picture. I had also wanted to incorporate
found objects into sculpture, and was always thinking of ideas
using a propeller (I love the patinas that can be used on
brass). When I was contacted by Atlantic Challenge I instantly
knew I would use the prop. The totem style presentation was
a bit of an epiphany and this is the very first. Now the “Nautical
Totems” are the new tangent that will be refined and
explored. The combination of all the individual works into
a new avenue.
| Description of Art Work |
| Dimensions:
42"
x 12" |
| Medium
Used: Blown
& Sculpted Glass |
| Title:
Nautical
Totem |
|
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