Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Gianetti.
Nick, before we jump into specific questions about your art, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My glass journey began seven years ago when I had my first lesson with a soft glass artist. I loved it and couldn’t wait to tell my family about the experience. My brother told me he had met someone at a local taco shop because they had the same car they began talking. The new-found friend told my brother that he was a glassblower working with a local company and if he needed anything, just let him know. Soon after, I was set up with my next glass lesson. After a few lessons past, he knew I was serious to get working in the industry and offered an apprenticeship if I could get myself a torch and tools needed to begin. After about a month, I was making money producing health stone glass products. Four years later, my path began to switch off production pieces to an artistic endeavor.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Lots of struggles along the Road. Challenges bring growth and strength of mind. Working for health stone glass, the Products could only have a few millimeter difference or they would be out of spec and considered second quality. Learning to make things repeatedly to be near identical without any molds or jigs was a struggle that made me question if I could achieve the standard they required. I had an awesome teacher however that taught me a ton of techniques he had developed over his 20-year career and I was able to achieve what I once questioned possible for me. When my artistic career took hold after health stone glass. I found it difficult to go into stores and “play salesman “. I’m naturally a bit shy and anxious. But through perseverance, I have become better presenting my work.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I specialize in linework, also know as wigwags. It is a process involving drawing lines with colored borosilicate (pyrex) glass onto a clear blank, then coating with a layer of clear glass to protect the colors from boiling and graying. The glass is then heated until it reaches a honey-like consistency and using gravity, it is then stretched into a long tube. Sections are taken and a 3mm section is heated and twisted to make a spiral.
Then you move down the section, heating up another small line and twisting up, letting cool, then moving over and heating up and moving it the opposite direction to create a spike in the lines. This process is repeated throughout the whole section then condensed into a ball. This balls axis of rotation is then turned 90 degrees. This is repeated and they are stacked to create a repeating pattern. I am proud that all my work is made from raw materials sourced from all American manufacturers.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Some of my favorite memories from childhood were going to the Sierra Nevada mountains and camping with my family. Growing up, I later discovered when I was barely a toddler, my mother said I loved going to Balboa park and watching the soft glass artists.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Nickgglass
- Email: ngglass710@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/ng_glass
- Facebook: Facebook.com/nickgglass
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
