Glass Sinks and Faucets
30 September 2008
“And Now For Something Completely Different”
And I say that even though I featured another vessel sink at the top of this blog, but it seemed appropriate to lead with that, as this is the instrument by which I was led to a terrific website. It is a site I find fascinating because of my own approach to the work I do. I am a cabinetmaker who tends to work with what is called casework—essentially a box of some sort—but I have always wanted to create something as different as my talents—and the needs of the project—will enable me to create. The reason is that, as presumptuous as it will seem, I regard myself as an artist, and I tend to view the work I design in that light, always looking for something new, something different, something that is, however slightly, a bit of my own, and not just something that everyone else makes. And that, in turn, is what draws me so to glass, because if I had not already spent so many years of my life in wood, I would have gone into glass instead. And I have a niece who works in glass, which is another reason that I am so interested in the medium.
At any rate, I saw this vessel sink by Suzanne Guttman, which has a wonderful grace about it that would do much to give a woman’s bathroom design, especially, a wonderful touch of elegance. And Ms. Guttman’s art led me, in turn, to the Artful Home website, which is devoted to the work of a large number of artists working in an astonishing variety of mediums. For this blog, though, I am going to focus only on the glass, and regrettably, only a little of that because of space constraints. But I certainly encourage those who have an interest in such things to visit this site, because if you would like something different for your home, this is most decidedly where to go to find it! Speaking of which, please check out the wonderful piece of art by James McKelvey below this paragraph.
Man, I gotta tell you, I ain’t never seen anything like this! OK, excuse my grammar, but I’m a little excited. I have said many times that there are artists who create practical items like sinks and so forth. The elitists refer to them as artisans, not artists, because what they produce has a practical purpose, whereas a “true work of art” has no function. Architecture, however, is still considered an art, even though a house without doors and windows, although being, perhaps, a bold artistic statement, would not be very practical, and hence, not something that would actually be commissioned. Even so, the architect who designs the house is an artist, whereas the man who creates the tables and chairs is an artisan. I have always thought that was a bogus distinction, and I have now found an artist who exactly makes my point. What you are looking at in the picture above this paragraph is NOT a vase on a sink. It is a glass faucet and two glass handles. And if you still insist that this is not a work of art, go out and hang yourself!
If it is a freeform piece of blown glass, they say, it was made by an artist. If it’s a faucet, they say, it was made by an artisan. But this is a piece of art that functions as a faucet. And I say it was made by a bona fide genius! Mr. McKelvey’s credo is, “I want my glass to stop conversations, and then provoke long discussions.” Mission accomplished!
Joseph
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