VOLUME 3
SPRING 2012
THE ARIZONA PROJECT Promoting Growth in the Glass Age pg. 60
GARY JOHNSON The most important politician you've never heard of pg. 50 HOTBREATHMAGAZINE.COM
CHAMPS Bigger than Ever pg. 22
SAKI BOMB Contagious spirit and a love for glass pg. 82 $8.95 US
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CURRENT PHOTO: CHAMPS GLASS GAMES 26 BY DASH CARLISLE COVER ILLUSTRATION: BY THRASH TONIC
The views and opinions expressed in HotBreath Magazine are solely and respectively those of the individual contributors. HB Publishing and our staff will not be held responsible or liable for any claim, loss, damage or inconvenience arising from the content of any authors' materials featured in HotBreath Magazine, related publications, or communications, nor for any error or inaccuracy contained in any such information.
420 Science
15
I-TAL Hempwick
118
AAA News
118
Jelly Ball Diffuser
105
ABR
105
113
All Fun Gifts
74, 75
Juicy Jay’s HBI
18, 19
Kanga Can
109
BIG Industry Show Formula 420
13
Big D Glasswork
118
Kannasotor VOLO
105
Lighter Mate RYOT
62, 63
Blazing Blue Glass BIG PIPE
55
Lucky Kratom
49
Brilliant Glass
118
111
BRIXY Distribution
55
Merc Tour Blast Shield
121
Pure DTX
67
Celebration Pipes
9
Pure Hemp
120
Chameleon Glass CHAMPS Trade Show
inside front cover, back cover
RYOT VOLO
6, 7, 35, 62, 81,
Silika
20
4, 5
Skeye Wholesale Spark420
10, 11
CONNOISSEUR KULTURE DFO
87
Smoke Better
96
Doob Tubes
121
Smoker’s Survival Kit
53
Elements papers HBI
97
The Original Buddy VOLO
93
FRANTICUS Vape-or-Smoke
34
TightVac VOLO
117
Glass Gripper
108
Transformer Tubes
105
Eclipse Vape GLOW
inside back cover
VapeTool
85
Vapor Outlet
49
Gravitron
17
Head Change Distributors
38, 39
Honey Bee Extractors
118
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HOTBREATHMAGAZINE.COM advertising@hotbreathmagazine.com 800.375.2005 fax: 706.613.9089
HOTBREATHMAGAZINE.COM
PUBLISHER
MARCO VOLO ADVERTISING
Why did we put politics on the cover of this issue? Certainly we all know
MARCO VOLO KEVIN DANKMAN
too well that politics is the elephant in the room of our industry, and
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
increasingly, of other industries too. As this is a presidential election year, we felt it was only fitting to include an interview with a politician who, like many of us, is also an outcast to the dictatorial-like powers that are controlling our lives and reducing our liberties. Gary Johnson, a former two-term Governor of New Mexico and arguably the most qualified candidate running, was gracious enough to meet with HotBreath for an interview. Never heard of him? That’s probably because CNN, MSNBC and others snubbed him in 20 out of 22 of last year’s Republican presidential debates (Fox was the only network who allowed him). You can’t do that to a twoterm governor! After all, this is America.
TY LOOKWELL PHOTOGRAPHY
DASH CARLISLE CHRIS CARLSON SELBOT GLASS OTAKU DANIEL PEIKEN PINK ELBOW GLASS SAKI BOMB MITCH MOQUIN ANNIE PETTINATI LACEY ST GEORGE EDITORS
DASH CARLISLE ERIKA JAMES JAMIE COULTER DESIGNERS
Politics aside, this issue is packed full of more great content than ever. We hope you enjoy your read, learn a thing or two, and discover ever new ways to have harmony and earn a living in this whacked out crazy world of ours. Glass will be back on the cover for Volume 4, so stay tuned and let us know how we’re doing!
TY LOOKWELL THRASH TONIC OTHER CONTRIBUTORS
MARK STAIANO DASH CARLISLE KATE CSILLAGI GLASS OTAKU DANIEL PEIKEN KRISTIAN MERWIN KEN (CHAMELEON GLASS) MATT LAPRAIRIE JOSHUA KESSLEMAN SALT WOOD SELBOT
Questions? Comments? Story Ideas? Contact Us!
PUBLISHER MARCO VOLO
HOTBREATHMAGAZINE.COM advertising@hotbreathmagazine.com art@hotbreathmagazine.com editor@hotbreathmagazine.com publisher@hotbreathmagazine.com 800.375.2005 fax: 706.613.9089 P.O. Box 8043 Athens, GA 30603
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Where the ladies at? Great article on Matty White, but come on, in such a male dominated arena, why not showcase a female artist? Lacey St George, SAki BOmb, Corinne Winters, or Amber Pellegrini? These ladies are making art that should be represented!
-Ladybug
We totally agree! Check out our interview with SAki BOmb. Here at HB Magazine, we appreciate your feedback…and your contributions! We will always encourage our readers to offer feedback and contributions. HotBreath Magazine is the true voice of our industry! I’m a buyer and merchandiser for the largest smoke shop in New Orleans. A copy of your first magazine made it to my desk recently and I dig what I see and where you’re going with your publication. I’d love to get a subscription if at all possible. Thanks!
-Jessi
Thanks for your kind words! Want HotBreath Magazine in your shop? We are happy to offer shops one copy of each issue for free. Send us your shop contact and shipping information (we need your resale/tax ID for verification purposes) and we’ll make sure that HotBreath Magazine makes it to your mailbox. Many shop owners have told us that their customers have requested copies. Call or email us for additional copies. Thank you for your most candid take on what has been nothing short of a witch hunt on the men and women who have dedicated their
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careers to something they find profoundly fulfilling and worthwhile. We provide a service that is very much valued by our customers. We do it with integrity, compassion and creativity. That is what makes us successful. Our collective work has become an important part of the cultural and economic fabric of our respective countries. To be thought of as anything less then hardworking entrepreneurs and artisans is nothing short of cultural genocide. You have always provided us with the utmost in professional service. I thank you for that.
-Gary Gatti Kustom Kulture
We appreciate your support! In the words of the late Kurt Cobain: If she floats than she is not A witch like we thought A down payment on another One at Salem’s lot My husband and I own Herb N’ Legend smoke shop in Phoenix AZ, and as he was cleaning out his car getting ready to head to CHAMPS in Vegas he handed me Volume 2 of HotBreath Magazine. I read the entire thing, loved it, and went online to read Volume 1. How can I get a copy of Volume 1? Also, how can I make sure to get additional Volumes? I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Bob Snodgrass article, the Matty White article, and part 2 of HBI’s founder Joshua Kesselman’s article on the FDA and rolling papers. I went online just to read Part 1. Then I found Matt LaPairie’s article on The Secret to Creating Wealth. That one really hit home! We recently have had a lot of changes to our staff at both locations, and what a nice reminder -this
article helps us not forget what keeps us in business. We pride ourselves on showing our customers love, and creating what we call a “Lifer” (a customer for life!). It’s easy to forget our employees and vendors, but without these two we wouldn’t be in business either. I’d love to have a copy of Volume 1 if just for this article.
Thank you! Sincerely, Nikki Martin
We’re happy that those articles resonated with you! We have limited copies of back issues but are happy to send you a copy. The cumulative HotBreath Magazine catalog will always be available online. Visit http://issuu.com/ hotbreathmagazine and enjoy the paperless alternative. Just read the Matty White article and would love to get some of his work in my shop. Would you guys have any contact info for Matty or anyone who distributes his work? Keep up the good work! Your mag is the shit!! Stay Irie,
-Zac
Thanks Zac! We love Matty White too! Perhaps you should go straight to the source and visit him in person at the CHAMPS Trade Show. Can’t make the trip? Our recommendation: Google “Matt White Glass”
HOTBREATHMAGAZINE.COM
N.A.T. MEMORIAL
I asked if I could have permission to speak on behalf of a dear friend, I just wish it was for a different occasion. We all called him Nat as an abbreviation for Nathaniel. I would like to think of it as more of an acronym. To me, Nat will always remain a little brother in my heart. To most of us Nat was a close friend, to others he established a relationship that would reward them with huge opportunity, and exposure, driven by his passion for glass. I feel these talents should not be forgotten or go unheard. So, I would like to explain my version of the meaning of N.A.T.
N¯
Here the letter N would have to stand for Naturally. I don’t think any of us could use the thought of nature when we first think of Nat, but the ideology of it goes further than the word itself. Nat had the tendency to Naturally take you under his wing, even if you were flying high already. He would never leave a friend down or let them go without, no matter who gave their two cents about the other person. He naturally had the ability to make you laugh and piss you the hell off, all within the same conversation. The thing I think we all found so natural about him was his ability to befriend anyone he encountered.
A¯
I think here the proper word is Achievements. I don’t know anyone who had the capability to think up what they would like to do, and do it so well, quickly. Nat started off with a concept that made him the youngest millionaire I know. If Springfield ever had a clue of how one man could come in and tear the panties off a whole town like that, it would have had guarder belts on all points of entry. He went from seeking advice, to giving it without having to even try. He did this by networking his nature with his capabilities, and of course a whole lot of friendship. Let’s not forget what all he attempted as well for his hometown. He struggled to pioneer there with medical marijuana legalization, supplying those closest to him with a job, and finally we can’t forget the way he took over with The King. One of his most productive efforts was the business he created, and what it did for everyone involved in the glass blowing world.
T¯
This letter could stand for a couple of words here like Truth and Trust. These words have likewise meaning when we use them with Nat, because he gave you those qualities when you started fresh with him. Those characteristic traits were given to each person he befriended until someone didn’t deserve them anymore. I think that’s all he looked for in his friends, was the same qualities that he offered in return. Although it was difficult for him to remain truthful about his feelings in the end, we could all see what a struggle he had dealing with his separation from Eli. Even with all the family he had, he couldn’t fulfill the void of losing his own son, and that will bring any loving father to his grave. All he looked for was succession without regression, sharing it with the people that were closest to him. I loved this man for everything he was. I will always remember him, and he will always be my gnomie for life!!! -Wood
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champs
Las Vegas Convention Center: North Hall 140,000 sq ft • Over 420 Exhibitors 3,000+ Buyers • 8,000 Attendees
according to show manager jeff gage, The 26th CHAMPS expo was
a record setting occasion! February 21-23rd marked the largest
CHAMPS trade show for both buyers and exhibitors since it’s
inception in 1999. The self-described Premier Counterculture B2B Expo pulled out all the stops, giving away $1,000 every hour
to 26 lucky retail store buyers! CHAMPS also treated us to the
much anticipated Glass Games Master Invitational. This prequalifying glass competition gave CHAMPS attendees the rare
opportunity to witness the world’s best glass artists at work. Our hat’s off to you CHAMPS! You put on quite a show! CHAMPS
Trade Show is heading east May 22nd-24th, 2012 to the Atlantic City Convention Center. For more information visit:
http://champstradeshows.com PHOTOGRAPHY BY DASH CARLISLE
Matty White and Bob Snodgrass at the HotBreath Booth
Starfish Designs
Wyoming
Toro and JOP
Mako with Jellyfish Inc. Dellene Peralta and Sling with High Priority Glass
Bethlehem Burners
PBTorcher with TORCHer Glass
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Tristian with High Priority Glass
Banjo with Chesterfield Glass Art
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Aaron Sokol with Interactive Art Pipes
Joshua Opdenaker with JOP
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Banjo with Chesterfield Glass Art
Hamm
Daniel J. Evans with Dan Evans Art Glass
Big D Glassworks
Noah Nunez with HBG
Kristian Merwin with Wasatch Glass
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Mako with Jellyfish Inc.
Chris Tormino with KUSH
Mako with Jellyfish Inc.
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Dr. Freeze Scotty G. with Governmint
Starfish Design JAG
Justin Jenicke with Wasatch Glass
Banjo with Chesterfield Glass Art
JAG
PBTorcher with TORCHer Glass
Justin Jenicke with Wasatch Glass
Bearclaw with Mr. Eddies Headies
Ghost with KUSH
Sky Cooper with Sky Glass
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Berzerker
Catalyst Glass
D-Wreck and JAG with High Priority Glass
Ryan O’Keefe with RYNO Designs
Tristian with Chesterfield Glass Art
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Ryan O’Keefe with RYNO Designs
D-Wreck with High Priority Glass
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Josh Schneider with Kush
Scotty G. with SGGS
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Sean Marraffa with Spectron Glass
Celebration Pipes
Clinton Roman with High Priority Glass
Ronnie Chavez with Crondo Glassics
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Kristian Merwin with Wasatch Glass
Tristian and Elbow with Chesterfield Glass Art
Matty White
Mr. Eddies Headies
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Wyoming
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Mako with Jellyfish Inc.
Joshua Opdenaker with JOP
Shaggy with Dreamstone Art
Noah Nunez with HBG
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Austin with Jellyfish Inc.
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JAG
Aaron Sokol with Interactive Art Pipes
Ryan O’Keefe with RYNO Designs
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Adam Whibrey and Steve Hops
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HOTBREATHMAGAZINE.COM advertising@hotbreathmagazine.com 800.375.2005 fax: 706.613.9089
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WINNING One man’s account of the 26th CHAMPS Glass Games by
Kristian Merwin Photography by
Dash Carlisle
WINNING!!! By Kristian Merwin
Vegas Baby! Driving over the final rise, southbound I-15 as the sprawl that is Las Vegas comes into view has always been a moment that fills me with anticipation. Every time I feel as if I’m diving in to a swirling energy vortex of possibility where winning is a combination of skill, preparation and maybe just a little luck. I first started coming to Vegas in the early 90’s to rock climb. Basking in the sun at Red Rocks by day, cheap hotel rooms and plenty of distractions at night, it was the perfect winter destination for a 20 year old engineering student at the University of Utah. Back then winning was all about finding a sunny crag with a hard climb to get to the top of. I would spend weeks in the climbing gym in Salt Lake City, training with singular focus for the right combination of strength, endurance, and technique to send my latest project in the desert. For nearly 10 years I made the trip to Las Vegas multiple times a winter immersed in the climbing life, focused on winning and losing in the vertical. Then came glass blowing. Then came CHAMPS (CTA actually, but this was the baby that spawned the monster we all know as CHAMPS). I started blowing glass in Fall 2001. In Winter 2002, I attended my first Las Vegas pipe industry
Aerial shot of CHAMPS Glass Games
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shops where pipers would see who could make a piece the fastest, pipe making flame offs have become a spectacle where the world’s best pipe makers compete for thousands in cash and prizes. It was a big burning ring of fire, and I fell in. Phat Jack asked me to represent Dopeass Distributors in the show division. From that first flameoff, I was hooked. The pressure, the crowds, the money, it really took blowing glass to a higher level. It felt like a sport. I prepared for that flameoff as I would for a hard
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trade show. All I could make was
glass pipe and accessories industry
frit tornado spoons. I was doing an
and you could count on most of the
apprenticeship through the mail with
big name pipers being there. As I got
Phat Jack of Dopeass Distributors,
to meet the legends of the pipe world,
sending him all of my work every few
I learned that they were hard working
weeks. Inevitably Jack would send
kindred spirits who were always ready
about half of the pieces back to me
to share the latest technique and give
with notes on why he couldn’t sell
encouragement to a novice. Now I
them. He invited me to check out
had a new reason to look forward to
the show saying, “You’ll get an eyeful
coming to Vegas. I started to leave
and you might just learn a few things
my rope and climbing shoes at home.
about making pipes”. For three days I
In summer 2009 CHAMPS hosted
was immersed in another reality. I had
the largest flameoff ever with two
come into pipe making as an artist
divisions and nearly 50 glass blowers
looking to learn how to blow glass.
working simultaneously. Live glass
I had used glass pipes but I had no
blowing is
idea that the glass pipe was an art
mesmerizing,
form unto itself. I was blown away.
drawing
I was inspired. I had a new mission
spectators like
in life, to make glass as amazing
a moth to the
as what I had seen in Vegas. I went
flame. Making
home and got to work. My climbing
pipes within
gym membership lapsed.
a time frame
CHAMPS became the incubator for
is something
my work and career. It was the place
glass blowers
where I showed off my best work and
do naturally; it is the name of the
found the inspiration for taking my
game when doing production work.
craft to the next level. Before 2007,
The faster you can make a piece the
CHAMPS (CTA) was the only national
more money you can make. From
business to business tradeshow for the
humble beginnings in production
rock climb. I trained, I practiced, I visualized. I took second place in my division. Since that first flameoff I have had the opportunity to participate in several pipe making competitions. The Pipe Classic in 2009 and 2010, Summer CHAMPS 2010 Team Flameoff and the Glass Games at Summer CHAMPS 2011. Each of these events brought with it valuable lessons about how to play the game of competitive pipe making. These lessons were put to good use at the 2012 Winter CHAMPS Flameoff. The Winter
flame offs have become a spectacle where the world’s best pipe makers compete for thousands in cash and prizes
CHAMPS 2012 Flameoff brought the winners of the Glass Games together for the Glass Games Finals. 30 master flame
workers were given 14 hours on the torch to make a functional glass pipe. The addition of a theme, light sound and motion brought with it a common point of departure but infinite
HOTBREATHMAGAZINE.COM
possibilities for end results. With prize
piece at a flameoff no matter what
had RGB linework sections which
money through ninth place for the
the theme, Tyme took 4th with an
appeared to dance and move under
People’s Choice, 3 special Judges’
immaculate hand built tube with oil
the RGB lights. To achieve this effect
Choice awards and an Artist’s Choice
and flower burning capabilities built
I set up a 10 x 10 shade structure
award, there was opportunity for
in, and a Sherlock added to the side
and covered 3 sides to make it dark
many to be winners in Vegas.
for good measure.
enough to make the lights visible. I
There were several remote controlled
Jason Harris, aka Jerome Baker made
used one of Peter’s paintings as the
car pipes presented, with Big D
a triumphant return to the limelight as
backdrop and had the lovely Ananda
placing 9th with his very clean and
a glass blower by taking second place
Fay body painted in RGB and dancing
futuristic percolator attached to the
with an installation about the personal
with the spider to the thumping bass
chassis of an existing RC car. Dave
risk we all face making a product that
heavy soundtrack playing in the
Stuckey received the Artist Choice
is still considered illegal under some
exhibit booth. The combination of the
honors by building the entire chassis
people’s interpretation of federal law.
piece, and the lights, and the sound,
including wheels, steering system, and
As for the People’s Choice for 1st
and half naked dancing girl had the
suspension out of glass. The sound theme played well for Flex who made a 4 piece electric drum kit which he played nonstop for the entire 4 ½ hours of judging. He took 7th place and Judge’s Choice for most creative. Joe Blow took 5th with a pair of
THE COMBINATION OF THE PIECE, AND THE LIGHTS, AND THE SOUND, AND HALF NAKED DANCING GIRL HAD THE DESIRED EFFECT; THE $10,000 FIRST PLACE PEOPLE’S CHOICE WAS MINE
place, that
desired effect; the $10,000 1st place
would be
People’s Choice was mine!
me! From the
As the art sport of competitive pipe
moment the
making evolves the bar will continue
theme was
to be raised higher, forcing us to
announced I
realize that we are all capable of
knew what I
going beyond what we have done
wanted to do.
and seen before. The intensity
The concept
of competition coupled with the
was inspired by
incentive of large prize money has
my friend and
made the stakes high. The thought,
fellow Salt Lake
intention, and hard work that go
City artist Peter
into conceptualizing and executing a
Neilson. His
successful flameoff piece are at the
research into the
cutting edge of our craft. With each
optical effects
event we are pushing the envelope,
of red green
daring each other to be more
headphones that would make any
and blue (RGB) lights coupled with
technical, creative, and to present our
music sound better. Maya received
music and painting was my point of
ideas with more impact. I believe that
Best Use of Theme honors from the
departure. It fit the theme perfectly
the spirit of collaboration and sharing
judges and 3rd place for his very cool
and I knew that the presentation
that is unique to our craft is fostered
retro gramophone.
would be a show stopper. I felt that
by such events, allowing the explosion
Mad scientist Hamm brought his A
I had a good shot at winning but to
of technique and style that we are in
game with a signature automatic
be the people’s choice I had to be
the midst of to continue unabated.
bong that glowed green and blew
the one they remembered when they
We are ALL winning!
a kazoo which connected well with
were at the ballot box. Just making an
PS big thanks to Peter, Jeff and
the theme. He took 6th place and
awesome pipe would not be enough;
David at CHAMPS for creating
Technical honors from the judges.
I knew for sure that there would be
the opportunity and Matty and the
Just to prove that you can always
a bunch of them in the mix. My
flameoff crew for making it happen.
take home the bacon with a bad ass
piece was a gigantic 30” spider that
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First Place: Kristian Merwin Second Place: Jason Harris Third Place: Maya Fourth Place: Tyme Fifth Place: Joe Blow Sixth Place: Hamm Seventh Place: Flex Eighth Place: Shaggy Ninth Place: Big D Artist’s Choice: David Stucky Technical Award: Hamm Best Use of Theme: Maya Most Creative: Flex 42
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Evan Wood
Tammy Baller with Chesterfiel
Eric Runes
Louis Wilson
Mike Sorenson
Chris Wilson
46
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Kage the Piper
Earl Jr.
Glass Shaman with Cornerstone
Zach “Big Z”
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Koi with Mad Glass
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Troy Hensley
Unfortunately, three contestants (Berzerker, Justin Jenicke, and Weirdeer) fell victim to the everpresent threat of a their pieces breaking during competition. All three contestants bowed out of the competition with grace. Berzerker even displayed a bit of showmanship with his withdrawl (making a comically appealing poster describing his trials and tribulations, providing an alternate piece to give the audience something to look at, and advertising for people to specifically not vote for his work). We at HotBreath Magazine wish the best for all three contestants in future Glass Competions (in part because we selfishly want to see their work completed in all it's glory).
Alexia “Mama� Bryar
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I will have
Upon meeting him, I was immediately struck by his casual demeanor and down-to-earth personality. Having just landed at LAX an hour earlier, he seemed genuinely excited to meet with HotBreath Magazine for a free-ranging discussion of his politics and opinions. The following are some excerpts from our sixtyminute conversation, over a tasty breakfast outdoors at the Main Street Cafe in El Segundo, CA. He began the interview with a story from his Governor days...
Interview by Mark Staiano
Recently, I was talking to Chris Hill from Atlas, who asked if I had heard of Gary Johnson, a former two-term Governor of New Mexico and Libertarian presidential candidate. I said “absolutely,” and proceeded to send him a photo of my elect Gary Johnson bumper sticker, adding that I would love to interview him for HotBreath Magazine. Chris, who I then find out is the Florida State Director and a National Campaign adviser for him, said that he could help make it happen. Serendipitously, Johnson would be in LA the very next weekend for the California Libertarian convention, and so just a few calls later it was all lined up.
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Gary Johnson: I had this “open door after four” policy while I was Governor of New Mexico. Anybody in the state could come see me the third Thursday of every month, on five-minute increments starting at four in the afternoon until ten at night. The idea was that nobody in the state would not be able to come in and see me for whatever ailed them. Or take a picture, whatever. So this trucker comes in one day and he says, “they shut down this underpass in northeast New Mexico. Because they shut this down, they’re causing all us truckers who were using this route to add six hours to our trucking. My truck is 14’ 2” tall, which is the height of all trucks, and the clearance on this bridge is like 14’ 6”, so there are at least a couple of inches of clearance.” So I said, “well they wouldn’t have shut the bridge down if you could clear under the bridge.” He proceeded to show me pictures of his truck going under the bridge. So I say, “okay. so there’s a couple inches clearance, so why would they shut it down if your truck can fit under it?” And he said, “that’s why I’m here.” My response was “I will have this fixed tomorrow.” So I called up the agency head and the next day they opened it back up and put a disclaimer across the bridge saying “proceed at your own risk” or something like that. A few weeks later I received a thank
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this fixed tomorrow. you card signed by over 500 grateful truckers.
important as reserved in the constitution. But they are not substitutes for the federal HotBreath: It only took you government’s responsibility one day? Wow! I’ve heard you to protect individual rights. talk a lot about state’s rights. This whole thing about state’s Why do rights... “THE WORLD BECOMES A you believe there might that state’s still be MUCH BETTER PLACE TO rights are so states that important? allowed LIVE WHEN WE LEGALIZE slavery. MARIJUANA BECAUSE THE GJ: Nobody Now we’re gets the fact back to the POLICE WILL GO OUT AND that our civil federal liberties are ACTUALLY ENFORCE REAL government’s being eroded. real role, CRIME.” Nobody gets which is to that this was guarantee Germany before the Nazi’s the constitutional rights of took over. Take Ron Paul Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit for example. He talks about of Happiness, ie. state’s rights, and they are no slavery.
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-Gary Johnson
For example, I think that marriage equality is guaranteed under the constitution as opposed to each state’s discretion. Well right now you have gay marriage advancing as a states right issue as opposed to something that is Constitutionally guaranteed. That’s the difference between the state’s role and federal government’s role. We don’t want to have separate currencies from one state to the next. We don’t want to have a nineteen-inch wheel requirement on certain cars in some states so that you can’t drive your car from one state to another.
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HB: So if marriage equality is guaranteed under the constitution, would something like the legalization of marijuana also be? GJ: Well, I assume there is a precedent set there with alcohol. Alcohol is a 50 state phenomenon. Nowhere is it illegal to drink, but in some counties it’s illegal to sell. HB: So let each State determine how they want to handle it individually. But might eliminating the Federal drug laws in this country lead to accusations that you are “weak on crime”? GJ: Well, by legalizing marijuana and changing to a rational drug policy regarding all the other drugs, what we’ll actually be able to do is crack down on real crime as opposed to victimless, nonviolent crime. The world becomes a much better place to live when we legalize marijuana because the police will go out and actually enforce real crime. If we go out right now and one of our cars is broken into, the only reason we’re gonna call the police is for an insurance report. That’s the only reason. Legalize pot and you know what? They might actually
dust the car off and find the culprit. So no, just the opposite, just the opposite. HB: How do you get other people to buy into this Libertarian ideal? GJ: So, that’s where I think an issue like marijuana plays a really big role, because a hundred million Americans have smoked marijuana. Now, for the first time in the history of the issue, we’ve got fifty percent plus of Americans supporting the legalization of marijuana. HB: Interesting. Do you make a distinction between marijuana and harder drugs,
or is the approach pretty much all the same? GJ: Well, I say this all the time. I mean as a politician I’ve maybe taken on this debate more than any other politician on the planet. So what I say is, should cocaine be illegal? Initially you might use it because it’s enlightening. You’re able to do and say things that you’ve never said before and it seems kind of cool. But cocaine literally puts holes in your heart. I mean it does a number on your cardiovascular system like nothing else. People my age that have been using cocaine their entire lives, they’re not alive anymore. They’ve
died from heart attacks. And that’s just a fact. And so I think Methamphetamine may be the best example of a prohibition drug. It’s cheap, it’s easy to make and that’s why it exists. And it’s effects are even far more dangerous than cocaine. So if cocaine were legal, methamphetamine would have never existed, because cocaine would be a cheaper, less harmful alternative. But now we’re back to cocaine. Use cocaine, you’re gonna die of a heart attack. HB: So deal with it honestly and from a health perspective as opposed to a criminal perspective. That makes sense to me. GJ: I want to blow my own horn here too. In the recent ACLU Liberty Poll, I think it’s interesting that Santorum and Romney, out of twentyfour possible liberty torches, had zero. Zero. Gingrich had four, Obama had sixteen, Ron Paul had eighteen, and I had twenty-one. HB: And what was the criteria?
GJ: It was women’s reproductive rights, immigration, torture... Google it - it comes right up. HB: If you were elected President, how would you respond to the 40,000 deaths in Mexico over the last few years? GJ: All of that is prohibition related. Every bit of it.... and with the exception of Ron Paul, every single candidate wants to answer the violence with more guns. But Ron Paul wants to build a border fence, which I do not support.
arguably the most qualified of all of them having succeeded as an executive in both the Private and Public sectors, he was snubbed from 20 out of 22 GOP debates last year. Johnson ran as a Republican before switching to the Libertarian party last December. It turns out that Johnson was told by CNN that he wasn’t polling high enough to be included in the polls, but - and here’s the kicker - his name wasn’t even included in the polls they were using. For more information on Gary Johnson’s positions or to make a donation, please visit garyjohnson2012.com.
HB: So is “Gary Johnson” electable as President of the United States? GJ: The majority of people in this country, in my opinion, are fiscally conservative and socially liberal. That’s the majority of people and that’s the embodiment of a libertarian. HB: And that’s your message? GJ: That’s the basis, the foundation. Keep the government out of the bedroom.
Most people don’t even know who Gary Johnson is yet. He is a former two-term Governor of New Mexico (’95-’03), who despite being the most popular presidential candidate in his or her own state, and being
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BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE Article by Kate Csillagi Illustrations by Ty Lookwell
With the pride of the artist, you must blow against the walls of every power that exists, the small trumpet of your defiance.
proclaimed “godfathers” of the
faces, and I think people need to
contemporary glass scene and creator
know this work exists.” The pipe itself
of the film Degenerate Art explains:
clings to its humble origins. As Slinger
“‘Prodos’ are like tags, and in the spirit
puts it, “the limitation of having to
of graffiti, I’m trying to get up as much
make a functional piece became our
as possible. I put my images on spoons, slides, bubblers so the average person can enjoy some of the art as well.”
-Norman Mailer Have you ever walked into an art gallery and felt completely out of place? Most contemporary art eludes the general public; what gets displayed and sold is a function of taste and convention. In many cases, the gallery owners are not in tune with the population. However, dissolving the rigid criteria for art makes art valuable. Art is about the ability to give form to imagination
Many of these artists have skills that should be recognized at the next level;
ART IS ABOUT THE ABILITY TO GIVE FORM TO IMAGINATION AND THE IMPULSE TO REBEL
the gallery is
inspiration”. Head shops around the country rely on the massive, ornate pieces to draw customers into the shop. Lacey “Laceface” St George is a preeminent glassblower who has helped open
the most obvious venue for that both
2 head shops and teaches fledgling
culturally and financially. But when
glassblowers in her native Northwest.
asked if the social message would
Laceface’s work is lyrical and
be diluted by the formal art setting,
undulating, reflecting the grace and
Slinger replied, “to have a pipe in a
balance of nature. She travels around
gallery is like putting it in people’s
the country and Europe collaborating
and the impulse to rebel, an impulse uniquely suited to America’s current
Lacey St. George
uncertain social climate. It seems like the perfect time to embrace the glass pipe movement which has been thriving for years. Glass pipe art is a crusade, despite severe anti-paraphernalia laws and social stigma, that offer relief to a generation’s hopes and fears. Making pipes is the most lucrative way to make money as a beginning glassblower. M.Slinger, one of the
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Piece and Photography by Lacey St George
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Article continued on page 112
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Franticus Glass Article by Selbot. Photography by Selbot and Glass Otaku
It’s February 1st in beautiful Tucson,
expected a hands-on experience like that
Arizona, and the generous crew at
when I agreed to join the HotBreath team
Franticus Glass studios have just thrown
in Tucson, but I was pleasantly surprised
open the doors to welcome glass artists
when asked to participate. What makes
from around the world to participate in
this all even more special is the fact that
the final event of the first annual Arizona
it’s all being done for a great cause. The
Project. The torches are lit, the kilns are
Arizona Project is dedicated to unifying the
hot, and molten glass is quietly flowing
glass art community through the donation
in hot crucibles. As the artists begin
of time and skills towards the greater good
pouring in, workstations fill up and soon
of the entire community. Through auctions,
glass is melted into art. The legendary
donations, and support from their generous
Space-man leads the charge towards the
sponsors, the Arizona Project raises
crucibles, and without delay he amasses
money for charities like Integrated Touch
a large football of molten glass, and with
for Kids, a non-profit organization whose
a twist, a turn, and a pendulum swing,
purpose is to enhance well being, minimize
fresh boro tubes are born. I know I make
suffering and facilitate healing for children
it sound like the work of wizards but in
with developmental disabilities, genetic
fact, even this boro novice took his turn
conditions, cancers, and other chronic,
at pulling glass from the crucible. I never
acute and life limiting illnesses.
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Micah “FATHEAD”Blatt. CalM, Karl Taylor, Matt Bain, and Cypher Glass
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Matt Eskuche
Over the next few days at the Franticus
Left: Alex Ubatuba Right: CalM
studios, established artists like Eusheen Goines, Matt Bains, Wyoming Glass, and Mike Philpot, worked along side upand-coming artists like Calvin Smith and Brendan Taylor. A team of glass artists from Japan occupied a group of torches for a few hours and amazed delighted onlookers with their intricate bead work and some unique application processes. Matt Eskuche made a big splash with his signature Trash Glass, which both looked and felt surprisingly realistic. He even made a working screw-top lid for the “plastic” bottle! Over on the auction table, pieces that had been made during lead-up events held at Fathead Glass and Franticus Glass Studios were on display for a silent auction.
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Generous bidders flocked to take home their favorite items. Many of the items were also available in an online auction, so perhaps
Left: CalM, Shawn Skuta, and Karl Taylor Right: Calvin Smith, Shawn Skuta
some of you lucky readers were able to bid on your favorites! It’s great to know that all of the money raised during this fantastic event is going to such a good cause. On Saturday night, a mass of glass enthusiasts gathered for the 10th Annual Sonoran Glass Flame Off! Founded in Tucson and hosted by the Sonoran Glass Art Academy, the event has grown into a highly anticipated flame-working competition. Twenty-four glass artists from across the globe compete against the clock to create spectacular glass art creations either solo or in pairs. The flame off draws upwards of five hundred people for a night of flame-heated entertainment, providing the ultimate opportunity to get together to celebrate everything that is fun and exciting about glass! The Rialto Theater, located across the street from the famous Tucson landmark, the Hotel Congress (where famed bankrobber John Dillinger was once apprehended), provided the perfect stage for the 2012 Flame Off! The theme for this year’s individual
Wyoming
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Franticus Glass Studio
competition was Fantasy of Fire, and the
competition to grab a much deserved
his way into third place with his Devil
teams competed head-to-head in a Light vs.
second place.
Skull. All of the pieces created during the flame off! were available for purchase in a
Dark or Fire vs. Water themed event. The
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highlight of the night came during the team
In the individual event, an impressive list of
silent auction, and eager bidders quickly
competition when Team Spy vs. Spy (Matt
experienced competitors faced off over the
raised prices on all of the items. When it
Bain, Micah Blatt & Karl Taylor) pushed
flames and battled right down to the wire in
was all said and done, more than a dozen
the envelope with their thought-provoking
an attempt to take home the top spot. In
lucky collectors got to take home their
statement piece entitled Spy vs. Spy: Art
the end, Matt Eskuche’s Trash Glass was
favorite one-of-a-kind works of art, and the
vs. Function, which balanced a functional
voted top honors, and I think everybody felt
Sonoran Glass Academy got some much
pipe against an art glass goblet and ended
it was the right decision. The glass Matt
needed support! I know I’ll be volunteering
up taking home the top prize in the team
works with to create these unique pieces
to join the HotBreath crew and head back
division of a competition that traditionally
is blown so thin that when he’s finished,
to Tucson again for years to come. A big
frowns upon pipe art. This talented team
the completed pieces weigh merely a few
thanks to everybody who helped make this
beat out many of the top names in glass
grams each! Amazing! In second place,
event a reality, and a special thanks to our
such as Team Dosher (Doshworld, Web,
John Ryszka II demonstrated his mastery
hosts Dave and his amazing family who
and Randosh), Team Zelda (Calvin
of the medium with his haunting Inferno
couldn’t have made us feel more welcome.
Mickle, Punty & Quave), and Team Japan
Mask, which invoked visions of Dante’s
(Akihiro Okama, Takehisa Okumura, and
tormentors on his unfortunate downward
‘til Next Time,
Yoshihiro Kagawa). Team Zelda fashioned
journey. Home-town hero Calvin Smith
--
an unbelievably detailed Zelda Sword
thoroughly impressed the voters with his
The Selbot
and sliced their way through some tough
intricate, detailed work as he head-butted
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Pipe Classic Competitors
Bern Gallery
It’s fall. The leaves are beginning to change colors here in Burlington, Vermont. Fortunately, the month of September also holds a bit of excitement because every year for the last six years The Bern Gallery has held the “Pipe Classic”, a battle royale of a dozen of the world’s best and most exciting pipe artists. This year was no exception. Each artist has 6 hours to do their thing. I already had spoken with Steve Bates about the nature of his piece so I knew what was coming. He had decided to enter the contest without having rehearsed his pipe and in fact had only decided days
Bates Flame Throwing
before just exactly what to make. But, he seemed comfortable. Speaking with Erik
Glass by Steve Bates
Anders (EA) revealed an entirely different approach, one that involved much thought and practice. In fact, he went through his piece 3 times before the competition. Now as for Hickory, I could see right away that he was ready. This was a man who had both watched and participated in the Pipe Classic before. I could see by his expression that he had put much thought and energy into designing a piece that
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would maximize his skills and aesthetic. As the day progressed Erik’s strange shaped piece grew until finally an “oil lantern” started to emerge. Unfortunately, due to a high propane pressure output, the color he was using reduced, cracked, and ultimately destroyed his piece. Things like this are what make competing in a foreign environment under time constraints and with an audience so difficult. Bates had everyone guessing as to what exactly he was doing, but it was clear that fire would Eric Anders (EA)
be involved. Meanwhile, with laser beam focus, the parts that would combine to make Hickory’s piece were getting big and showing the form of a tree. I ping-ponged back and forth until at one point in the back ground I could see Tito and Mikeala discussing something that seemed serious. I approached and was shortly informed that D-Wreck had decided he could not make it to Burlington for the competition. It was something about how he had just gotten his period and was having trouble finding more authentic Cherokee hair tampons. The result was a coin toss between Chris Carlson and I, who were present in order
Hickory
to document the event, which I won and thus I became the 12th man in the 2011 Pipe Classic. From Austin Texas, Salt was known for the Eye Face tooth tongue claw horn style, or the “Salt style”. The end of the day came quickly and sent the competitors off to a hotel to rest. Day2: First heat began at 9am with EA, Bates, and Hickory trying to finish their entries. Hickory jumped right in. Erik, in
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Glass by Salt
Glass by Hickory
Salt
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Matt Mclamb
truly professional form, charges forward and begins to execute his piece in order to salvage his entry. Meanwhile, Bates, who had actually finished all his lampworking the day before, is outside wowing the crowd by demonstrating his “flame thrower pipe”. It runs on butane and throws up to a five foot diameter ball of flame eight feet out from the weapon. As the first heat comes to an end, Erik and Hickory finish their lampworking and everyone will have an entry. The second heat of Day 2 began with SAki BOmb, Matt Mclamb and JOP. SAki seems a bit nervous at first but settles
Matt Mclamb’s piece
in to a nice rhythm. JOP begins with some solid prep work. When asked, he says he has practiced but is going to make a piece that is double the size of what he practiced. Meanwhile, Matt looks utterly comfortable, and in fact, produces two strange jigs of over 30 rods of glass cut to size and fixed to each other. He dances and sings along with the music playing while the spectators discuss in wonder what he could be making. Day 2 ends with only a few minor hiccups from each competitor. The atmosphere of the Pipe Classic stays true
JOP
to its reputation of an intense competition, yet morphs into a party, with all sorts of members from the glass scene present. Day 3: As Day 3 begins, Matt says he has some minor checks to deal with. I’ve guessed that his problem is with the wings, but if he can handle this issue, he is probably going to have smooth sailing from there on out. SAki is reluctant to reveal too much, but from what I can gather, she has had some minor setbacks. JOP starts the
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day by clamming up in some headphones
JOP
that I suspect weren’t necessarily on. This seems to be a focus-oriented move meant to offset the fact that he is a bit behind his schedule and outside of his comfort zone. As the day progresses and the scale and nature of JOP’s piece is revealed, the phrase “go big or go home” doesn’t quite cover it. When I check back with Matt, he is wrapping things up and has some time to spare for cold working. Things have gone well for him. His game face is solid. SAki works feverishly and ends the day with a large number of finished pieces that are meant to go together and only 3 minutes to spare. Unfortunately, the unfamiliar shop time constraints and the huge scale of his piece all come together and with very little time to spare and JOP’s piece breaks. The line-up for the second heat of Day 3 is The Worm, Dosh, and myself. Now I’m in an interesting position since I’m both reporting on the event and competing, but I also happen to know what many of the other competitors are going to make. Day 3 ends with all of us on track and either on or ahead of schedule.
SAki BOmb
Day 4: We arrived the morning of day four around 8 am. By 9 am the torches were back on, and we are all off running. Dosh looked as though he had almost finished his piece the day before, but starts to add attachments and really fill it out. When I check in on Worm, I am surprised to see that his piece is much bigger than the practice one I had seen, and that he is able to leave it out of the kiln for a ridiculously
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Glass by SAki BOmb
long time while still moving the flame around the piece to polish welds. Having completed the main part of my entry, I’m using it to visually measure and formulate the rest of my composition. As the day progresses, so does my idea and my excitement. At some point during Day 4, Adam G and Cmazz walk into the Bern Gallery wearing windbreakers that can be seen from space. By the end of our heat, three successfully finished pieces are in the box. The second heat of Day 4 brought three
Dosh
heavy hitters to the plate. Adam G, Dellene Peralta, and Hamm all reported to set up. Only 15 or so minutes into the day it was discovered that Hamm had an illegal tube prep due to some confusion about the rules. It come close to him not participating, but very quickly a solution is found and things move forward. The Pipe Classic’s reputation of striving to be fair prevails. To the average spectator, Adam seems to be making a ray gun, but his reaction to my saying so told the story that he had a few tricks up his neon
Dosher by Dosh
green windbreaker sleeve. As the day progressed, Dellene’s pieces take shape as some sort of wagon. I asked, but she was being coy. Time runs out on the 4th day and all seems to have gone fairly well. Day5: Day 5 begins --- game faces fixed on each contestant. As Dellene gets further into her piece, a figure about 12” tall starts to emerge. He had frills and what
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Worm
Adam G in the Alley
Glass by Worm
Adam G
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Dellene told me was a Masonic symbol.
Dellene Peralta
Naturally I had a lot more questions but she was competing so I decided not to pry. Hamm’s piece really started to tell a story. The sculptural element that before looked like a tree, started to take the shape of a fetus with root-like hands and feet, and a second element entered the picture that I can only describe as a penguin. All the while, Adam G’s piece looked like a ray gun except for the shoulder stock he had recently added that changed it up a bit. Glass by Dellene Peralta
As the day went on, all three contestants were reporting the same thing --- “I’m gonna be cutting it close.” But as I spoke with Hamm, he actually bet me $5 that the time crunch was going to make his piece crack. He pretty much called the time of the crack to the second. It was brutal. Dellene had her signature look -- half pissed-off, half in pain -- that meant time was tight but she was doing well. I walked back to Hamm and was amazed to see he had begun working out the gnarly Hamm
crack with a fluffy bright flame; while making measured progress I moved on to watch the others. As I get up close I notice that Adam G. has put on the fabled Power Glove to attack the other side of his crossbow. This was a bold move but as the curved piece snapped and crashed to the ground, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Power Glove was too much power for such a delicate move. Time being so short, and Adam’s adherence to his aesthetic so strict; he knows the 10 minutes left will not be enough to finish the way he wants to, and opts to withdraw and finish over
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time. Hamm, meanwhile, has fixed his
Hickory Wins Pipe Classic VI
piece only to have it crack somewhere else and subsequently fixes that crack only to have the first one come back even worse. Amazingly he keeps his piece together and finishes with moments to spare. Simultaneously, Dellene is scrambling to finish and somehow does so with less than a minute on the clock. Day 5 ends with Dellene and Hamm squeaking it out and Adam finishing a couple of hours over. Judgment day arrives and the artists all begin to slowly collect their pieces and walk over to the local bar where the closing ceremony will be held. Once the pieces are set up and the judges arrive, hot wings, gravy fries, and cupcakes are served as the contestants mingle with the judges and explain their entries in detail. The diversity and quality of the work makes the judging process difficult. In the end, the winners were as follows: In 3rd place Dosher, in 2nd place Matt Mclamb, and finally your winner of the 2011 pipe classic --- Hickory. The trophies are handed out with congratulations and after a bit of good old fashioned celebration everyone makes their way back to the Bern Gallery for one last bit of business. As is tradition with the Classic, all serious buyers and the 12 artists crowd around the counters of the Bern Gallery where Mikeala stands behind a row of pipe entries and begins the auction. It is a fast paced free-for-all as bids are yelled out and one by one the pieces were all
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sold off until finally only the winning piece remains. Many people, including myself
Winners receive trophies
bid on Hickory’s Tree Tube, but quickly the price shot up and only a few remained, and then only two. I watched as these two shop owners spit larger and larger numbers back and forth at each other until finally with a large jump in bid, and a stare that would have melted a hole in most people; the bidding war was over and the winning piece had been sold for a record price of $5400.00. It had been one for the books again at the Bern Gallery, and not was left but for everyone to head to the woods for a huge party involving alcohol, a bonfire, various clouds of smoke, gunshots, tequila shots, bad jokes, good conversation, preemptive hugs, and some late night bacon cooking. In closing I would just like to say that after being involved with the Pipe Classic for three years now I would recommend it as an experience to anyone interested in the pipe culture because pipe events just don’t get any better than this. Story written by: SALT Photos by: Chris Carlson
Bern Gallery
Pipe Classic
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SAki BOmb Current Image: Photo by Pink Illustrations by Thrash Tonic
Q: Where do you work out of? Humboldt Glass Collective, owned by Tristan and Mr.Gray.
Q: Who do you admire?
CONTAGIOUS SPIRIT AND A LOVE FOR GLASS Interview by Kate Csillagi
We call her SAki BOmb and she is fierce. Hailing from Japan, SAki is the creator of the “skeleton key hitter” and the “stache sherly”, but she is oh so humble. Her name was given to her by some early shop mates, but the truth is she’s allergic to alcohol and smoking is more her cup of tea. SAki’s contagious spirit, love for glass, and effervescent personality help define her up and coming talent. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you the illustrious SAki BOmb.
Q: Where do you come from Ms. SAki? I am from Shizouka, Japan, born and raised there. I’ve been in the US for 10 years.
Q: How does your Japanese heritage shine through in your work?
Oh so many! Starting with Banjo, Dellene Peralta, Clinton, Robert Mickelsen, Kurt B, Ghost, Hamm, Marcel, Jlee, Scott Deppe......
Q: What is it like being a lady among this male dominated market? Is there support for female glassblower? In the beginning, I got a lot of sexual harassment because I didn’t speak the language, but I can’t feel damaged every time that happens. I have to act tough which is working for me fine. I pretty much have to be a truck driver, so I can have fun in the conversations. I like to work with guys who have a girlfriend or wife already because they don’t act jealous of me. I enjoy working with boys, but I wish I could have a girl shop mate cause I like to have a girly talk sometimes.
Q: What kind of art did you make before working with glass? Nothing in particular. I always did recycled art and I was a hairstylist before I moved to the States. I have never considered myself an artist but
I feel happy to hear people calling me an artist. I love working with glass because it only gets harder and I want to know more. I’m addicted.
Q: Some of your work is replicas of real objects, i.e. the skeleton key series and your ice cream sundaes. Why do you make these? Hmm, I make the pipes I would like to own. I made an apple pie because there was no actual apple pie where I grew up. That was really new to me. In Japan we don’t smoke out of apples. We are using shitty bongs, homemade pipes and whatever. When I moved out here and discovered smoking out of an actual apple, I thought, “How fresh?!” I like to make something that, you know, when you are driving in a car and you are smoking out of a popsicle, they won’t know. I wanted to smoke in public. I also like the humor.
I am always hungry, but less confident. I try hard and I don’t get pissed off at glass that often.
Q: How did you get into blowing glass? I wanted to do it for a long time. Ever since I started going to head shops and found a guy through one of my hook ups. I can’t believe it’s been my job for 5 years! Many people know me as HackySacky because of my account name on glasspipes.org, but I prefer SAki BOmb. At first, I was really scared of the torch. I had once-a-week lessons for 1/2 a year, and every time, I couldn’t light my torch. I wanted to make something that I have never seen before. I apprenticed under Ben Wilson who is Luke Wilson’s brother in Long Beach. In order to make Headdies, I had to improve. So I became obsessed. Whatever I have to do to finish a piece, I will learn.
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Photo by Elbo Glass
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Mauricio Laclume Body by Ghost Top Hat, Corn Dog, and Popsicle by SAki BOmb
Kirei Me Belt Buckle by SAki BOmb
A Secret Garden Skeleton Keys by SAki BOmb
Princess U Tiaras by SAki Bomb
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TitaniumTwist™ Nail • Made of Grade 2 Titanium • Twist design creates cooling vapor vortex • Available in 14mm and 18mm • Patent pending • Made in U.S.A.
18mm
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Q: Are collaborations important for developing your skills? What was your favorite collab? Yes, definitely. I always have fun with Kurt B. and Ghost. I like to be serious, but fool around with ideas. Arik Krunk’s daughter and wife was an interesting collab. AK Sara and True and I did a key together. They had never collaborated with anyone but AK before.
Q: Where did the mustache sherlock idea originate? Kurt B and I both made a mustache pipe separately without knowing! One of my friends brought back a glass mustache pendant from Hawaii and I accidently broke it. I felt so awful and I kept thinking about it. For some reason, I got an idea to put it on a sherly. I brought it to CHAMPS and Christine Cody bought it! I was so amazed. A picture of it ended up in High Times Magazine.
Q: You sold a mustache cigarette holder on Facebook for over $400 dollars. Is this a new venue for selling glass? Do buyers follow through with their bids? Usually I auction off something rare. Yes, all buyers follow through with payment. I’ve got some great fans. I love you all!
glass is really sexy. My pipes are for everybody.
Q: Have you ever been seriously injured on the job? Once I put my thumbs in the flame, and another time I cut myself and got 5 stitches.
Q:If you could sell your work to a celebrity, who would it be?
Q: What excites you about this industry?
Paris Hilton or Lady Gaga. They are fashion icons and whatever they have, people want.
It’s so underground. Peeps are young and so new!
Q: Your work is very ornate, but different than the headdy pieces out there. Who is your audience? Some boys buy the little cute stuff for themselves, but mostly for their girlfriends or moms. Most guy glassblowers put the horns all over it and I like to make them girly. I put a bow. I want my glass to mimic popular clothing and lingerie. I think my
SAki BOmb has a glass show on July 20 at the Goosefire Gallery in Long Beach California. Everyone is invited to celebrate her 35th birthday and see her latest work.
Bitecicle by SAki BOmb (limited edition of 10)
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PHILLY 'S FAVORITE
2446 Cottman Ave Philadelphia, PA 19149 (215) 331-0306
environment, for both the customer and employees alike. It’s like going to your favorite restaurant and seeing the same waiter/waitress every time. You appreciate the “familiarity“ and you build a repour with people over the years! It helps that we do our best to stay current in the industry, maintaining high standards, and keeping up with all the latest in styles, artistry, and functionality.
I noticed you have a few closed circuit cameras in the shop. Have you ever caught any nighttime paranormal activity on tape? Hmmmm, you wouldn't believe us if we told you!!!!!
10 Question's with Mindy & Co. from
Artifax Interview and Photography by Dash Carlisle e and Photography
Artifax has been open for nearly four decades! What is the secret to a happy and healthy small business? YES! It’s true! Artifax has been open for 35 years, and counting!! We opened in 1976. We feel a key component to our success has been a low employee turn over, and awesome customer service! Our two Managers, have been working at the store since 1983 and 85 respectively. They’ve created a laid back comfortable
Artifax has a future respiratory therapist on staff. How do your customers benefit from interacting with a medical specialist? Having an employee with the specific medical background in the respiratory field has proven very useful. With technology, such as Vaporizers and multi chambered Glass Water Pipes, as well as other utensils, it’s nice to have a guy who can explain the benefits (or lack of) from one item to another. He also has great retail experience makes the customer feel at “ease“, and he can fold a mean T-shirt!!
Let’s talk science! How do percolators and diffusers work? Why should smokers consider modifying their existing smoking systems?
Percolators and Diffusers help maximize the cleansing ability of water pipes. When smoke passes through water, up to 40% of the tar and Carcinogens it contains attach to water molecules by a process called hydro-bonding. Hydro-bonding is the natural affinity that water molecules have towards other molecules. A water pipe with percolators will “increase“ the amount of water the smoke will pass through, thus providing extra filtration by turning a single bubble into multiple“smaller“ bubbles. This action creates a larger surface area for the hydro-bonding of impurities. For example, a single apple has a smaller surface area than the same volume of grapes. In the end, modifying your smoking apparatus will result in a happier, healthier, smoking experience! Simply put: More surface area, smoother, cooler smoke!!
Your shop has awesome online reviews! Got any “super fans“? No, no super fans, just A LOT of “SUPER“ CUSTOMERS!!!
Time for show and tell! What are some of your favorite glass treasures at Artifax? We really love and support our local artists. Rock Star Glass, We the People, Name Brand Glass, and Maida Glass, just to name a few. In the past we’ve carried such pieces to the likes of Marcell, Gasp, Gateson and Jason Lee, Now, we have artists like Buck, Bear Claw, Freeek, Mako and BC, proudly represented! Artists like,
Left: We the People Current Photo: FREEEK
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Buck Mako Glass
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BC Glass
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Zack P., Germ, Steve Hopps, and others have also “graced“ our shelves! Treasures all in their own right!!!
Artfax Top Shelf
John Oates, one-half of Hall & Oates, grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. What is your all time favorite H & O song ? Hall and Oates?? REALLY!!!!!
Cheese steaks and soft pretzels have become emblematic symbols of Philadelphia cuisine. What characteristic food(s) properly represent the Artifax staff and clientele? That’s easy! Has to be the Soft Pretzel! Slightly “salted“ and definitely “TWISTED“!!!
You have a great selection of tobacco in your shop! What are your best selling brands and varieties? We sell a variety of tobaccos! Everything from Hookah Tobaccos, to Roll your own cigarette tobaccos. Rolling your own cigarette tobaccos has become very popular, especially with all the new levied government taxes! Of course, American Spirit, for their “additive free“ tobacco, as well as Pipe tobacco and Cigars, can be found at Artifax.
As Philadelphia’s favorite smoke shop you must have accumulated some interesting stories. Share your favorite tale from the Artifax vault! If we told you……Then we’d have to KILL you! ;-) In truth, we remain Philly’s FAVORITE smoke shop, because we don’t “sell and tell“!!
Spoons by Rockstar Glass
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Article and Photography by Daniel Peiken
There is NOTHING like a Drive-By Trucker show at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA. Filled to capacity like a Times Square elevator on NYE, the “smoke free” 40 Watt stage and surrounding crowd is engulfed in thick clouds of smoke, reminiscent of a blazing camp fire. You won’t be alone at a DBT show for long. Surrounding fans know every word to every song and are quick to share a smoke. Lead singer and songwriter Patterson does a lot of talking and story telling at these shows. It feels like he’s sharing a private joke with a room full of his friends. Some folks can’t control pumping their fist in the air with every sentence. Some opt to point their fingers at Cooley with every word. This concert behavior can get somewhat annoying, that is why you’ve got to pick your spot carefully. The crowd moves, shakes, and rocks like the ocean. You don’t want to smack up on a rock when a big wave hits you! The Drive-By Truckers don’t need any warm up time. They hit with all cylinders firing as soon as they take the stage. Hood’s sweating before the first song is over and you feel like you’ve already been rocking for hours. By the second song you have already forgotten the last 10 bands you saw live. Raise your head up, tweak your earplugs, take a deep breath, and join the other five hundred and fifty crazy rock fans!
audience. He still has 10 fingers and 10 toes. Tired and a bit drunk, I could easily do a fourth night. Set list breakdown:
The first night is typically somewhat of a local’s night. Many of the out of town fans have to work on Friday and don’t attend the Thursday night show, which is often filled with very special (and local) guest musicians. If you can only experience one of the DBT’s three back-to-back concerts, this is the show I recommend. By night two the town has filled with fans and the energy surrounding the club is intense. Get ready to drink and watch a rowdy show! The third consecutive night of drinking is always fun. You recognize the other 30 or 40 people who have been to all three shows. You are a walking zombie, your calves hurt from standing and walking all weekend long, and you’re not hung over anymore (that was night 2). Now you are in the zone and very proud to show your three armbands.
Lead Singer: Patterson Hood
The boot load of ‘Yee-Haws’ and whistles signal the end of the show. Half the band has left the stage. Moments later, Cooley is standing alone in front of the howling crowd. Exiting the stage, he’s wearing the biggest shit-eating grin and waving his huge hands at the sweat drenched
Thursday - The Living Bubba, Women Without Whiskey, Sink Hole, Where the Devil Don’t Stay, Box Of Spiders, The Righteous Path, Marry Me, Dead Drunk and Naked, Lookout Mountain, Gravity’s Gone, A World Of Hurt, Zip City, I’m Eighteen (Alice Cooper) Friday - The Buford Stick, Ronnie and Neil, Too Much Sex, Pulaski, Everybody Needs Love (Eddie Hinton), Puttin’ People on the Moon, Play It All Night Long (Warren Zevon), Marry Me, Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love (Van Halen), Used to Be a Cop, Your Daddy Hates Me, Let There Be Rock, Angels and Fuselage Saturday - The Fourth Night of My Drinking, Life in the Factory, 72 (this Highway’s Mean), Bulldozers & Dirt, Uncle Frank, Lookout Mountain, The Southern Thing, The Company I Keep, Hell No I Ain’t Happy, People Who Died (Jim Carroll). The Drive-By Truckers Fucking Rock And Roll!! Long live the mighty Drive-By Truckers!!! I’ve got tons of pictures and videos from these shows and 1000’s of others on my website, www. AthensRockShow.com. I sell houses to make a living (and I’m barely ‘keeping it between the ditches) so please check out www.AthensHome.com and help a brother out.
Sloan Simpson recorded the shows and is sharing them on his website, www.SouthernShelter.com.
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"I simply wanted to give glass artists, enthusiasts, and shops a forum to discreetly share their knowledge and work, without fear of discretion or persecution." - Glass Otaku
for e n t h u s i a s t s , by e n t h u s i a s t s
Primarily a web-based publication, IgniteMe.co is also branching out, becoming one of the newest contributors to HotBreath Magazine. IgniteMe will be acting as an independent entity, writing original pages, quarterly, ranging in content: from borosilicate and accessory focused reviews to articles on popular culture and industry event coverage.
Eush & RAM Workshop by The Glass Otaku On our trip to Northern California the focus of our visit was the upcoming workshop at the Revere Glass School in Berkeley, CA. We had originally caught word that renowned nonfunctional glass artist Robert A Mickelesen aka RAM would be coming out to give a first time lecture and workshop on pipes and pipemaking... something that he hadn’t done before. On our way out much to our delight Dustin of Revere Glass informed us that Eusheen would also be taking part in the workshop, and would be collabing with Robert on a couple of pieces. At that moment our jaws hit the floor... on one hand you have RAM, one of the most well known and respected artists both in the pipe realm and beyond and on the other hand you have Eush, glassblowing legend and everyones favorite pipe maker! Once we hit the ground at SFO we were quick to dash off to the BART to catch our first glimpses of the epic collaboration about to unfold. After a nice scenic train ride through the bay from San Francisco to Berkeley I got off at the right station where Revere Glass School was located. Much to my surprise I
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was stoked to see none other than glassblower and IgniteMe veteran Phil Siegel waiting for me at the station. We then made the quick trip to Revere, mostly making small talk and getting to know each other as well as getting the scoop on what Phil was up to! When we reached the school I was a tad shocked by it’s size more than anything... I guess those webcams on GlassQ make everything look bigger! I got to meet Revere’s founder, Dustin, for the first time as well as the rest of the talented folks that keep the workshop afloat. I also became acquainted with the students who were there to watch the class! Some had traveled much further than I had. Some even coming from as far away places as Tallahassee, FL, a newly growing hotspot for glassblowers and great shops. Once Eush and Robert arrived we all took the time to introduce ourselves to each other as well as those who were watching the live streaming on glass. Then we got right into the nitty gritty of it. The first piece the two had planned to make was going to be a wasp; the creation of the piece would show off the creative talents of both artists
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Eush & RAM
in the best of ways. Eusheen would be handling the colored sections for the thorax and the tail of the wasp. Robert would be showing off his talents in both sculptural and pattern work by making the legs, wings, and so on. Eush started making his own color pulls for the sections while RAM began making the wings of the bee, RAM chose a particular color called “Beryl” for the wings, which gave them a nice amber look and was a better choice than just clear. As the piece progressed one thing we all agreed on was that the size of this thing was huge! Many of us debated on wether or not it would have a stand Eush quickly told us, “This thing’s just going to stand on it’s legs, almost like if a giant wasp were to fly in and just land on the table.” Needless to say we were stoked. The color pulls Eush made for the wasp were superbly done, many were asking if he was going to add dichro or not during the process but Eusheen decided that because it was a sculpture of an
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animal he wasn’t going to get too artsy. But when his yellow on black pull was finished, and we could all finally see it; we were able to notice the subtle thin stringers of dark blue dichro which made the whole pull pop in it’s own unique way. I quickly pointed out that this style should be called “Subtle-y Eush”. The end result after all of the days efforts was astounding; as RAM made the push bowl on the backside of the wasp Eush took the time to explain how important this was for the pipe world. The ability to see some of the best artists in the world come together to make a pipe; the one device that was made specifically for getting people together over the centuries. It was quite the moment to watch it all happen. The second piece the two completed during the workshop was a sculptural work titled: Bliss and was a take on a sculpture that had been on display at the most recent Burning Man Festival. Since this
was a workshop focused on pipe-making, this was to be a smokeable piece. But honestly who in their right mind would smoke such an epic piece of art? Talk about a tough clean! Robert spent most of his time on this piece sculpting the body of the woman that was to be both the centerpiece, as well as the mouth piece. Eusheen supplied all of the color-work on the sculpture; creating worked sections for the legs, back, head, and many more subtle areas on the sculpture. The end result was breathtaking. As the tallest piece they made, it certainly made for the perfect ending to the perfect workshop. All in all it was a great time getting to watch these two masters working together, as well as having a good time doing it. The overall feel of the workshop was very relaxed and everyone both there and watching online was allowed to ask questions at any time. Eush and RAM were very hospitable making sure every question was answered in an in-depth manner. What I enjoyed most about the workshop was seeing the two artists style’s blend together! I liked how Eush “toned down”
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for e n t h u s i a s t s , by e n t h u s i a s t s his color work to better suit RAM’s more precise and structural style, The pieces weren’t covered in radical reversals wherever one could be squeezed in. Rather, Eush took the time to make patterns that flowed really well with the piece they were making. It was truly inspiring to see him at work, and being able to ask him questions every step of the way was more than I could have hoped for. So the next time you’re in Berkeley, CA, looking to invest in taking a workshop, or just looking for a new outlet to hone your glassblowing skills, Revere provides a one stop shop. With the school running full time you can take classes with a private teacher, enroll in a course in either Intro to Glassblowing, or participate in their many pipemaking classes which you can’t find anywhere else! Revere also offers a host of different workshops other than the one
we got to see. Revere likes to keep the rotation of inspirational artists that come to visit a year round affair. Upcoming workshops feature artists such as: Phil Siegel, LaceFace, Merc & JRed, Mirco, and much much more! And with GlassQ you can take advantage of the whole school without having to leave the comfort of your workspace! With the opportunity to watch workshops and classes, you can get right into the action going on at Revere Glass School; plus all of the bonus material and peers to chat with on the site that is available!
Silika Glass & IceMan Product Review by The Glass Otaku
In the realm of functional borosilicate art, innovation is key. Artists from around the country strive to create the latest and greatest each day in hopes of sparking the curiosity of smokers everywhere. Many artists tend to cling to a certain style or technique while pushing the boundaries of their particular genre. Resident artist and tube-master IceMan, of Silika glassworks is one such artist. Having been obsessed with the idea of an inline percolation system, he has been experimenting with this design throughout his career. And we are here
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to tell you he’s made a breakthrough. On our recent visit to the Silika workshop nestled in the mountains of northern Los Angeles, we were invited to see what they had been working on since the New Year. What they showed us blew our minds! After months of R&D and IceMan’s hard work, Silika had devised the Double Inline percolator system. The concept is easy in theory to us laymen, but very tedious and difficult when constructing. To explain, one smaller inline is encased by a larger inline with the slits on each inline opposite to the other. As a result of this design, your smoke travels down the fixed stem through the first diffuser and into the second diffuser. It is again defused from that point. This thing takes the cake!
sizes than ever before. And like all other Silika pieces, cleaning is a breeze. With their simple design it’s easy to be in control of the cleaning process. We can’t wait to see what Silika has for us to check out next, undeniably they never cease to amaze! Seems like every time we hear from them they have re-shaped and re-vamped their line to keep it cost effective and ascetically pleasing. If you’d like to carry Silika in your shop or you’re looking for a piece for your private collection please contact them at: www. silikaus.com.
The hit from this piece is unrivaled. Unlike other pipes were you doubtingly question the need of a second diffuser, the Double Inline creates a smoother hit and breaks up bubbles to smaller
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Fuzion Gallery & Boutique Store Review by Glass Otaku Originally founded Fall 2006, Fuzion relocated its store to State Street, Santa Barbara’s premiere downtown and shopping district in January of 2010. Since their humble beginnings, Fuzion has been a hybrid boutique: one part underground men’s fashion and one part functional glass art. Upon entering the store, vibrant clothing displays and colors draw you in. The entire upstairs of the building is devoted to clothing and accessories, carrying some of today’s most popular brands; including Akomplice. Once you have had your fill, venture downstairs for the true treat. The entire basement level is devoted to glass and smoking accessories. Custom gallerystyle cases tastefully display glass pieces. Urban paintings and artwork hang on the walls, while welcoming plush, leather sofas offer seating and display additional t-shirts. At first glance, Fuzion looks more like an art gallery than a glass shop, but that is precisely the intended tone. Custom Fuzion wooden slide holders prominently display bowl pieces and ash catchers around the store. Not to mention, Fuzion is one of the few stores in the nation to carry exclusively American-made glass, hoping to offer inexpensive but quality alternatives to Chinese knock-offs.
helpful. Always willing to talk shop, the Fuzion crew have extensive background information on all the pieces and accessories they carry, as well as an unrivaled encyclopedic knowledge of prevalent glass blowers. Fuzion Gallery and Boutique is truly the glass store of the future. They have successfully transformed the typical head shop visit into a unique and specialized experience. Much like a collector selects his new painting, so can you carefully choose your new pipe or bubbler in a relaxed and upscale environment. For those unable to make the pilgrimage, FuzionSB.com provides a webstore feature with an online purchasing option. Fuzion can be reached at (805) 687-6401 during normal store hours: 11-7 MON-THR, 11-8 FR-SAT, 12-6 SUN
The staff could not be more
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J.R.R. Tokin' Fellow enthusiast Paying tribute to one of the most beloved writers of all time, J.R.R. Tokin’ trudges through Middle Earth and beyond, seeking out out the most exclusive and elusive glasswares, accessories and new technologies. As a founding member of IgniteMe. co, Tokin’ is also a leading contributor and fellow enthusiast.
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Snic & Slop
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Snic & Slop by The Glass Otaku Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a ductile, semi-precious metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish. It is used as a conductor of heat and electricity, as a building material, and a constituent of various metal alloys. Copper is used in a wide variety of different settings weather it be industrial or artistic. People see it in art they become interested. When Snic started putting copper to glass it changed the face of the industry. He may not have been the first to harness the mystical art of electroforming but his distinct syle has put him on the map as the worlds premiere source for copper work when it comes to glass art. Snic has been working with glass since 1997, originally from Philadelphia his work has given him the opportunity to travel throughout different cities studying lamp-working. He has even taken classes at the prestigious Corning Museum of Glass studio in New York as
well as the Appalachian Center for Crafts in Tennessee. During his travels as a lamp-worker, he’s worked around the world, as well as all over the country. After visiting Japan twice to teach and demo at the Borosilicate Art Expo in Tokyo, he met Saito Daisuke aka SLOP. Once they met they easily bonded and have kept in touch ever since. Can you guess where this friendship is going? This friendship has lead to one of the most lethal collaborations the IgniteMe crew has ever seen. Made to look like a McDonald’s or Starbucks cup, the measurements of these exquisite pipes is about 5 1/2” in height by 4 1/4” in diameter. Decked out top to bottom in gears, wires, and sprockets, making these are some of the most interesting Snic works we’ve seen. SLOP’s kanji illustrations behind the copper create a perfect look for the cups, almost akin to a pattern. Only three cups were made during this collab, one black, one white and one clear, but it’s pretty hard telling them apart with all of the copper! We’ve talked to Snic about possible future collaborations, and apparently this will be the first of many!
These three cups sold so quickly they’ve decided to make more! If you’re looking to get your hands on one of these beauties we wish you the best of luck. Only a few were made, of which all were sold within the first weekend. So your best and most realistic bet would be to scour sites like Boro Market. If you are interested in getting one of the future collabs between Snic and SLOP or if you’d like to score one of these for your smoke shop or dispensary, Snic can be best contacted via his glasspipes. org page. If you’re just interested in getting yourself an ultra-rare SLOP cup, Saito Daisuke can also be contacted via his glasspipes.org page.
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AS SEEN ON TV Product Placement for our Industry by: Matt LaPrairie
Davyd Field wasn’t near a TV when it happened. He was out having dinner when all of a sudden his phone was flooded with 200 text messages from friends, family and colleagues. They kept pouring in, one after another, congratulating him on getting the Gravity Vortex on the hit Showtime series Weeds. A few months earlier he had the idea to just go to the studio in Hollywood where the show is filmed. Davyd showed up at the set with his Gravity Vortex and some herb and quickly made friends with the stagehands. Eventually he was able to
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meet someone in the props department and they let him put a Vortex on the set, just to see what would happen - no promises. This strategy worked great for Davyd, but not everyone is able to go to the studio in person and make friends. 420 Science is based in Austin, TX so we took a different route to getting on TV. We also wanted to be on Weeds and decided to contact the set decorator, who is in charge of the set dressing, which includes furnishings, decoration and other items seen on the show. We didn’t have the email address for the set decorator on Weeds, but we knew the show was currently in production.
www.420.mx/vortex So, we found the address of RenMar Studios online and sent them a box of our products and a letter introducing ourselves. They were surprised to receive this package from us, but luck was on our side because they were going to be filming a dispensary scene in a few days and needed a bunch HotBreath of 420 Jars team to - this QR c stock the shelves. We sentspot them forover it near the article o 100 jars via Next Day Air - not cheap, but totally worth it.
420 Science also scored product placement in Entourage and the stoner comedy A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas. But we’re not the only company to do this.
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Davyd Field has also been successful at getting his products on the TV show Wilfred, the Kottonmouth Kings video “My Garden” which has played on MTV and has over half a million views on YouTube, and the “Harold & Kumar Christmas” movie.
I talked to Shuman and asked her how product placement traditionally works. She said the studios hire specialists, like herself, or agencies that have contracts with large corporate brands. She looks at the scripts and matches the brands with items that are in the scenes. It could be a cell phone, earrings, a drink – anything the actor touches or comes into contact with.
the production schedule, set decorator, studio, and set address. Search Google, IMDB.com, and LinkedIn to find this information. Subscribe to the online edition of the Hollywood Reporter for info on production schedules and locations.
Shuman describes the value of this service, “When a consumer sees a celebrity using a product, there’s an implied endorsement factor.” She goes on to say that by having cannabis use portrayed as a normal aspect of life, it reshapes the opinions of society. More than anything, he credits this success to generosity. He’s been giving product away for years. He first met the Kottonmouth Kings at the 2006 Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam when they stayed at the same hotel. He gave them the Gravity Vortex and other products at the Cup, then again at music festivals and other events where he happened to bump into them. None of it was with the expectation of any sort of quid pro quo. But last year the band contacted Davyd, thanked him for all his generosity over the years and asked if he had any products that he’d like to have in their new video. His product placement in Wilfred was also due to his generosity, but in this case it was about the time and effort that he personally gave. He developed a friendship with Cheryl Shuman, one of the organizers of KushCon, because she needed some help and Davyd volunteered. Some time later, she was hired as a consultant for Wilfred and thought of Davyd when they needed smoking devices for the show.
In addition to her duties on Wilfred, Cheryl Shuman has been an activist for the legalization of marijuana, the executive director for the Beverly Hills chapter of NORML, a founding member of the NCIA and has recently launched Green Asset International Inc. – a private fund with a $100 million equity line seeking to acquire and invest in businesses in our industry.
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“Product placement is great for bragging rights and everything, but as a businessperson, you really want to see the return on investment,” Shuman says. And that is the problem with our industry approaching product placement from a traditional perspective, where fees start at $5,000 and can exceed $1 million. Shuman wants to find companies that have something special, “real brand potential” in her words. She likes to work with good people and because she focuses on the smaller niche of the alternative smoke industry, her fees start at $1,000. You can email Cheryl.Shuman@GreenAssetInc.com if you’d like to work with her.
Then contact the set decorator and tell him or her how much you enjoy the show and why. Mention something you like about the set, so the email is personally relevant. Say that you’d love to send some products for his or her personal use, and to give out to the crew. Don’t ask for placement; don’t even mention the possibility. You’re a fan and it would make you happy to have these people enjoying your product. Establish a rapport with the person you’re talking to; be friendly. After they’ve received a package from you, let them know that if you can help them at any time in the future with stuff for their set (or even for themselves personally), that you’d be happy to send more products from your company and others in the industry. You’ve received a lot of help to get where you are, and you want to help others in return. If you’re offering help rather than asking for a favor, you’re much more likely to see your product on TV or in the movies.
Of course, there’s always the organic method of product placement. This is how Magnum Detox ended up in the hands of Vince Chase, played by Adrian Grenier, on Entourage. Brady Daniel, the owner of Magnum Detox, wasn’t trying to get his product on TV. Most likely, a set dresser was sent on an errand to buy detox from a smoke shop and Magnum ended up on TV due to its popularity. However, if you don’t want to wait around for the organic method or spend $1,000 and up, you can try the following steps and hope luck is on your side. Create a spreadsheet with all the shows you’re targeting. Make note of
Matt LaPrairie is the co-founder & CEO of 420 Science. You can read his blog at www.420CEO.com or email your thoughts to CEO@420Science.com.
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS BLAST SHIELD: A piece of glass mounted on the torch usually in combination with a marver for the purpose of shielding the artist from fumes and heat while working. Blowpipe: refers to a pipe used to blow a bubble of air into a gather of molten glass, as the first step in the creation of hand-blown glass art. Didymium: is a mixture of the elements praseodymium and neodymium. It is used in safety glasses for glassblowing, Especially when a gas (propane) powered forge is used, where it provides a filter which selectively blocks the yellowish light at 589 nm emitted by the hot sodium in the glass, without having a detrimental effect on general vision. Blocked also is the strong ultraviolet light emitted by the superheated forge gases and insulation lining the forge walls thereby saving the crafters' eyes from serious cumulative damage.
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Lathe: The glassblowing lathe is different from a machine or wood lathe in that both the headstock and tail stock are driven synchronously. And the basic process is fundamentally different as well. Whereas traditional machining is subtractive, scientific glassblowing requires that the hot glass be redistributed. This presents challenges for numerically controlled, automated equipment, as the feedback loop necessary. A skilled glassblower is still better than a machine. Kiln: If hot glass is cooled too quickly it will shatter or crack. Blown glass pieces must be annealed or slow cooled from approximately 900 degrees to ambient temperature over a span of many hours. Frit: Rolling molten glass in smaller bits of colored glass for the purposes of decoration; particles can vary in size and consistency from coarse chunks to fine granuales, similar to sand.
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Article by Josh Kesselman
Are you that pioneering store owner who prides themselves on having the best store in town? Do you add the new products first and then watch painfully as your competitors copy your every move? Do you make special offers and new store displays just to have them replicated by that guy down the block? Do you feel like your competitors follow you around with a camera to imitate your every move – that they would have no idea what to do if it wasn’t for you – that their entire business wouldn’t exist if they didn’t have you to copy? All I can say is WELCOME TO MY LIFE… In our industry there are precious few of us that truly innovate. Most people just watch and copy. It’s the same in most industries but ours seems particularly afflicted, and I’m not sure why. I know that in my case (rolling papers), my competitors don’t even smoke! Therefore it’s impossible for them to make innovative products. If you’re in this industry purely for the money, you concentrate on money – spending all of your mental energy on thinking of ways to make more money. If you’re in this industry for the love of it, you have a different focus. You think “wouldn’t it be great if…..” as you light a smoke. You and I know each other when we meet at trade shows. We both have that same look in our eye. We shake hands and knowingly smile at each other. Now I know it’s incredibly painful to be copied, especially by people who you don’t like. However it’s the way of the world. I once gave a speech describing how I feel
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like I’m being chased around by a Xerox machine from Barcelona. This machine chases me everywhere I go. I can hear it in the background saying incessantly “I will copy you – I will copy you – I will copy you”. Sometimes I file patents for my inventions but the Xerox machine doesn’t seem to care much about patents. It still copies and spits out its smudged photocopies as quick as it’s mechanical operation can. It has no soul. Xerox machines don’t smoke, they don’t innovate and they don’t even have feelings. They just do what they do – copy and copy and copy some more. It doesn’t help to get angry at the Xerox machine. It’s not really its fault – it was just made that way. It wasn’t gifted with a brain like ours. It can’t innovate; all it can do is copy copy copy. So where does that leave us innovators? We have to keep putting out new inventions as fast as we can. We have to stay one step ahead of that ever chasing Xerox machine. You’ll go to the shows and find the new products, stock them, then find those same products on the Xerox machine’s shelf a month later. However that month makes all the difference. Customers know that you’re the innovator. Nobody wants to buy a Folex – they want the real deal made in Switzerland Rolex every time. Sure the Folex costs less, but it isn’t special, it isn’t genuine – it’s not REAL. Let’s think of the Xerox machine as something that forces us to innovate. Without it, we might not press as hard to
keep making and selling new products. In the end smokers all benefit from the incessant copying – because it forces you and me to make and market new items every few months! Sometimes the Xerox machine can be patient; often when I put out a new product the Xerox machine from Barcelona will wait to see if my new invention sells well. If it does, it presses its own COPY button and voila, copies of RAW for everyone! I recently invented and launched pre-rolled paper tips. I can feel the copy machine sitting there eyeballing my new baby, thinking “Hmm, should I copy or wait to see if people dig it”. ….. When you stocked my pre-rolled tips the Xerox machine down the block probably thought the same thing. Maybe they sent over one of their probes to see “is the box on the shelf half empty?” All we can do is push forward, blazing a new path (or onward through the fog as one of my customers likes to say). In the end you and I are partners in innovation, and together we will leave the copy machine to choke on our ashes ;) Joshua Kessleman is founder and CEO of HBI Internatational.
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continued from page 56 Jazz Musician: Ornette Coleman
with the top glassblowers in the industry. Lacey explains how difficult it is to be taken seriously in the Fine Art world without a master’s degree or a resume of exhibitions. Although she is an expert in her trade, Laceface claims, “the word ‘pipe’ makes me associated with the weed culture. It makes me flirt with the line between criminal and citizen.” Laceface contends that the pipe makers have completely revamped the lamp working art form. “The Art world just hasn’t caught on…YET.” Nevertheless, the underground nature of the movement is what has created such a stir. Like graffiti art, hip-hop, and even jazz, glass pipes and their makers are a defiant wave against the conservative norm. The smokers and collectors who vie for and buy their art are the judges of the work rather than the bourgeois art crowd. Laceface adds “It hasn’t been packaged and sold by the wealthy business elite. People respond to what they can identify with.” Even the government’s attempts to
3 of 3: pieces by Lacey St. George photos by Mitch Moquin
squash this movement have somewhat furthered its progress. When Operation Pipe Dreams went down in 2003, the art movement and the industry adapted. I spoke with Snic, another mastermind in the glass scene. Like the Ornette Coleman of glassblowing, Snic has absorbed the rules of his craft and broken the confines of what we imagined possible. In Snic’s words, “Just like anything else in life,
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Operation Pipe Dreams showed that
Genetically Modified Organism by Snic
nothing is certain or predetermined. Everything we have can be taken away in an instant.” As scary as that sounds, the idea is actually liberating. Despite the healthy competition in this industry, there is a strong camaraderie among businesses and between artists to preserve and cultivate this trade. Snic is a man of few words, but his artwork speaks volumes. His recent work, which debuted at the B.I.G. show in Las Vegas is titled “Genetically Modified Organism”. The creature heaves and spurts with Victorian postapocalyptic splendor. It’s a comment on the growing power Monsanto exerts over the food sources around the world. The devastating effects of Monsanto’s agricultural grip are felt in Snic’s portrait of a bionic monster. This being has come to us from the future, a sage sent to warn us of the detrimental effects of bio-engineering and thoughtless consumption. In essence, glass blowers are sculptors and performance artists. There is an exhilarating showmanship in the art of glassblowing. Professional flame-offs are these beautiful competitions that showcase the synergy and tension involved in working with glass. Trade shows provide the perfect atmosphere to witness the magic unfurl, but what if these competitions were televised or sponsored by companies outside of the counter culture sphere? M. Slinger
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agrees, “Art costs money to make,
This organization strives for social and
opened in notoriously progressive areas
and glass especially is an expensive
legal acceptance for the entire counter
like Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco
medium. With less financial limitations,
culture market, especially the artists
and St. Marks Place in New York, we
a lot more pipe makers could more
that are a driving force. “Strategic
are now seeing specialty glass shops
easily reach their
thinking,
in suburbs and strip malls. It’s obvious
potential.”
communication,
this is not a niche market. There is
and education
more competition, but also increased
are key for
awareness and visibility. Now is the
continued
time to unveil this talent, and like street
growth,” says
art, it will become part of our visual
UCCTO co-
language.
Like many folk based mediums, there is no canon, but the internet allows for community building and cross critique. The glassblowing pipe movement has harnessed the internet profoundly
EVERYTHING WE HAVE CAN BE TAKEN AWAY IN AN INSTANT
by using it
founder Tristan Blackett.
Glassblowing has touched on a
The UCCTO
generation of revolutionary thinkers
also offers
who know what they want. How are we
information on
going to change the mass perception of
staying relevant
glass pipe art? Snic put it best, “Be a
and having long-
good American. Don’t be afraid.”
term viability, which is a
Thanks to Kate Csillagiof Gravitron
difficult aspect in
and all the artist’ who gave their time
as a platform for image sharing,
any artist’s career.
or were mentioned in this article. For
selling, and learning new techniques.
The longer this industry has gone
more information on Lacey St George,
Laceface feels, “The competition that
unnoticed, the more it has flourished.
scan this QR code.
is generated when people post their
Whereas, the first head shops were
recent works allows for new ideas and styles to grow at an exponential
Magritte Parody by Ty Lookwell
rate. Access to information changes everything.” Facebook groups such as the Functional Glass Art Community Census and forums like glasspipes.org provide information and images, as well as glassblowers’ personal web pages that present online portfolios of their work. The UCCTO is another conduit to transform the perception of glassblowers and the entire industry.
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mad lib by Misty Miss Demeanor and Ty Lookwell
Illustrations by Kate Csillagi
FOR SALE 1971 El Camino Super Sport This ________ gem is in ADJECTIVE
_________ condition. It has only ADJECITVE
had _________ previous owner(s), NUMBER
none of which were ever convicted of __________. Last owner only CRIME
drove to _________ on Sundays. PLACE
Maintenance was performed __________ including ADVERB
__________ jobs and ADJECTIVE
__________ oil changes. Can NOUN
easily fit _________ foot NUMBER
_________ in the _________ NOUN
ADJECTIVE
bed. It's a total _________ NOUN
in the _________ bed. It's a ADJECTIVE
total _________ in the front NOUN
_________ in the back! Also NOUN
comes with complimentary _________ to hang from your NOUN
_________. Will consider NOUN
_________ offer to include ADJECTIVE
_________ __________ NUMBER
PLURAL NOUN
in trade.
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