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It's an ongoing struggle to explain that it's often more difficult to do something on a very small scale than to make it larger.
(Was it ever solved why they call the German eyes "hand-blown", as hand blowing glass usually implies blowing air into a bubble and create a vase or similar open-shaped vessel, not solid all-glass insides like eye??????
What a nice welcome! I thank you!
I've not made bears for a long time now. I think the last one was in 2000.
As for the "hand-blown" question, the same issue comes up all the time in the glass world. Technically, most teddy bear eyes aren't blown at all, as you mentioned. Many doll eyes, however, are blown. I think the terminology is used for convenience and, possibly, out of laziness: Most people have a point of reference when you say "blown glass". Teddy bear eyes, with a few exceptions, are "hand dipped", which isn't a process that the majority of folks are familiar with.
I'm enjoying my work as a glass blower! I make small blown vessels that can be displayed or worn as a pendant. I teach all over the world, and have a studio for blowing glass in my home.
Debbie
As someone who has made both large and tiny bears, I have to say that in many cases the tiny ones aren't as appreciated as the larger ones. Not always, mind you... In many cases.
That said, I have been working in glass for many years now, and find that I still prefer working tiny over working large. It's an ongoing struggle to explain that it's often more difficult to do something on a very small scale than to make it larger. I've found many parallels between the challenge of working as a bear artist and as a glass artist.
Tink Martin (aka Debbie Kesling)
