Hello Lightning Tamers!
This is episode 12! In today’s podcast we have the Austin, Texan artist Ben Livingston who is internationally known for his neon/light sculpture. He is the inventor of an opalescent color palette for neon, using a variety of UV sensitive phosphorescent compounds and minerals. Ben originally observed these glowing compounds in New Zealand in 1985 which ultimately led to his signature work- luminous tubes he calls 'Nightsticks' or 'Spirit Antennae'. He’s a multi-medium artist of a variety materials and skill-set, a musician/songwriter, and avid storyteller as you’ll discover shortly. We get a great story of his neon journey, thriving in the face of recent health problems, and reveal of what goes into his opalescent color palette, which I hope will gift you with appreciation for the journey, and inspires you explore and play in your work and life. Show Notes
images from www.BeNeon.com
Thank you for listening to the Taming Lightning Podcast!
I'd like to thank Ben Livingston for having this conversation with me. I definitely enjoyed his story and appreciate his willingness to share with us his opalescent phosphor technique. If you have the opportunity and the resources, spends some time to explore what’s been presented in this episode. We’d love to see what you discover! Also, I'd like to thank Pittsburgh Glass Center for supporting me as a place of research and inspiration, as well as encouraging me to pursue this project, and the Plasma Art Alliance where I have access to the well of knowledge and connects me to some amazing people. If you like to support Taming Lightning you can donate through Buy Me a Coffee, a service where patrons can donate for the price of $3 cup of coffee. links are provided below. Feel free to share, comment, and subscribe. See you next time! Percy Echols II Taming⚡Lightning
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Hello Lightning Tamers,
This is Episode number Ten! “ Light up your World with Plasma” Thank you for patience. It’s been long 7 months, since our last podcast episode.A much needed hiatus after my Dad had passed away. I've been struggling to find my light, but I knew my Dad wanted me to keep going and to do something I love, and this podcast and exploring this medium is definitely part of that. In today’s episode I’ll be talking about the first plasma class offered at Pittsburgh Glass Center taught during the 2018 Summer intensive by Wayne and Mundy. In which future episodes in the line up will about the Plasma Resources compiled for that class by Anders Mikkelsen who was one of our TAs. By the end of this podcast I hope to leave you with overview on that class, a few things I’ve learned leading up the class, and some fundamental guidelines for making Plasma Glass. Mind you the guidelines will continue to be modified and expanded upon as we have more people practicing and sharing their discoveries. Show Notes
Thank you for listening to the Taming Lightning Podcast. I'd like to thank Wayne and Mundy for bringing an awesome new experience to PGC, and for being great mentors and friends on this plasma Journey. Some honorable mentions as it comes to this Episode would be Ed Kirshner, Chris Burak, Gavin Tiernan, Pat Collentine, Anders Mikkelsen and Aaron Ristau, among those of the Plasma Art Alliance Community and growing Plasma Family, as I would not be able to get this far without being able a share, exchange, and explore new information, this has allowed me to put together something as comprehensive has these Guidelines.
Also, I'd like to thank Pittsburgh Glass Center for supporting me as a place of research and inspiration, as well as encouraging me to pursue this project, and the Plasma Art Alliance where I have access to the well of knowledge and connects me to some amazing people. Keep an eye out for more classes at Pittsburgh Glass Center as we work to provide a space for learning neon and plasma. Check it out on the web at www.pittsburghglasscenter.org or call our studio at 412-365-2145 Feel free to share, comment, and subscribe. See you next time! Percy Echols II Taming⚡Lightning
Now unlike previous episodes, I will be reading a transcript of our email conversation, this was done to remove any language barriers between us, as well as to provide a convenient and comfortable atmosphere for the interview. I was able to see Bernd’s work in person during the exhibition, and it’s even more amazing in person.
It’s been quite a pleasure being able to communicate and connect with him for the podcast. Now as much as I’ve been following him, there’s not a lot about him. Besides his website, he kinds of keeps to himself, so I would consider him a “Hidden Master” in terms of someone with tremendous technical skills as a Master Scientific Glass Blower, but also as someone who could take that and free themselves as an artist. We’ll learn about who he is, his exploration in glass through plasma, his relationship with Ed Kirshner, and how he grows from his technical and artistic practice. Show Notes
Transcript
Thank You for listening to the Taming Lightning Podcast.
I'd like to thank Bernd Weinmayer for taking time away from his work and projects for the email interview, and for sharing with us about himself and his work.Also, I'd like to thank Pittsburgh Glass Center for supporting me as a place of research and inspiration, as well as encouraging me to pursue this project, and the Plasma Art Alliance where I have access to the well of knowledge and connects me to some amazing people. Keep an eye out for more classes at Pittsburgh Glass Center as we work to provide a space for learning neon and plasma. Check it out on the web at www.pittsburghglasscenter.org or call our studio at 412-365-2145 Feel free to share, comment, and subscribe. See you next time! Percy Echols II Taming⚡Lightning
I invited her on the podcast after seeing her posts on Facebook and Instagram. Initially hesitant to the invitation, but she was happy to share her experience as a glassblower at the beginning of a new process. Here we’ll be illuminating the struggles of learning Plasma, the issues she had to overcome, as well as the role that the residency for an artist developing new work, and importance of mentorship and support.
Without further ado, onto the podcast! Show Notes
Thank You for listening to the Taming Lightning Podcast.
I'd like to thank Harry for taking the time to be on the podcast, especially between residencies. And for being open to talk about her experience in working with a new and difficult medium. Also, I'd like to thank Pittsburgh Glass Center for supporting me as a place of research and inspiration, as well as encouraging me to pursue this project, and the Plasma Art Alliance where I have access to the well of knowledge and connects me to some amazing people. Keep an eye out for more classes at Pittsburgh Glass Center as we work to provide a space for learning neon and plasma. Check us out at www.pittsburghglasscenter.org or call our studio at 412-365-2145. See you next time! Percy Echols II Taming Lightning⚡ More Content
A video by Suki & Hugh Gallery for the Hearts and Minds exhibition featuring Harriet Swarzrocks "Between Stillness and movement" , "interconnected" collaborations with Brian McNamara, "4th state of matter", and Penny Byrne’s piece "hurt locker."
Cold Attached Electrode
Thanks to Harry's careful documentation, I can talk about some of the things she does in her process, and SHOW one of 3 types of electrode attachments: Hot, Warm/Kiln, and Cold. I'll go into more detail about Electrode attachement in future posts.
There's a lot more to the process of electrode attachement, especially between different glasses: softglass vs borosilcate, electrodeless/wireless, and Making Your Own Electrodes. Which I hope to update after Wayne and Mundy's Class is August.
Mundy has been a great source of wisdom, knowledge, encouragement, as well as having a personality of seemingly boundless energy. I appreciate all he's done as a friend and mentor, and very excited to have him as an instructor at Pittsburgh Glass Center this summer.
Without further ado, onto the podcast! Show Notes
Thank You for listening to the Taming Lightning Podcast. I'd like to thank Mundy for taking the time to be on the podcast, being very generous with his knowledge and continuous support! Also, I'd like to thank Pittsburgh Glass Center for supporting me as a place of research and inspiration, as well as encouraging me to pursue this project, and the Plasma Art Alliance where I have access to the well of knowledge and connects me to some amazing people.
Keep an eye out for more classes at Pittsburgh Glass Center as we work to provide a space for learning neon and plasma. For more information on the 2- Night Neon and Plasma Globe workshop and Summer Intensive with Wayne Strattman and Mundy Hepburn, please check it out on the web at www.pittsburghglasscenter.org or call our studio at 412-365-2145. See you next time! Percy Echols II Taming Lightning More Information
Mundy's Lab
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Image: Return to Hieroglyphics by James Akers
Disclaimer
Welcome to Taming Lightning, I'm Percy Echols II. I'm the creator and host of Taming Lightning, as well as the emerging plasma tech at Pittsburgh Glass Center, where I'm researching and developing a space to explore Plasma and Neon Light as an Artist Medium.
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