Podcast | EP 44: David Svenson - Path of Light, from Alaskan Skies to the Neon Studio

Hello lightning Tamers this is episode number 44. In today's podcast, recorded June 22, 2020, I'll be joined by David Svenson David Svenson was born in 1953 in Upland, California. He graduated from Pitzer College in 1980, and has been incorporating neon in his work since the mid 80s. Often using glass and neon as his dominant medium, hiis works are known to express the subtle glow of colored light in combination with carved wood or other sculptural materials. Growing up in the rural citrus country of Southern California, just miles away from classic examples of State Route 66 neon signage, he was left with an early impression of multi-colored light easily seen in the darkness of the night. This childhood juxtaposition, combined with witnessing breathtaking displays of the Aurora Borealis in mid teens where he studied Alaskan Tlingit art and culture, set David on the path of light. Learning, teaching, sharing skills and knowledge about glass, neon, art and the Pacific rim cultures are important aspects of David’s life today. Aside from working in his studio, David teaches at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and has taught classes at the Pilchuck Glass School, WA, Corning Museum of Glass,, Urban Glass, NY, and has given workshops internationally. He has served as Board President of MONA (The Museum of Neon Art) and works periodically with a team of Alaska Native totem carvers on large commissions.

Hello Podcast listeners, before we begin today's episode I want to thank everyone for their support for Taming Lightning, especially those who are supporting me through Patreon. They help cut the cost of hosting the podcast, and for their contributions receive some additional benefits.   
Currently I’m working on Chapter Notes based on the Intro to Plasma Series, pulling out sections of the video podcast, expanding, and adding better visuals all repackaged for quick and easy access.
Current Chapter Notes is for Chapter 2 where I’m working to expand the importance of structure in plasma to provide a set of Structural Guidelines.
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Hello Lightning Tamers,

This is episode number 44. In today's podcast, recorded June 22, 2020, I'll be joined by David Svenson
 
David Svenson was born in 1953 in Upland, California. He graduated from Pitzer College in 1980, and has been incorporating neon in his work since the mid 80s. Often using glass and neon as his dominant medium, his works are known to express the subtle glow of colored light in combination with carved wood or other sculptural materials. Growing up in the rural citrus country of Southern California,  just miles away from classic examples of State Route 66 neon signage, he was left with an early impression of multi-colored light easily seen in the darkness of the night.

This childhood  juxtaposition, combined with witnessing breathtaking displays of the Aurora Borealis in mid teens where he studied Alaskan Tlingit art and culture, set David on the path of light. Learning, teaching, sharing skills and knowledge about glass, neon, art and the Pacific rim cultures are important aspects of David’s life today. Aside from working in his studio, David teaches at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and has taught classes at the Pilchuck Glass School, WA, Corning Museum of Glass,, Urban Glass, NY, and has given workshops internationally. He has served as Board President of MONA (The Museum of Neon Art) and works periodically with a team of Alaska Native totem carvers on large commissions.

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Show Notes

Music Credit

• Preview - Retro by ONE 
• ​The opening theme -Taming Lightning by Trav B. Ryan   
• Sponsor - Good2Go by ONE
  
• Credits - Walking by Ras-Hop

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Venxtex Technology

• Today’s Podcast is sponsored by Ventex Technology, which strives to keep the art of neon alive by providing high-quality transformers and neon sign accessories to the sign industry worldwide. We also pride ourselves in servicing existing manifolds as well as building anew, and this is accompanied by thorough tech support by Morgan Crook. With neon being the heart of our company, we can help you power the past with present technology!

💻www.ventextech.com
📧jessica.graves@ventextech.com
​📞803-794-8061

Glass Art Society

• Since 1971, the Glass Art Society has been using the joy of glass to connect, inspire, and empower all facets of the global glass community. From the early days of the American studio glass movement to the upcoming United Nations’ International Year of Glass, GAS continues to foster connections across generations, disciplines, and borders. Join them in celebrating 50 years of Glass Art Society as they present the 2022 GAS Conference in Tacoma, Washington, USA, from May 18 through 21. With the theme Between Here and There, this milestone conference will explore the past 50 years of glass and what the next 50 years holds for making, collecting, and educating. Visit glass art dot org today to learn more and register.

​💻www.glassart.org
📧info@glassart.org
​📞206-382-1305

Fluxeon

• Today's podcast is sponsored by Fluxeon Induction Heat, by Garett Churchill. Fluxeon is a small, family-run company out of San Diego, CA. We specialize in induction heating solutions for annealing brass, and all manner of brazing, soldering and heat-treating. The neon version of the Annie heater is perfect for converting neon electrodes in both conventional neon tubes as well as plasma art pieces.

💻www.fluxeon.com
📧sales@fluxeon.com
​📞858-699-6096

I hope you enjoyed the podcast. 

Thank you David Svenson for joining me and sharing with us your inspirations and about your approach to light.  

You see David’s approach to neon and plasma is sculptural and he brought up a good point about art. That the critics and your audience are not likely to care about technical or the name of said technique. I agree that the overall important thing to consider is the art, and it’s meaning. To expand on that is to say that your rendering of your meaning is dependent on where it arrives on an aesthetic and philosophical matrix, how it is conceived and rendered on it’s design and it’s concept and or symbolism. As example bugs bunny, a hyper real painting of rabbit, and the white rabbit from alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, each have  varying degree of design, detail, and symbolism to meet their particular purpose and or meaning.

So this has got me thinking deeply about plasma as a medium in glass, and overall place in Art and sculpture. More thoughts on that soon, if you like please comment on the blog or send email to percy@taminglighting.net. I’d love hear what you think about that, and recommendations to who to have this conversation with.
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As always Be Safe, Be Healthy, and Be Strong, and I’ll See you next time. 
​
-Percy Echols II, Taming Lightning