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Msimbi T.K

P.A.C.T 14: Intricate as Glass

Hello friends & Family

I hope your autumn is off to a good start and your plans for the season are falling into place, as the leaves change, and schools start up again, for many. This is the 14th article of P.A.C.T History & Art. Yet, as I was trying to brainstorm ideas, I found it challenging to come up with something to write about. I felt like I had run out of artsy projects to try out, and not much else was going on in my life.

For instance, though I am interested in finding a godly man to spend time, and/or eventually spend my life with, I am not in the biggest hurry, and I’m also fine (in every sense of the word) and can live independently, without a romantic relationship, even if it’s not my ideal situation.

As well, I’ve been busy with work and have restarted school, though it is just a prerequisite class.


However, this doesn’t mean there’s nothing to write home about, as some would say. I have had a breakthrough in my friendships, I’m starting to get the hang of my work and am still looking forward to my last semester, as soon as the technical aspects get sorted out.

This shows that there have been things going on in my life and that I’m making strides.


As well, I am continuing to learn about different art styles. The most recent one came by a strange route, I discovered this type of art because of a failed relationship attempt.


It’s not that I was using this person just to learn about the art, but he had mentioned the form briefly before ghosting me. Unfortunately, I did very brief research on this art form and decided that we’ll study something else, like glass blowing.


Glass blowing was discovered in Syria in 300 B.C. Syria is located to the west of Iraq, the East of Lebanon, North of Jordan and South of Turkey. This was in the heart of ancient Mesopotamia. Though this region now has a war-torn reputation, it has also been a center for the birth of beautiful glass creations.


The process of glassblowing includes “inflating molten glass with a blowpipe to form a sort of glass bubble, that can be molded into glassware for practical or artistic purposes” (MDG, 2019). This is done in eight steps. These are:


1. Place glass in a furnace heated to 2000 degrees.

2. Gather molten glass with one end of a blowpipe & roll over molten glass until the mass of glass attaches to it.

3. Roll molten glass on a flat slab called the marver. The marver controls the shape & temperature of the glass.

4. The molten glass is then rolled on to crushed and colored glass, in order to give it its color, as the colored pieces fuse onto the molten piece.


5. The glory hole is a hot chamber used to reheat glass. This tool is interchanged with the marver, as the glass is taken through both tools to make the glass more flexible, so the glass is fused to the crushed pieces.

6. We then remove the glass from the glass pipe, using jacks, which are essentially big tweezers. while the blowpipe keeps turning. One can then remove the glass piece in one go.


8. Lastly, using heat resistant gloves, one will want to move the blown glass to an annealing oven, where the blown glass will cool down in several hours, rather than undergoing a sudden temperature change, which could cause the glass to crack or fracture completely.


Maybe this process piques your interest, or maybe you care more about the "why".


Well, the reason I chose glass blowing was because my recent attempts at dating, have blown up, or come to zilch, mostly the second option. I am somewhat new on the dating scene and am going at it at what seems like a glacial pace.


Which is why so far, through this season, I’ve learned that I can be impatient, though it doesn’t happen often. As well, I am finding that I have many things, or specifically, ideas and hang-ups that I’ve got to let go of, and some people to forgive. Don’t worry, I don't think it's any of you, but I do know that forgiveness is hard for me, and I can hold a mean grudge, for a long time. Still, it doesn’t help me. While I hold on to some hurt that someone inflicted weeks or years ago, the other person has moved on, and is going about their day, without a care in the world about that incident.


As well, I have to remember, that I’m not perfect either, and if I don’t forgive others, Jesus says that He can’t or won’t forgive me. So, instead of holding a grudge, try reconciliation, which is talking to the person and smoothing out your issues, then try some smooth jazz or ethereal music, and glass blowing instead. How can you be mad when listening to ethereal music and creating an art piece from glass? It doesn't make sense and takes too much time, effort and emotion.


Speaking of which, like glass blowing, relationships take some steps and take time, both are a process to create something precious, but the continual effort is worth it,


Thank you!


References



How was glass blowing invented? – learn glass blowing. (n.d.). Retrieved on 22 August 2022 from





DMG School, “Our Purpose DMG, 2022 Retrieved from Purpose - DMG School (dmgschoolproject.org) on 22 August 2022.


Syria. Countries and Their Cultures. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2022, from https://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Syria.html#:~:text=Orientation%201%20Location%20and%20Geography.%20Syria%20borders%20Turkey,the%20population%20 %20...%203%20Symbolism.%20

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