Roger Gandelman
Glass
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I am a glass artist and have been blowing glass for 30 years. Early in my career I decided to put the bulk of my energy into making art glass perfume bottles. I believe I am the only glass artist in the country, perhaps in the world, who has devoted his full artistic efforts into making this object. My bottles, although small in scale, make a grand statement.
I see perfume bottles as small, elegant treasures; made to be turned, touched, and relished. I strive to make the form organic, smooth, and familiar, with very few sharp angles. The lip is simple and unobtrusive. The interior decoration adds life, movement, and dimension to the piece.
I use both furnace and torch techniques to make my work. Colored glass is applied to the clear glass surface to build the flowers. The piece is then encased in more clear glass to achieve a multi-layered 3D optical effect. The flowers appear to be suspended inside the glass. Many of my bottles have various exterior lusters applied while the glass is still molten. The bottle is then cut and polished the next day (using diamond grinding equipment) to open up windows in the glass to expose the interior decoration.
I do all the glassblowing in my studio. I do not like to work assisted. Because I do not work with a team, every progressive step in the creation of the piece has to satisfy me. No piece is finished until I think it is a beautiful perfume bottle.
I try to make my designs timeless…unmarred by passing trends; with flavors from the age of excellence, encased in a contemporary form.