Shane shares his personal history, cultural influences, & artistic evolution as one of the foremost American flamework artists. Follow his path from its early beginnings at Santa's Workshop & Cypress Gardens, through his trailblazing career as one of the visionaries that redefined the hot glass world. Find out how Shane’s insightful and progressive ideas are being implemented within the Glass Art Society, where his reign as President has resulted in many new benefits for members and the glass community. Look for the printed version of this podcast in the SPRING, 2010 issue of Profitable Glass Quarterly

Join us as we explore the personal cosmos of Julie Riggs. Her glass sculptures blend spirit, sensuality and nature with passion, conviction and skill. It's a successful mix! We discuss fairies, figures and flamework, as well as technical subjects such as amber purple, surface mixed torches, and her recent collaborative work in Las Vegas. This interview was conducted as we stole extra time before checkout at the end of a GAS Conference in Corning. Excerpts of this interview were printed in the Winter, 2009 issue of The Flow Magazine.

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Join us as we explore the Japanese flameworking scene. Roger Parramore shares with us how the Japanese aesthetic has influenced his work. Try as he might, efforts to resist the artistic flavor of the Far East proved futile! Enjoy this cultural immersion, and his articulate & candid observations on the joys & dangers of absorbing and adapting the artistic imagery of a foreign land. Find out about the Osaka University of Art, and it's world class flameworking program....the first program of it's kind, anywhere! Look for excerpts of this podcast in the Fall, 2009 issue of Profitable Glass Quarterly, as well as a downloadable PDF version soon to be available at www.profitableglass.com.

So you think you know a little about borosilicate color, do you? Join Suellen Fowler & I as we take a walk down memory lane and explore the history and chemistry of colored borosilicate glass. Boro is notoriously difficult to color, because traditional coloring agents burn out at the temperatures required for boro. Starting with her early experimentation under the tutelage of John Burton and Margaret Youd, Suellen began creating her own color recipes while still in her teens. Her formulas became the basis of some of Northstar's original formulas back in the '80's. Her hand mixing techniques and incredible attention to detail produced some of boro's best beloved colors, including the rubies & the precurser to the amber purples. Find out how it all happened in this intriguing interview. Excerpts of this interview can be found in print in the Spring 2009 issue of The Flow Magazine. See Suellen in action! Her DVD, “Flamework: An Intimate Art” will show you her famed hand mixing technique, as well as the creation of a fire-breathing dragon, an Aurora bottle, a hobnail perfume bottle with stopper, and a spinning top. You can purchase the DVD at www.firelady.com Note: This podcast contains a telephone interview. At certain moments the audio may be less distinct than in an interview conducted in person. So turn up your volume and enjoy! We would like to thank: The Flow Magazine for sponsoring this episode of Glasscaster.

Listen to Lisa as she enthuses about the all new Workhouse at Lorton. This historic center has the infamous distinction of being the holding tank where protesting suffragettes were held after marching on Washington! Currently open to the public, this newly revamped center will become the largest arts community on the east coast. Lisa also discusses details of the upcoming ISGB Gathering in Miami, and additionally gives us a step-by-step discussion on the best ways of fuming with gold.

Wayne Strattman is a pioneer in the world of illuminated glass.Taking neon to new levels, his installations are architectural in scale, and internationally acclaimed. A PhD with an engineering background, his inner mad-scientist escapes on occasion. His book, "Neon Techniques" is the industry standard. His own work , however, leaves ordinary neon behind, and expands into product lines such as lightning and crackle tubes, plasma spheres, and his famed Luminglas. Created through a patented process, Wayne and his company, Strattman Design, have managed to sandwich lightning-like effects between two pieces of flat glass, using phosphor-sensitive beads. Luminglas has enthralled people in museums and night clubs across the globe. This interview was recorded at the Glass Art Society Conference in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Strattman helps promote an annual neon show at GAS, and does much to nurture the evolution of illuminated glass as an art form. Listen to this engaging interview! You can find out more about his work at: www.strattman.com