1. ANDREA LÓPEZ NÚÑEZ ELISA CUESTA TURIENZO PABLO GARCÍA AGUIRRE
GLASS CRAFT
ANDREA LÓPEZ NÚÑEZ
ELISA CUESTA TURIENZO
PABLO GARCÍA AGUIRRE

2. HISTORY OF GLASS CRAFT
Stone-age man has used naturally occurring glass obsidian, the black volcanic glass, and tektites to craft weapons and decorative objects.
Archaeological findings in Egypt and Eastern Mesopotamia indicate that the first manufactured glass dates back to 3000BC.

3. In the beginning glassmaking was slow and costly, it was luxury item and few people could afford it. The discovery of new technique of “glass blowing” around the end of the 1st century and was a revolutionary event in the history of glass making. This invention was attributed to Syrian craftsmen.
The art of glass making flourished in the Roman Empire and spread across Western Europe and the Mediterranean.
A flourishing glass industry was developed in Europe at the end of the 13th century when the glass industry was established in Venice by the time of Crusades (AD ). In 1291, equipment for glassmaking was transferred to the Venetian island Murano where “cristallo” (colorless glass) was invented by Angelo Barovier.

4. After 1890, the development, manufacture and use of glass increased rapidly. Glass has evolved through advancing technologies and technological evolution naturally continues. Today, glass- making is a modern, hi-tech industry. Modern glass plants are capable of making millions of glass containers a day in many different colors and have been developed for precise continuous production of sheet glass tubing, containers, bulbs and host of other products.

5. TYPES OF GLASS ART
The types and categories found in glass art are formed basically by “How it was made”. The techniques and processes an artist uses to make contemporary art glass are often used in describing the artwork.
Today we are going to talk in essence about “glass blowing”.

6. WHAT DOES A GLASSBLOWER DO?
Glassblowers – sometimes referred to as glassmiths or gaffers – are artisans that create handmade works of art with molten glass.
A day in the life of a professional glassblower generally starts with combining the ingredients for glass in a heavy metal cauldron. These ingredients are then heated to extremely high temperatures in a kiln or furnace.
The main tool of a glassblower is a long metal pipe, which is appropriately referred to as a blowpipe. Once the glass ingredients have melted, a glassblower then dips the blowpipe into the mixture and rotates it to cause a blob of molten glass to collect on the end of the pipe. The glassblower then removes the pipe – complete with the molten glass blob – and blows short puffs of air into the end of it.

7. Depending on the desired look of the finished piece, other tools and equipment can also be used to shape the glass as well. Flat graphite paddles and calipers can be used to press, pull, squeeze and twist the molten glass, for instance. Many glassblowers have assistants or apprentices to help with this process. Molds can also be used during the glassblowing process as well.
After a glassblower has formed the molten glass to the desired shape, the piece must be cooled properly to prevent the glass from shattering. This is usually done by cooling and reheating the glass repeatedly.

8. ANA
Ana has a shop of glass products in an small village of Palencia, Guardo.
We have decided to interview her, because it´s a rare and fairly labourious work.
Here you can see the interview we have carried out, we hope that you will enjoy the interview and you‘ll learned something more about this job.

9. INTERVIEW
We know that you work with glass in a profesional way, are there many people working on that job? As main activity, would it be posible living only as a glass craft? What is the rating of this activity in the National Treasure?
The glass work isn´t very professionally common on Spain,there aren´t many people that work on this, or in the artistic part. Our institution´s don´t know this world and don´t support galeries, museums,etc. Althought, in other countries do. I have been working in this 18 years and I live from this, I hope this will answer the second part of the question. In the National Treasure we are classify as “manipuladores y trasformadores de vidrio”.
How do you know that you wanted to work profesionally in this job? Is it a vocation?
My vocation had been always artistic,and when I first knew glass, I saw that I wanted to work with it.
How long have you been working in that sector?
I have been working 18 years

10. Which studies are necessary to practise this job? Have you got it?
The universitary studies of glass are being taught in the UVA since few years and they take four years. When I studied, I did 2 years because it was the time required when I studied
We know thsat you have a small shop in a small village of Palencia (Spain), why did you set up the shop there? Are you satisfy with the results?
I set up my shop at Guardo because it´s where I live and I love village´s life. It was hard to go ahead with the shop but via internet we don´t need to stay in the city. And, yes I´m very satisfed with the results.
As we have previously researched about your job, we have found out that this is a hard and dangerous work, have you suffered any profesional incident while you have been working?
It´s a dangerous job, so it´s important to follow the convention, althought I have burned myself several times, without much effect.

11. What phase of your work do you like the most?
The things I like the most are the glassblowing and the creation of sculptures.
Like last question, can you tell us , what the opinión about your job of your family or friends is ?
People show surprise and are very kind, so they want to know more about it. They express things like: “Oh, It isn´t common” or “The things you do are brilliant!!”
Thank you for your time and aptitude, it has been a honor to know a little bit more about your job.