A dance of light and pattern on glass
- David specialises in cane and murrine glassblowing techniques
- His multicoloured glass sculptures are composed of tens of thousands of threads
- He takes a distinctive approach to the use of colour and pattern in his pieces
David Patchen was immediately drawn to glassblowing as an avocation during his first exposure to glass in 2001. In 2012, after attending a class at the Pilchuck Glass School and receiving mentorship from Afro Celotto, a renowned master of Murano glass, David turned glassblowing into his full-time occupation. At the core of his artistic practice are the traditional cane and murrine techniques. “My glassblowing approach takes colour in unexpected directions in pursuit of detailed and intricate glass pieces,” he says. David’s objects can be found in private collections, among them Elton John’s, as well as museums and galleries worldwide. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors at Public Glass in San Francisco.
INTERVIEW
From the beginning, I was mesmerised by what can be done with glass and how tricky it is to learn. I am still enamoured with the material, how it behaves, how it bends and transmits light and how it can convey colour and pattern.
I usually do not use objects as inspiration. I generally think about colours that I liked in my previous pieces and try to use them differently in future work. Occasionally, I will see a colour combination out in the world, perhaps in clothing or design, and consider trying it in glass.
When I create, I try not to think too much. I dive right into designing and revise as I go. For new forms, I tend to think a lot and do trial-and-error prototypes in the studio. I do not sketch, but maybe I should. Because my work requires a great deal of careful and time-consuming design, I only blow glass ten hours a week.
I have had my own studio space for 20 years within a centre for glass art. I share space in a public-access studio in San Francisco with many other artists. I intentionally do not have my own hot shop as it would be very inefficient.
