The Beauty in Tension

…that glass bubble

That finds philosphers such trouble

Whose least part crackd, the whole does fly

And wits are crack’d, to find out why.

                           Hudibras by Samuel Butler, 1663 (on the mystery of the Prince Rupert’s Drop)

Eleven years of wonder, exploration, observation, study, making, remaking, and countless hours of grinding and polishing.  Oftentimes, in the grueling tension of  discovery, beauty emerges in so many ways.  Thanks for taking the time to wonder what emerged from our collaboration with Destin and Smarter Every Day.  Cal has created twenty signed and serialized  Prince Rupert’s Drop-inspired pieces entitled, The Beauty in Tension – gradually he will produce more.

As a sculptor, an ever-expanding understanding of materials is critical in refining one’s ability to fluently translate ideas into expressive physical objects.  These solid works in glass capture a moment in time where a Prince Rupert drop while in a state of great tension is trapped in molten glass when the tail is snapped, and the tension released.  Due to the viscosity of the molten glass, the moment of this tension release is captured in time.  Once, the solid pieces are cooled, carved, and polished an unexpected beauty is revealed under the light of a polariscope which is a tool glass makers use to see stress in their glass wares.  The unique stresses captured in these pieces are all remarkably beautiful.  The surprise of beauty in tension revealed through creative experimentation and exploration is a main reason I love making art.  Part of this whole process of discovery was captured with the genius camera and talents of Destin Sandlin of Smarter Every Day – a YouTube channel that is exploratory in nature. The whole video is available HERE.