Book of Down Below

Blown glass foundlings; Photography

Dimensions vary

2022 - Present

Photo Credit for contrast series: Mackenzie Serwa

Photo Credit for polariscopic series: Mackenzie Serwa

Photo Credit for photogram series: Lynn Bierbaum

While at work during a blow slot there is an interesting, overlooked making phenomenon taking place underneath my work bench.  Down below, an arrangement of glass trimmings, cut offs, mishaps, and other glass waste - all the byproduct responsible for bringing stemware to life - is accumulating as an art installation all its own.  It is the residue of repetition and discipline, but an arrangement built entirely by chance.

To honor this happening I’ve been designing various methods of making something out of this moment, these objects.  A recent idea to commemorate this residue is through of a book project called “The Book of Down Below” and is asking me to physically gather these glass remnants at the end of my blow slot and photograph each of them in a highly professional, high-res way.  The vision for this book project will culminate as a collaboration with essayists, storytellers, and poets where each foundling is paired with text provided by these writers inspired by thoughts revolving around ideas about discarding things, abandoning and abandonment, directionality, the downward, the remnant, and renewal.