For the last few weeks, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about the lost art forms of our world and the people that fight so damned hard to keep them alive. Last week, I posted a documentary a... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
I now realize that I/we probably use the adjective 'beautiful' too frequently, when it's not really applicable. His work is truly beautiful. Thanks for sharing this, RYAN.
Thanks for sharing. Amazing! I never really thought about how the cuts were made into the glass with the wheels and all. Chris Oh yea, here is his site: http://davidadriansmith.com/wordpress/?p=186
Wow....i've worked in a glass shop...done a little grinding and done many stained glass pieces.....this artist is impressive...what a shop...nice shop truck too..!!! definitely worth watching..!!!
What a great way to start off the day again!! It would be really nice if this transgression back to the old ways could catch on with everyone but not in a way that it cheapens it. My friend(who is also a sign maker) just opened a tattoo shop in my towns center. He wanted to do a leafed front window and the town said no! town bylaws dont allow it...progress! right?? its next to the pizza shop with two bud neons and an "open" l.e.d. sign
Through much of high school I planned on being a sign writer, even worked in a shop after school. I was doing customer jobs after my first week, not too bad as I was only doing two hours a day after school. I had an apprenticeship organised there for once I had graduated, then the shop owner changed his mind. Told me he wouldn't give me the apprenticeship, it was a waste of time as vinyl was taking over. Told me to go use my talent somewhere else..........so I joined the Army!! Doc.
The Japanese people respect this sort of thing and the mainstream media there heralds these folks as national treasures. People like potters, swordmakers etc. Wouldn't it be something for our media to respect our hot rod and custom guys that way. Seems like the sort of work Larry Watson, Ed Roth, and all the others created should be reverred in the same way. Nice to see at least some art museums catching on to how grounbreaking this work really was and is. Maybe thats part of why we all like and appreciate these videos.
Very refreshing. A friend of mine was paralyzed at 19 and became a sign painter . He did a lot of the same. I like the way he had made tools to hold the glass while he manipulated it. I had another friend who lost an arm in an accident on a MC. He became one of the best restorers around.Undaunted by his handicap;he made similar tools and even used his feet. Gold leafing is a real art.I have a friend who does it on motorcycles.His technique has to change every few months as the compostion of clear does. Thanks for sharing that. It is nice for people who work with their hands or wish they were working with their hands.
These are some great videos. I think that most hot rodders are very creative people and can appreciate any arts that take that much skill and patients. Thank you for posting these videos.
heck he'e seems like a young lad ... what a work history already i'd pay good money for his castoff's prolly ain't any tho..... makes me wanna practice my long hand cursive handwriting... the nuns would slap my desk with a yard stick alot for me to do better in grade school .. even hitting me directly did not keep me at it ... this artist is wonderful and very interesting to watch... thanks
That is just totally amazing work ! To see how it is done is mind blowing to say the least . Incredible work and I hope that art is never lost or forgotten ! I never knew it was done that way . I thought it was done with a small tool with a grinding wheel on it . I do remember seeing windows and mirrors like that when I was small back in the 50's but like many other things , someone finds a way to do it with a computer for next to nothing . I really don't think anything can reproduce that style and look of art besides another pair of gifted hands . Ryan , thanks for showing us such a truly beautiful form of art ! Retro Jim
<style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> Thank you Ryan for posting this. Although OT the usual, as indicated by you in the article, it shows a respect for like minded individuals who love traditional “craft” and “craftsmanship”. These once common everyday practices are, and will, disappear and eventually shall become like ancient practices that are dug up studied and put on a shelf as the world moves on. Once again the only real constant is change.
I thought the video link you posted last time about the mural artists was wicked cool but this one is right up there with it. I think this guy has more than a friday art show, he has a life art show. How cool of a job, glad to see he is trying to pass on his great knowledge of something so breathtaking. I have always wondered how they did some of that, truly awesome!!! I hope you find more inpirational videos to share with us, thanks Ryan!!
That was too cool! When I was a kid, my grandfather, who was a very accomplished person in many different disciplines, Sat me down and said the following - "Why waste your time being a god damned hot rodder! If your not going to be a doctor or lawyer, at least be a sign maker!" I have remembered that conversation and retold it many times over the last thirty five year or so, but that video lit the light bulb in my head. That's what he meant! Those are the techniques he was taught in the twenties when he was apprenticing at sign making. Had this video been around thirty five years ago, that might have been pivotal in my thinking. As a hot rod builder, I like every body else here keep the flame of ways past alive every day, and consider my knowledge a stewardship. I too have waited for the old techniques and practices to come back in some small way, and I am seeing a bit of a push to people becoming disinterested in computer generated perfection and repetition. I wish I had that gents talents though...
wow, I suddenly want a piece of glass like that in my house. I agree, we need an indepth report on that shop truck.
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