David Winship interviews glass artist Paul Stankard about the new John Burton Program in glass art.

1. Tell us more about the John Burton Program we have been hearing so much about lately.

Laura Cassidy Roman, Clinton Roman, Robert Minkoff and I developed a grassroots educational program inspired by Laura’s familiarity with online courses. Both Laura and Clinton are very talented modern-day “Renaissance” people, with whom I became friends through Salem Community College’s International Flameworking Conference in 2009. It was this connection, and their enthusiasm for independent study, along with many e-mails and conversations, that led to developing the John Burton Program. Slowly, this online glass-art educational program grew into an independent study resource center designed for borosilicate flameworkers, but not exclusive to them. I love teaching, and it was the Romans who opened opportunities for me to share my experiences with the younger glass artists whom I care about, especially the boro flameworkers. Laura and Clinton Roman, Steve Sizelove, Robert Minkoff, and Matthew (Banjo) Stroven were involved in a trial run over a 13-week period to fine-tune the course. Our mission statement is a result of their involvement with and feedback on this seminar-type course.

Mission Statement: The John Burton Program is a grassroots, educational, self-help organization established in 2009 to celebrate excellence in flameworked glass. Beginning as a resource website, this non-profit entity exists to promote independent studies through on-line courses, seminars, and its growing internet library. The John Burton Program will facilitate and document juried exhibitions of artwork for exhibit and sale. John Burton, our namesake, was a physicist whose interest in creative flameworking inspired the 1960s glass community through his teaching and techniques to hand-color borosilicate glass. The program is dedicated to educating and inspiring creative people in the art and science of flameworked glass.

Special thanks go to the Robert M. Minkoff Foundation for funding and advice at the early planning stage.

2. No Green Berries or Leaves, The Creative Journey of an Artist in Glass is a great read! What inspired you to write this book?

Thank you for the endorsement. The book tells of the creative journey I took that involved overcoming one obstacle after another to establish a career as a studio artist in glass. The book begins by talking about my failure in school and moves forward to share the value of perseverance and self-education, and how it become my security blanket. I credit my wife Pat and her business skills for our success, especially in the early days. Pat, with her confident mothering skills, made do with very little for me to have enough money to buy a few tools and the materials to create paperweights.

I wrote the book to be a source of information and inspiration to the hundreds of flameworkers outside the studio glass movement, and to offer my formula for independent self-education. I often hear young people who want a career as a studio glass artist say, ”It’s who you know more than what you make.” In fact, that statement couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s always about the quality and integrity of one’s artwork.

Writing the book was my way of inviting those interested in a career on the creative side of hot glass to understand that success, however one defines it, requires artistic maturity nourished by studying art history, knowing the history of glass past and its creative present, and interacting with a community of artists.

3. What tool can you absolutely not live without in the glass studio?

Interesting question and one that has my mind going in five different directions. The obvious essentials are my torches, tweezers, carbon rods and paddles, along with my filter glasses. These tools facilitate creative ways to explore and celebrate nature in glass. I’ve concluded the answer to your question is my three-inch diameter pick-up plate and collar. My tools are very modest compared to most of the production shops I’ve visited over the years. In my studio, I’m creative within narrow parameters. This encapsulating unit dictates the size of my work and has been the source of much redesigning over the years. It has allowed me to layer visual information inside a four-inch cube and orbs that has become the artistic vocabulary for me to celebrate “sex, death and God in glass.” Tools are for crafting, and the ideas nourish the art.

4. What is the next chapter in the “Paul Stankard journey”?

I love teaching and I’m very proud of my association with Salem Community College as a part-time instructor. It’s very satisfying to interact with talented young people who want to be on the creative side and are working very hard to learn skills and acquire information about all things art and glass. In addition to my work with Salem’s glass-art program, I’m looking forward to becoming more involved with mentoring high-energy boro workers who want to grow with artistic authority and, ideally, earn a place for their glass art on the national glass landscape.

5. What are your thoughts about community-building events like the Colorado Project and the International Flameworking Conference?

As the creative flameworking community grows with artistic maturity and authority, it’s going to blend into the larger glass community and its work will be exhibited in cultural centers and museums around the country. Cultural activities and educational gatherings like the Colorado Project and Salem’s I.F.C. advance talented flameworkers while integrating them into the larger glass-art–making community.

6. Finally, what is the best piece of advice you can give to an aspiring glass artist?

Make your studio as comfortable as your living room, because you’ll be in there more than your house. Educate yourself to the things you care about, and that interest will find its way into your glass.

Note: David Winship of Eugene, Oregon, is the newest board member of the John Burton Program. David’s leadership on the national glass scene is a valuable asset to the program’s vision.