![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ancientrails.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/doug-becker.jpg\" "\\"doug")
<\/a>like to say) Kate and I visited a glass blower, Doug Becker, glass maestro–on his card–who lives on 40 of the original 80 acres he grew up on. \u00a0His brother has the other 40 and is also a glass blower.<\/p>\nA blue collar artist, he got his start at Anoka-Ramsey Technical College, then went for a brief stint in Sweden. \u00a0He had a colleague from Cambridge displaying with him and an apprentice–a guy who kept showing up–working on a piece, opening and closing the door of the oven with foot pedals like an organ, blowing occasionally on a small orange blob of molten glass, then sitting down to rest the blowing pipe on two metal arms, a place to roll the rod while cooling and shaping the glass using a cup like tool with water and on occasion a stack of wet newspaper.<\/p>\n
A cute boxer and a water spaniel wandered around, tried to get us to play while we ate sausage from the deli tray and watched. \u00a0We left, walking past his sculptural glass flowers planted, he said, where he puts his canna lilies. \u00a0The glass flowers light up.<\/p>\n
His bass boat sat in the big garage attached to a smallish house.<\/p>\n
Next was a domestic quality potter, a good thing for us, since we need to replace some bowls and platters. \u00a0His work has a journeyman’s quality, good enough for everyday use. \u00a0A friend of his turned wood in the garage, showing a wide array of bowls, mostly bowls. \u00a0Some well done and interesting, others finished in a hurry, like the end of Missing. \u00a0Need some work.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the most intriguing place we visited was a blacksmith’s, Daniel Kretchmar’s We also discussed, rather he discussed, iron blooms, pig iron, wrought iron–which is not made anymore and he gets his supply from demolished buildings–a great metal to work, and the making of his 81 fold kitchen knife with a random wave pattern reminiscent of the oft folded Japanese katana. \u00a0He teaches blacksmithing on Monday nights and I might go. \u00a0This craft has its adherents on Tailte.<\/p>\n The next to last stop was another glass blower, Jeff Sorensen. \u00a0He had been at it “37 or 38 I would buy from any of these folks. \u00a0Kate suggested we start using local artists as sources for gifts. \u00a0A good idea. \u00a0It’s another part of the art after the MIA process I’m still noodling.<\/p>\n The last stop of the day. \u00a0They had pamphlets about the Promise of Heaven, sappy water colors and pottery with a great glaze, used over and over again in pots of similar construction but different sizes. \u00a0Didn’t stay long.<\/p>\n Back to the homestead and a nap.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Spring \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Bloodroot Moon The Northern Art Crawl. \u00a0Up here in the outer reaches of the urb artists live separate … Continue reading Northern Burb’s Artists<\/span> <\/a>Irontree Works. \u00a0His items on display were so-so, but I asked a question, had he ever made an ax? \u00a0This got the engineer cum teacher cum blacksmith going on iron, steel, carbon steel, quenching and 1800 degrees, orange where things happen. \u00a0You can tell, he said, if a piece you’re working is at 1800 degrees by holding a magnet to it. \u00a0If the magnet doesn’t work, you’re at the right heat.<\/p>\n<\/a>years” and the fluidity with which he handled the pipe, at one point twirling it like a drum major’s baton to cool the work in progress, showed him a master of his craft. \u00a0His work displayed that skill as well. \u00a0We talked a bit about slowing down, about letting go of things we don’t need. \u00a0“Lots of things!”<\/p>\n