Glass-blowing competition is fiery fundraiser for Sonoran Glass School

Flame Off 2018 offers Tucsonans with an interest in the arts a one-of-a-kind opportunity to get fired up.

The premier torch-working competition in the region features 18 local, national and international glass artist competing against the clock — and against one another in an “Iron Chef”-type atmosphere — to create works of molten glass art from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday at the Sonoran Glass School, 633 W. 18th St.

“There is something primal and visually stunning about watching fire and glass create visual works of art in front of your eyes, and that is what intrigues people about this event,” said Nick Letson, associate director of the Sonoran Glass School. “When you see nine artists doing that at the same time (in two 90-minute rounds of competition) while having other professional artists commentate and educate on the process, it creates this whole very unique event that you can’t see anywhere else in Tucson.”

Each artist must complete a work of art within the 90-minute timeline; artists will work within the 2018 theme, “Assemblage: More than a sum of its parts,” to construct each piece live. After the competition, judges choose first- through third-place winners; a people’s choice award will also be chosen via the Sonoran Glass School Facebook page.

The pieces of art — which range from bowls, vases and other vessels to beads, pendants, paperweights and sculptures — are donated to the Sonoran Glass School and can be purchased through an auction. Proceeds benefit education programs for seniors, adults with disabilities and youth through the nonprofit organization.

“We are the only full-service nonprofit glass school in the desert Southwest, so it is important that we get support to continue to offer services, which include educational programs for youth. Many of the schools we serve have little or no budget for art. So people can be entertained while also supporting glass-art education in Tucson,” Letson said.

Since 2001, the youth education programs have provided classes in fusing, mosaics, stained glass, glassblowing, torch-working, bead-making and kiln-casting to students from more than 35 schools and youth organizations. The program also emphasizes the creation of public art installations in schools throughout the city.

In addition, Sonoran Glass School offers the public a variety of courses, one-on-one experiences, visiting artist seminars and community events to encourage appreciation of glass as a visual-arts medium. Private and group classes — which are available for every level from beginning through advanced — highlight craft, color and design in glassblowing, torch-working and kiln-casting.

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“Being able to offer the public classes in this arts medium is really special. This medium combines science, art, communication, teamwork and physics. It is the most ultimately exciting art form that you can be part of,” said Letson.

Artist Brian Jacobson, who will compete in the Flame Off for the fifth time, said the medium is constantly evolving with new materials and techniques and that it is a thrilling time to be a glass artist.

Color advances in different glasses due to innovative combinations of metals, oxides, rare earth and new tools and technologies are revolutionizing the art, Jacobson said.

“The colors we are coming out with literally have never been made before, so it is like a Renaissance art movement. Color companies are putting metal oxides like cadmium and chromium and different metals in that react with the glassy matrix. The chemistry and logistics just weren’t possible before. And we are making stuff that was impossible to make 20 to 30 years ago by pulling liquid glass into rods and tubing. ... We are in new territory,” he said.

Jacobson plans to showcase some of these techniques in a metal and glass sculpture at the Flame Off through his interpretation of the event’s theme in a piece called “Synergy.”

“Synergy is the collaborations we do with people. When you can connect on vision, there is a magic that comes out and ideas come through that you wouldn’t have working alone. I am focusing on synergy through a representation of the Vesica Piscis sign of two overlapping circles,” he said.

Jacobson equates that same type of synergy with the Sonoran Glass School, which he said promotes a supportive glassblowing community that is like a family.

“It is great to see this big family of people working together to support each other. We have glassblowers that come from all over the country, and Sonoran Glass School opens their facilities to events that spark people’s creative fires. Everyone is sharing their abundance,” he said.