Nautical glassblowing

 Michael Hengler's interest in boats extends from his childhood in Wisconsin and fishing trips with his family. A camping adventure over a long summer weekend was reminiscent of an entirely different world to the young Hengler. This nautical fascination has flowed into Michael's most recent work completed this summer, 2013, at his recent fellowship at Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center in Millville, New Jersey.

The piece to the left is a hollow glass blown vessel.  Hengler suspended a sandblasted glass boat inside the vessel and filled it with water. The finished piece is capped off with a solid glass orb and permanently sealed the fate of the capsized boat.

 

 The piece above, called "Unroll to Go", combines glass blowing,
glass fusing, and a found metal object.  A detailed shot is shown below.

The five canoes on the left are ready to embark on an unknown voyage.

For more of Michael Hengler's work, check out his website at Michael Hengler.com