Lebanon, Ohio

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Darren Goodman’s vision for his future is clear.

As an emerging artist in the world of glass sculpture, the Kings High School graduate aspires to one day match the likes of such world renowned glass maestros as America’s Dale Chihuly and Italy’s Lino Tagliapietra.

The 24-year-old, who credits his mother’s glass collection for instilling his own fascination in learning how to create glass, anticipates years of hard work in his drive to reach those ranks.

With plenty of up and coming artists looking to do the same, “I have to keep pushing myself to get it better than what my best is,” Goodman said.

Only two years out of Bowling Green State University where he earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in glass making, Goodman expects to devote the next dozen years or so to creating “good stuff.”

Right now, his work runs the gamut from multi-hued fluted bowls to sculptural pieces of a more avant-garde nature.

He continues to learn and hone his craft in his studio located along the U.S. 42 byway between Lebanon and Waynesville.

Dancing amongst the studio’s “hot” setup of furnace, work bench and reheating chamber, Goodman’s work begins with a molten “bubble” of glass and a blow pipe.

“You use gravity to help you with everything you do,” said Goodman. Time is of the essence as he blows, turns and shapes the glass within 15-second increments, reheating the piece in the “glory hole,” which like the furnace, is fired up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Larger pieces require the assistance of another and Goodman’s father, David, is glad to lend a hand from repositioning tools to blowing puffs of air into the pipe.

“I don’t mind playing rhythm guitar,” said the Landen man of his role as student and helper. “Darren is the lead guitar.”

Once the piece is finished, it is placed in the annealer — a storage unit heated to about 1,000 degrees which allows the piece a slow cool-down and crack-free finish.

The “cold” studio is where Darren Goodman applies the techniques of cutting, grinding and polishing glass vessels to create his own sculptures, inspiration coming from a college apprenticeship with contemporary glass sculptor Leon Applebaum in upstate New York.

That work is the direction in which he sees his career moving,

Already, some of his pieces are fetching better than $1,000, Goodman said.

A 1999 graduate of Kings High School, Goodman initially looked to college for a degree in business before turning his attention to the arts.

A visit to the music department wasn’t particularly encouraging, said Goodman, “so I went across the yard to the arts building.”

There he met professor and glass instructor Robert “Bud” Hurlstone to whom he expressed an interest in learning how to blow glass.

“His response was ‘you’ll love it,’ ” Goodman recalled.

Goodman, himself, has taken on the role of teacher, offering glassblowing lessons at his studio.

Goodman’s studio is located at 3712 U.S. 42. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

More information about Goodman and his work can be found online at GlassExperience.com.

A Waynesville dulcimer group will perform Sunday afternoon on the front porch of the Angel of the Garden Victorian Tearoom, 71 N. Main St.

Glass blower Darren Goodman is participating in his second year with glass blowing demonstrations on Saturday at the top of each hour from noon to 3 p.m. He has works displayed in galleries in Montgomery and Fairfield, as well as custom works and internet sales and specializes in vases, bowls and sculptural glass. Goodman said he will give glass blowing demonstrations open during his Saturday hours at 3712. U.S. 42, just south of Waynesville.

A complete list of artists and locations are available at the Waynesville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Fish House Art Gallery and the Wayne Township House, 62 N. Main St. The third Arts Alive Tour of Studios and Galleries is already being planned for Sept. 15 and 16, 2007. Artists interested in joining the tour are invited to call Sharen Eninger at (513) 897-1280.

For more information on this weekend’s events, visit www.fishhouseart.com/home.htm.