Chris Nordin
Working with glass for Chris Nordin is a lot like riding a rollercoaster. The ever-changing quality of the glass requires the artist to have great skill, intuition and a bit of luck. While working with the hot glass provides an intense adrenaline rush, for Chris there is also something in the experience that seems a bit contradictory. “For me it’s also like existing in a state of pure calm and solitude,” he said. Calm that can only come from a master craftsman working in a medium he loves. His work is inspired by contradiction, as well: urban industrial grittiness and the organic intensity of nature. He sometimes pairs these two qualities in his work. “I’ll find some rebar that someone threw out and wonder, ‘What can I make with this?’” The results can be seen in one of his pieces that features twisting metal bars paired writhing glass tentacles. All of his work highlights a highly attuned attention to detail and intense execution of technical ability.