THE PROCESS

FROM RENDERING TO REALITY

When viewing Barry Entner’s wildly free-flowing works of glass art, you cannot help but take pause. Not only does each piece deserve a moment so that you can fully inhale its magic, but the experience is extra-meaningful when you consider the countless deliberate creative decisions – and physically demanding work – that are embodied in every piece of custom glass. After conceiving of an idea – whether it is an indoor or outdoor sculpture, a chandelier for a mansion foyer, or unique wall sconces for a wine cellar, Entner starts to develop every concept in his sketchbook. The custom glass artist carefully maps out every aspect of his creation, from a rough sketch to scale drawings – all before even picking up a tool in his studio. From shapes and measurements to the physics of how it will hang or stand in a space that best reflects the light and color he has deliberately chosen, Entner doesn’t overlook any detail of his masterfully-designed glass pieces. Once every possibility has been considered and plans are finalized with clients, the artist begins the intense process of glass blowing, working tirelessly to produce an inspiring piece that manifests his desire to reflect the relationship between kinetic and potential life.
Foxglove-1050-sketch
“My concepts as a custom glass artist begin with primary forms and color. Once those are defined, I determine the shapes of the individual pieces of custom glass along with a coloring technique. At this point, my ideas can evolve into a reality. I consider each of the individual pieces as paint strokes that, once assembled, become my desired composition. I don’t make these using traditional blown glass techniques. For the past 15 years, I have developed a method of using steam pressure, produced by way of inserting a wet cherry wood cone into solid hot glass, to ‘blow’ air into the pieces. This allows me to create shapes and forms that are unique within the art glass world, and are ‘Other Worldly,’ as they are sometimes described. All of my work is signed and dated. Glass is a conduit for light, which is thoroughly considered as I engineer the lighting components. Each lighting system is specific for each sculpture. The type of light utilized, (LED, Low Voltage halogen, cold cathode, etc.), is dependent on the piece and the wishes of each client. The metal work for each fixture is done in-studio under my supervision. The lighting is designed to ignite my work with an interior glow and an exterior burst of color, light, and movement. I have been commissioned to create multiple sculptures and sculptural lighting for many exclusive, private, highly-confidential residential projects, but I have also created pieces for resorts and casinos, as well as corporate sites, that are enjoyed by thousands of guests every year.”

-Barry Entner, Glass Artist

BARRY'S SKETCHPAD