I knew exactly how I would celebrate Mo’s Manic Monday on Marbles. However my mind has been elsewhere since last night and so my post is kinda fragmented.
I collect paperweights. Not the cutesy animal shapes or the tourist souvenir type of paperweight. More so the handcrafted “art glass” kind of paperweight. 
One of my all time favorite glass artists, David Salazar began making marbles a few years ago. I have a few of his marbles (including the three shown here) in addition to several of his paperweights.
Every year Salazar participates in “Open Studios” here in Santa Cruz. Within the glass world he is internationally known and respected. And yet at his studio behind his home he is the most cool, down-to-earth, personable artists you’d ever meet. I actually watched him create this underwater scene marble with the seahorse. I had asked if I could purchase this one…he agreed….but told me it wouldn’t be ready for a week or so. I’m a patient kinda gal when I have to be.
A few days later the phone rang and this guy says: “Hello this is David Salazar. I make paperweights and you bought one from me during Open Studios” Before he even got through saying “paperweights” I was interrupting with “I KNOW WHO YOU ARE” (I could hardly contain my excitement…David Salazar…was calling ME at HOME”) He kinda laughed…and I realized I better calm down before he thought I was a crazy stalking fanatic groupie.
Turns out he got my number from my check…he didn’t like the way the seahorse turned out and wanted to give me my money back….or let me pick out a differen
t marble. I told him I still wanted the one I watched being made….so he lowered the price….WAY lowered the price…and even agreed to sign it…which he doesn’t usually do when he is not totally satisfied with the results.
The Moon and Stars marble is one of his signature designs. I have a similar paperweight from 1989…before he was famous…which is worth a bit more than I paid for it. The Red, White, and Blue one I bought on Independence Day in 2002 at the Capitola Art and Wine Festival.
If you want to see more of Salazar’s marbles….and other works…check it out.
Every year Salazar participates in “Open Studios” here in Santa Cruz. Within the glass world he is internationally known and respected. And yet at his studio behind his home he is the most cool, down-to-earth, personable artists you’d ever meet. I actually watched him create this underwater scene marble with the seahorse. I had asked if I could purchase this one…he agreed….but told me it wouldn’t be ready for a week or so. I’m a patient kinda gal when I have to be.
A few days later the phone rang and this guy says: “Hello this is David Salazar. I make paperweights and you bought one from me during Open Studios” Before he even got through saying “paperweights” I was interrupting with “I KNOW WHO YOU ARE” (I could hardly contain my excitement…David Salazar…was calling ME at HOME”) He kinda laughed…and I realized I better calm down before he thought I was a crazy stalking fanatic groupie.
Turns out he got my number from my check…he didn’t like the way the seahorse turned out and wanted to give me my money back….or let me pick out a differen
t marble. I told him I still wanted the one I watched being made….so he lowered the price….WAY lowered the price…and even agreed to sign it…which he doesn’t usually do when he is not totally satisfied with the results.The Moon and Stars marble is one of his signature designs. I have a similar paperweight from 1989…before he was famous…which is worth a bit more than I paid for it. The Red, White, and Blue one I bought on Independence Day in 2002 at the Capitola Art and Wine Festival.
If you want to see more of Salazar’s marbles….and other works…check it out.
11 comments:
Those are amazing. That's great you got to pick out the one you wanted :)
it's not often you learn of an amazing hiterto unknown artist. thank you for the introduction.
What a cool post on marble. How fun to talk to the artist and then get a great deal on the one you purchased along with his signature. Lucky you. Great job on marble. Have a great MM. :)
That's a true artist, one who isn't walking around with his ego hanging out thinking he's a gift to the world. Makes me want to start a marble collection.
You gotta like an artist who isn't stuck on himself/herself. His work is wonderful.
That's really neat.
I had to go check out his site as the name seemed SO familiar. I thought perhaps a Canadian studio might be selling his work, but it doesn't appear so.
Gorgeous pieces though! I love them all! Great MM post :-) (even though it's officially Tuesday, hehe)
Whoa.
Now those are marbles you can hold and feel and stare into for hours.
k.....paperweights....but still.....
wow.....
I was reading your sidebar and discovered that your sign is "Slippery When Wet", that's funny. Cheers Katherine!!
So,... I'm guessing that those aren't exactly the kind of marbles you would throw in a little bag, take down to a playground, and draw a circle in the dirt.
But, they're nice anyway... C;)
That is amazing - how did he get the little seahorse in there?
I am glad you got the one you saw being created -- I have a paperweight that I saw being made in a foundry during the weekend of a friend's wedding.
No where near as spectacular as this artist's work, but still I love it for the bubbles trapped in the glass as well as the memories it has.
cheers!
Great manic monday post!
~mo
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