Wisteria recycling ewer

I have made models of the flowers that grow on my property for quite some time, and are a regular part of my work. it's interesting to pull the flowers apart and literally see how they form and grow. the way flowers bloom is so similar to how glass flows, and has taught me a great deal about working with it. the wisteria that blooms in my back yard has represented the greatest challenge, and these flower clusters took about six weeks to make, spread out over several years. whenever the wisteria would bloom, id take some time out of my schedule and make flower parts. each part is made from reverse decorated tubing, so that each petal is actually blown. i found that the blowing technique allowed me to mimic the flower the most accurately. putting the clusters together was a huge challenge as well. I decided to use the clusters on a functional vessel, as it not only represents the trunk of the vine, but is also a nod towards the American borosilicate pipe making movement, that is the the driving force in new glass art at this time.