A moment in time with David Graeber.
While at the 2018 Age Trade show I was very fortunate to find an amazing artist named David Graeber. Walking by his booth this giant marble grabs my eye and my mind was blown! Lucky for me David was kind enough to give me some of his time in my first interview with a glass artist.
A Passion of Love
David has been working glass for 27 years now. He is part of a very small group of people making realistic paperweights. Before David was found by the glass gods he was a wood carver. I feel deep in his bones he is such a very talented artist he had to move the ultimate medium of glass. The more I learned the more I feel lucky that glass found this guy and the people that are making these paperweights to this degree, as there are only about 10 or so people doing this in this massive world.
Appreciation is Key
People appreciating his work is what drives him to keep doing what he does. Making a glass flower or lizard and having people say how did you get that real flower in the glass is pretty cool. David also feels he is keeping the glass alive in South Jersey as at one time there were 500 shops in that area. What is very interesting is that with so little people making this now is that this technique is near 3000 years old. The process has not changed a lot, but the technique is what is advancing says, David.
Not many in the art
New artists coming into the scene should always be aware that they will not make money the first few years. It takes a long time to get the skills that pay the bills in the glass business. The people that make the best glass artists are people with passion. Passion is what lets a person take their skill to the next level.
Talking with David we learn that energy is some of the most important things in life. With a good mix of energy in your life, you can power through unbelievable times and pressures. Learning in life leads to continued growth. Growth will never be easy but surrounding yourself with good people will lead to better growth.
Does David believe in aliens? He for sure thinks that maybe there is something out there, just maybe not here and has some very valid points.
Watch our YouTube interview with David and fall in love with him and his art like I did! I even had to walk away with one of his paperweights as I fell in love!
