The legalization of marijuana is hitting states across the United States and as a result new markets are being created. Functional glass art has been on the rise since 2009 with competitions showcasing the art of glass blowers. People are paying thousands of dollars for glass depending on the maker. Here is a list of some up and coming functional glass artists that have yet to reach legendary status:
- Danny Camp
Danny Camp is a glass blower from Maine. He’s been known for his mummy rigs but more recently he’s shifted his focus on his “yung tut” design. His tuts come in different shapes and sizes. During the Ball Out Shelter show at the Witch Dr glass blowing studio/smoke shop, Danny had several recyclers and other tut designs on display. He also had some lady tuts, illustrating the ancient egyptian theme to his pieces. Danny has created his own colors of borosilicate glass including kennebec lagoon. He won 8th place in the Champs Trade Show this year which features the work of many up and coming glass artists. We look forward to seeing what Danny has in store for his next big drop. His solo pieces are in the thousand dollar range but the price is rising along with his popularity. - Tymeone
Tymeone’s theme seems to be big eared creatures. Most notably is his Fox design but he also makes goblins, mice and other big eared creatures. Recently he’s been sandblasting his work for a nice matte finish. Tymeone works with color changing glass and blends colors together to make unique pieces of functional art. Tymeone’s solo work sells for thousands of dollars. - RJ
RJ Glass is one of the most creative up and coming glass blowers. His pieces usually feature birds but each one appears to be different from the last. He blends colors masterfully and doesn’t skimp on the function. He’s made recyclers, tubes, full figured bird rigs and more. Each of his pieces appears to be uniquely inspired. Clouds and birds are the two symbols most prevalent in his work. He often puts recently made pieces up for sale on his instagram account. His solo work ranges from one thousand to thousands of dollars. RJ glass is only getting better at what he’s doing and his work will likely increase in value over time. - Vibe
Vibe glass is known for his bunny design. He makes bunny jammers that closely resemble the skull jammers made by AKM. He also makes full figure bunnies and has illustrated his bunny sculpting mastery. Vibe recently had a show featuring his work at a smoke shop in New York. Guests lined up to look at his latest designs and to have their previously purchased bunnies signed by their maker. With a solo show under his belt and thousands of followers, Vibe glass is an up and coming glass blower to keep your eye on. - Chaka
Chaka is also known as “the ice man” and there’s a good reason for it. He is known for his ice-themed sculptures. Ice and penguins are the two symbols that present themselves the most in his work. He works with UV-reactive glass to make full figure penguins and more. Chaka makes penguin dabbers and ice cube pendants for cool kids. His work is nearing the thousand dollar range and it’s been steadily increasing as he masters his craft.These are just a few of the rising functional glass artists we think you should keep your eye on. Is there anyone we missed?
image credit: Dannycampglass / instagram
