Go ahead and wire that baby

Kind of a convoluted blog story, but I belatedly saw this article (from 2011) and cracked up.

“The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” by Damien Hirst
(Image credit: Fickr user Rupert Ganzer)

Kind of ironic that in “the physical impossibility of death”, the dead tiger shark suspended in an acrylic tank filled with 224 gallons of water immediately began to rot. Hirst’s artwork was on display at London’s Saatchi Gallery.  It started to smell, and efforts began to stem the odor.  They added bleach, which only made the shark decompose faster.  Read the whole, fascinating story here: Neatorama.

I shouldn’t laugh – karma will always come back to you in the end. As much as you think you plan your artwork, you never know what you may forget to consider.

My fellow glass studio workers consistently tease me for the “Oeffling Standard of Work:  Make it Last for 100 Years.”  I insist on structuring pieces as best I can, to be as sturdy as they can be, so that they can withstand handling and often, outdoor elements, for as many years as possible.  (No, I don’t believe I would guarantee one hundred years…)

So every dimensional stained glass piece I create has copper wire painstakingly soldered around each outside edge. This can add up to an hour or more of work for a small piece, not to mention copious amounts of solder, which keeps increasing in price. The copper wire reinforces the piece, holding it together as gravity tries year after year to make it sag apart.

So “ha” to my lovely co-creators in glass!  Learn the lesson from Damien and wire that baby!