Vic Rothman (Guest Speaker)

[Kev]

Vic has graciously agreed to be our first guest speaker. The date for the engagement is yet to be set, but will be soon (stay tuned for details as they become available).

Here is a bit of information about Vic, that might help you come up with topics/questions you'd like him to discuss. Please post these requests for topics/questions by replying to this post, keeping the request clear and concise.

From all of us..Thanks Vic!

Vic Rothman
I was born as a young child in a hospital in New York City so that I could be with my mother. After graduating from college with a degree in marketing & management and spending a few years managing record stores, I saw a stained glass demonstration at a craft show and decided that I could do that. My hobby soon spun out of control and I found myself selling small items at craft shows and wholesaling to stores in the Northeast. Ten years later I was managing Glassmasters Guild in New York City, teaching classes and doing small commissions. This lasted for about five years when I took an entry level (low pay) position at the Greenland Studio. This is where my real education in stained glass began. Within a couple of years I became the shop foreman. After Greenland closed in 1991, I opened my own studio (still at low pay). Over the years I have been lucky enough to have worked on a number of LaFarge and Tiffany window restorations, museum jobs and new fabrications. I've attended many international stained glass restoration conferences (co-authored a paper at one), have been on the restoration and education committees of the Stained Glass Association of America, belong to various trade and restoration groups and I am one of the founding members of The American Glass Guild.

[Amber]

Having only done this for a few years myself I find that every single piece I do brings it's own challenge, learning and appreciation (yes, often a lot of frustration too *lol). Do you feel this way still, after having so many years experience and obviously some very impressive acheivements? Do you find it's now the rare peice that makes you stop and think and almost be creative in the way you approach the work, let alone actually making the glass work?

With reinforcement in stained glass design being such an important part of design, and something you try to nail home to most of us newbies *lol, why is it that today we still see so many professional craftsmen/artists who don't practise this, in your opinion?

[JoanFrances]

Thanks for sharing your bio Vic.

It seems that in reading many many threads in the glassing forums, that reinforcement has been the most kept secret in stained glass teaching studios, why do you feel that this information is withheld from the students?  Everyone who starts this wonderful art starts at the same place, and many don't mind staying at that level, but we all trust that the teacher knows what they are talking about.

Don't you find it offensive, that these teachers are not arming the students with the necessary information to assure that their piece will stand the test of time?

[Kev]

Though I encourage dialogue and discussion, could we please try to keep this thread concise with just the questions or topics for Vic, so he will not have to scan through pages of posts to locate them. To encourage continued discussion on the subject emerging, I have moved the 2 previous posts for further discussion under general discussion.

Thanks,

Kev

[Judy K]

This is a great idea!

Vic, I would like to hear your thoughts on employment in the glass world today. Your own shop vs working for someone else in a big studio. Do they pay a living wage good enough to relocate? (Spring Fever talking  ) Is it a field that is growing, stagnant, suffering from the economy. Your opinions?

[JoanFrances]

Vic, I would like to know what you consider to be the worst and most repeated error in constructing stained glass panels.  Thanks

[Bleedy Pokes]

Vic, I've seen many of your posts regarding repairs on various glass forums.
I'd like to know what makes you decide to glue a [cleanly] broken piece of glass versus replacing it.
Is it the importance of keeping a window as close to original as possible, or is it to save time and money?

[Vic Rothman]

Kev
I think we got enough stuff to get going. Let's figure out a schedule for the chat.
Others should add their 2 cents for a time. I'm good after 8PM or weekends New york time