Art glass paperweights may seem to be a strange thing for people to be fascinated by or collect. Yet, these are exquisite works of art which are by no means easy to make. They may contain very complex creative themes, even if they are abstract designs. " But they're just paperweights," you say? The fact is that these are amazing works of art if they have been crafted my a master of the art of glass sculpting.
One type of art glass paperweight is the ice pick. Ice picks are all unique; no two are alike. Crystal covers over abstract and winding, whirling forms. But some other of the most beautiful art glass paperweights are faceted, so that a person can see the interior from many, many different angles, with each being a new perspective. And a person can see the light gleaming off of the different facets, causing the interior of the paperweight to practically have sparkle and fire like some diamond.
Fine art, that exists for itself alone, is art in a final state of impotence. If nobody, including the artist, acknowledges art as a means of knowing the world, then art is relegated to a kind of rumpus room of the mind and the irresponsibility of the artist and the irrelevance of art to actual living becomes part and parcel of the practice of art.
— Angela Carter (1940–1992)
Art glass paperweights can be perfect blends of beautiful art and practicality, just like a gorgeous lamp, or stained glass windows. And one of the greatest makers of these works was Robert L. Hamon, whose father O. B. Hamon in 1929 founded Hamon Glass in Scott Depot, West Virginia. If you were to see his studio or a gallery of his works, you would know that you were in the presence of the works of a master artist. Robert Hamon brought Hamon Glass to the forefront of what is today known as "the art glass movement" beginning in the early 1960s. He crafted innovative designs and was such an artist that he is, today, widely regarded as one of the greatest glass blowers of the 20th century, having begun to learn the art at the age of 10 and continuing in the practice until his death in 2003 at the age of 77. Charles Gibson of Gibson Glass, Joel Myers of Blenko, and Robert Moretti of Pilgrim helped " Bob" Hamon create this amazing modern art movement.
One of his very best styles was known as the Hamon cut rose. Art glass paperweights will use the crimp rose, but the hand cut rose of Hamon is even more beautiful, with each individual petal formed by taking a small blob of hot glass and cutting it in four different places. This is then encased in crystal. The Hamon roses are known for being eerily realistic-looking.
Just as all thought, and primarily that of non-signification, signifies something, so there is no art that has no signification.
— Albert Camus (1913–1960)
So, the next time you see a glass paperweight, pick it up and take a long, hard look at it. Don't just take it for granted as merely another office tool. You may be missing something.