Browse through glassblower William Morris's website and see the different art pieces he has created with glass. What do you notice most about his glass works that's different from what you expected?

Career

Check out the work of a glassblower.

Challenge yourself to create five different art projects using different mediums and styles. Painting, sculpture, crochet, collage, etc. Is there a medium you preferred? Why? 

Day to Day

Explore different art mediums.

Find a local artist you like and contact them to request an informal interview. Prepare questions in advance and ask them about their road, advice, and more! 

Interview an artist.

Glass Blowers

Shape molten glass according to patterns.

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Second Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Third Interest High-Point

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

First Interest High-Point

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers

Miscellaneous Production Workers

Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic

Production Occupations

Other Production Occupations

Inspect, weigh, and measure products to verify conformance to specifications, using instruments such as micrometers, calipers, magnifiers, or rulers.

Record manufacturing information, such as quantities, sizes, or types of goods produced.

Heat glass to pliable stage, using gas flames or ovens and rotating glass to heat it uniformly.

Blow tubing into specified shapes to prevent glass from collapsing, using compressed air or own breath, or blow and rotate gathers in molds or on boards to obtain final shapes.

Set up and adjust machine press stroke lengths and pressures and regulate oven temperatures, according to glass types to be processed.

Shape, bend, or join sections of glass, using paddles, pressing and flattening hand tools, or cork.

Develop sketches of glass products into blueprint specifications, applying knowledge of glass technology and glass blowing.

Determine types and quantities of glass required to fabricate products.

Place rubber hoses on ends of tubing and charge tubing with gas.

Superimpose bent tubing on asbestos patterns to ensure accuracy.

Place electrodes in tube ends and heat them with glass burners to fuse them into place.

Strike necks of finished articles to separate articles from blowpipes.

Spray or swab molds with oil solutions to prevent adhesion of glass.

Cut lengths of tubing to specified sizes, using files or cutting wheels.

Place glass into dies or molds of presses and control presses to form products, such as glassware components or optical blanks.

Design and create glass objects, using blowpipes and artisans' hand tools and equipment.

Repair broken scrolls by replacing them with new sections of tubing.

Operate and maintain finishing machines to grind, drill, sand, bevel, decorate, wash, or polish glass or glass products.

Operate electric kilns that heat and mold glass sheets to the shape and curve of metal jigs.

Air compressors

Annealing ovens

Cutting wheels

Dial calipers

Digital micrometers

Drill presses

Electric kilns

Engine lathes

Glass blowing pipes

Glass knives

Glass lathes

Glass saws

Glass tongs

Grinders

Hand held magnifiers

Holding clamps

Induction heaters

Lapping wheels

Laptop computers

Meeker burners

Personal computers

Polariscopes

Polishing wheels

Precision files

Precision rulers

Propane torches

Protective respirators

Safety glasses

Safety gloves

Safety goggles

Sandblasters

Shears

Spot welders

Tweezers

Vacuum ovens

Vacuum pumps

Billing software

Inventory control software

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

I was offered a job at an art school as a truck driver because I couldn't afford to be there as a student. I lived in a treehouse, didn't have any electricity or running water. Everything I owned was in a Fiat 128 sedan.

Glassblower/Artist

>> THIS SUMMER, WE'RE TRAVELING CROSS-COUNTRY IN THIS RV AND... >> BASICALLY JUST TALKING TO PEOPLE. >> AND ASK THEM, "HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR OWN ROAD?" >> HOW DID YOU, LIKE, NOT LISTEN TO PRESSURE FROM OTHERS? >> WHAT DID THIS AGE MEAN TO YOU? LIKE, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU WAS OUR AGE? >> BUT NOW I'M YEARNING FOR PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE ME ADVICE. I REALLY NEED THAT. I NEED THAT RIGHT NOW. >> WALTER MURCH, BORN JULY 12, 1943, IS AN ACADEMY-AWARD-WINNING FILM EDITOR, SOUND MIXER. HE WAS BASICALLY PART OF, LIKE, ONE OF THE BEST FILM GROUPS OF ALL TIME, LIKE AT U.S.C. THEY'RE LEGENDARY. >> THAT'S ALONG WITH GEORGE LUCAS. >> YEAH, AND ALL THOSE GUYS. THE GUY THAT MADE "GODFATHER." LIKE, THEY'RE ALL REVOLUTIONARY FILMMAKERS. >> ALL RIGHT, SLOW DOWN. IT'S, LIKE, COMING UP. I THINK I SEE HIS BARN. YEAH. >> IS THAT IT ON THE RIGHT? >> I THINK SO. >> ARE WE GOING TO PULL IN HIS DRIVEWAY OR WHAT? >> AM I REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL IN HERE? >> YEAH, YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF FEET. >> CAN YOU NOT PULL FORWARD ANYMORE? >> COULD I REVERSE, OR ARE THERE CARS COMING? ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT? OK. >> WHOA. >> [GASP] >> THAT'S BAD. >> YOWZA, YOWZA, YOWZA. >> HI. HOW ARE YOU? >> WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS GONNA BACK ONTO THE ROAD, GO INTO TOWN, AND TURN AROUND. >> WELL, THAT WAS AN INTERESTING WAY TO PULL UP TO WALTER MURCH'S HOUSE. >> YEAH. >> THIS THE MOST NERVOUS I'VE FELT GOING INTO AN INTERVIEW. >> REALLY? >> YEP. BEING LATE, YOU KNOW. >> SORRY ABOUT ALL THAT CONFUSION AND EVERYTHING. >> IT'S ALL RIGHT. >> IT OCCASIONALLY STRIKES ME-- YOU KNOW, I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING, AND I WONDER, HOW DID I GET HERE? WHAT WAS THE PATH? BECAUSE IT DEFINITELY WASN'T A DIRECT PATH FOR ME. I GREW UP IN MANHATTAN AND HAD NO CONNECTION FOR THE FILM BUSINESS AT ALL. WHEN I WAS 10 OR 11, I'D GOTTEN VERY INTERESTED IN TAPE-RECORDING, RECORDING THINGS, HANGING THE MICROPHONE OUT THE WINDOW, BLOWING INTO THE MICROPHONE, TAPPING ON IT, AND THEN TAKING THOSE TAPES AND CUTTING THEM UP, I DISCOVERED EDITING JUST MYSELF, THAT YOU COULD TAKE SOMETHING THAT WAS RECORDED AND CUT IT AND TURN IT UPSIDE-DOWN OR PUT IT IN A DIFFERENT ORDER OR PLAY IT BACK TO FRONT OR SLOW IT DOWN OR SPEED IT UP OR MANIPULATE IT. SO IT WAS AN INTOXICATING IDEA. BUT THEN I WENT THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, AND ADOLESCENCE, AS YOU KNOW, IS A KIND OF CONFUSING TIME, AND YOU TEND, AS A 15-YEAR-OLD, TO LOOK BACK ON WHAT YOU DID AS AN 11-YEAR-OLD AND THINK, "AH, KID'S STUFF." THEN I GOT INTERESTED IN ARCHITECTURE, IN OCEANOGRAPHY. SO I WAS...IT WAS... CINEMA WASN'T ONE OF THOSE THINGS EXCEPT THAT I SAW "THE SEVENTH SEAL," WHICH IS A FILM BY INGMAR BERGMAN. I CAME OUT OF THAT THEATER THINKING, "SOMEBODY MADE "THAT FILM. I AM A SOMEBODY. I COULD MAKE A FILM." THAT WAS A REVELATION TO ME AT AGE 22, WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, IN MY FIRST YEAR AT GRADUATE SCHOOL AT U.S.C. CINEMA-- OH, THAT PASSION THAT I HAD HALF A LIFETIME AGO, WHEN I WAS 11, CAN ACTUALLY BE PUT TO USE, AND I DIDN'T SEE IT COMING. IF YOU CAN TAP INTO THAT THING THAT YOU WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN WHEN YOU WERE 11 YEARS OLD, IT GIVES YOU AS GOOD A SHOT AS YOU'RE EVER GOING TO GET AT BEING HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU DO LATER, BECAUSE IT'S WHEN YOU'RE 11, YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORLD, AND YOU KNOW A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF, AND YOU'RE NOT YET OVERLY INFLUENCED BY YOUR PEERS OR THE CONFUSION THAT HAPPENS IN ADOLESCENCE. YOU'RE KIND OF CLEAR-MINDED WHEN YOU'RE 11 IN AN INTERESTING WAY. AT ITS CORE, I'M STILL THAT 11-YEAR-OLD KID HOLDING THE MICROPHONE OUT THE WINDOW AND RECORDING THINGS AND TURNING THEM UPSIDE-DOWN AND REARRANGING THEM. AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE, EVEN WHEN I GOT TO FILM SCHOOL, THAT I COULD MAKE A LIVING AT THIS STUFF. I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO. "HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A LIVING AT THIS?" I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA. I WAS JUST INTERESTED IN WHAT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. AND I WANTED TO EXPLORE THAT AS MUCH AS I COULD. AT THE END OF THE SECOND YEAR AT SCHOOL, THE TEACHERS HAD IDENTIFIED WHAT THEY CALLED THE "TROUBLEMAKERS." THAT WAS ME AND GEORGE LUCAS AND JOHN MILIUS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO KEPT BREAKING THE RULES OF THE SCHOOL. WE WERE ALL JUST FILM STUDENTS, AND WE LOOKED AT THE INDUSTRY, AND WE THOUGHT, "WELL, "THAT'S KIND OF STUPID. LET'S DO IT THIS WAY." AND WE PUSHED TECHNOLOGY IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THAT,  AND I JUST-- I KEEP ON DOING IT. YOU KNOW, AT ANY OPPORTUNITY, I WILL TRY TO PUSH THINGS AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. >> DID YOU EVER KIND OF LIKE QUESTION OR DOUBT THAT, LIKE, STUFF COULD BE DONE, AND WHAT WAS KIND OF GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU WERE TRYING TO PUSH THESE NEW THINGS? >> YEAH. NO, I MEAN, YOU'RE FULL OF DOUBT, BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE. ON "APOCALYPSE NOW," THAT FILM, FRANCIS DECIDED THAT HE WANTED A DIFFERENT FORMAT FOR THE SOUND FOR THAT FILM, ONE THAT HADN'T EVER BEEN HEARD BEFORE. HE WANTED TO IMMERSE THE AUDIENCE IN THE EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS THE SOUND DESIGNER ON THAT FILM. SO IT WAS, "ALL RIGHT. MAKE THAT HAPPEN." YOU KNOW, THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF RESISTANCE TO THAT. THE THEATERS SAID, "WHAT ARE TRYING TO DO?" YOU KNOW, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF RISKS TAKEN ON IT, AND WE ALL HOPED THAT IT WOULD WORK. WE DIDN'T THINK, "NOW WE'RE ESTABLISHING A NEW FORMAT." BUT NOW, AS IT TURNS OUT, 5.1 IS THE STANDARD FORMAT FOR, YOU KNOW, EVERY MOTION PICTURE YOU GO TO SEE. >> IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR THAT YOU'VE KIND OF LIKE... YOU'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE YOU ARE BY KIND OF JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE REALIZING THAT PEOPLE TELL YOU YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING, BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO DO IT, YOU KNOW. HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD THAT ATTITUDE, OR COULD YOU KIND OF JUST... >> I THINK SO. AND ALSO, THE FLIP SIDE TO THAT IS...YOU FIND IS THAT THE THING THAT YOU OVERCOME, IT'S SUCCESSFUL, AND YOU THINK, "HEY, I DID IT," LATER ON CAN BE THE THING THAT UNDOES YOU. YOU KNOW, YOU KEEP STICKING WITH THAT ONE IDEA-- "I CAN DO THIS." WHEN PEOPLE SAY I'M WRONG, I KNOW THAT I'M RIGHT. YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP YOUR ANTENNA OPEN TO RECEIVE THE MESSAGE, EVALUATE IT, AND THEN DO WHAT'S RIGHT. DON'T GET STUCK IN A RUT. >> THE COOL THING ABOUT THIS TRIP IS, I MEAN, IT'S OUR JOURNEY, BUT IT'S BEING DOCUMENTED. SO IT'S BEING SHARED WITH OUR PEERS AND OUR GENERATIONS. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF LIKE LAST, FINAL WORDS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SHARE... >> IF YOU THINK OF YOUR SITUATION, WHATEVER IT IS, AS BEING BASED ON 3... LIKE A TRIPOD, ON 3 LEGS THAT HIT THE GROUND, AND EACH OF THOSE LEGS HAS A NAME, AND ONE OF THEM IS LUCK, THE OTHER ONE IS TALENT, MEANING ABILITY, AND THE OTHER ONE IS HARD WORK. ALTHOUGH ONE OF THOSE THINGS WILL GET YOU INTO A SITUATION, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, YOU HAVE TO GET ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TRIPOD LEGS ON THE GROUND, BECAUSE THE WORLD IS FULL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TALENTED WHO WERE NOT LUCKY AND DID NOT WORK HARD WHO KIND OF WASH OUT OR ANY OTHER COMBINATION YOU CARE TO THINK OF. RECOGNIZE THAT ANY ONE OF THOSE THINGS WILL GET YOU INTO A SITUATION. YOUR JOB IS TO GET 2 OF THEM CONNECTED AS SOON AS YOU CAN AND HOPE FOR THE DAYS WHEN YOU GET ALL 3 CONNECTED. >> OH, THAT'S GREAT. >> ALL RIGHT. >> THE TRIPOD. >> YEAH. >> THAT WAS A REALLY AMAZING INTERVIEW. I THINK HE'S JUST A REALLY BRILLIANT GUY. >> HE IS SO INSPIRING. DID HE PLAN THAT, LIKE, WHOLE TRIPOD ANALOGY? THAT WAS PHENOMENAL. I FELT LIKE THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN TRYING TO TELL US THROUGH ALL THE INTERVIEWS, BUT THEY HAVEN'T SYNTHESIZED IT IN THAT EXACT, CONCISE... SO CLEAR AND SIMPLE. >> I THINK HE COULD BE SUCCESSFUL DOING ANYTHING, THIS GUY. >> YEAH. YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE THAT ATTITUDE THAT HE HAS. IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, MAYBE THIS CAN'T BE DONE, BUT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST TRY IT OUT. >> I HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I'D BE HAPPY DOING. SO YOU'VE JUST GOT TO TRY OUT A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND BE OPEN TO WHAT COMES YOUR WAY. [MUSIC PLAYING] >> ♪ FORGET THIS, AND I'M SO BORED OF IT ANOTHER BROKEN HEART WHEN THE FOOLS PLAY MY GAME I CAN'T LOSE OH... ♪ >> QUINCY. WHOO! [MUSIC PLAYING] >> OH, MAN. >> WOW. >> THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME. >> HA HA HA! >> THIS IS JAKE. >> HEY, JAKE. CHARLIE. NICE TO MEET YOU. >> HI. I'M LEAH. >> THE REASON WHY I WANTED YOU TO SPEAK TO JAKE IS BECAUSE THIS IS HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE HERE AT HIGH SIERRA. SO HE COMES WITH COMPLETELY FRESH PERSPECTIVE. >> MAYBE WE CAN EVEN HAVE JAKE PLAY A LITTLE BIT FOR YOU GUYS. >> YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT. >> I GUESS THAT WOULD BE OK. >> ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. [PLAYING UKULELE >> WOW. >> BEAUTIFUL. OH, MY GOSH. >> WOW. THANK YOU. >> THANKS VERY MUCH. >> THAT WAS INCREDIBLE. >> WE'RE ALL KIND OF SEARCHING FOR WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH OUR LIVES PRETTY MUCH. >> DO YOU FEEL PRESSURE TO FIGURE THAT OUT? >> YEAH. >> YOU DO? >> YEAH, I DO. I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A DECISION THAT I'M GOING TO REGRET LATER ON. >> I DO FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE SO MUCH IN FRONT OF YOU, AND I LOOK AT MY LIFE, WHEN I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, AND HOW OPEN I WAS. I MEAN, A FRIEND OF MINE ONCE SAID, "IN THE TRAPEZE "OF LIFE, LIFE EXISTS WHEN YOU "RELEASE FROM ONE BAR AND YOU'RE REACHING FROM THE NEXT." AND IT'S THAT MOMENT THAT YOU'RE NOT ATTACHED TO EITHER BAR WHERE LIFE IS. AND THAT'S THE EXCITEMENT. >> ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I WANT TO GET OUT OF THE ROADTRIP IS JUST BEING ABLE TO OPEN MYSELF UP TO PEOPLE, BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK I'M AT THE POINT WHERE I REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING MYSELF AND MY ART WITH PEOPLE, AND YOU WERE SO... YOU JUST SAT RIGHT DOWN AND WERE SO OPEN WITH YOUR MUSIC, AND I JUST WANT TO KIND OF KNOW HOW YOU GOT TO THAT POINT, OR DID YOU WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND JUST... >> NO. YOU KNOW, LIKE, HONESTLY, I TELL YOU, AND THROUGH THIS INSTRUMENT, IT HAS HELPED ME TO LEARN TO OPEN UP, BECAUSE THIS IS JUST THE VESSEL, RIGHT, TO BRING OUT YOUR SPIRIT, BUT IT'S ALL HERE, AND IF I CAN TRULY BE MYSELF AND FIGURE OUT WHO I AM AND JUST DO THAT ALL THE TIME, THEN I'M GOING TO BE THE BEST IN EVERYTHING THAT I DO. >> I MEAN, I LOOK AT YOU GUYS, AND YOU'RE JUST VIBRANT AND BEAUTIFUL AND YOUNG AND READY FOR THE WORLD. YOU KNOW, THE WORLD IS YOURS. THAT'S WHAT STARTED THIS. THIS IS NO ACCIDENT, WHAT YOU'RE DOING, SO IT'S GREAT. IT'S GOING TO OPEN UP YOUR LIVES FOR YOU, AND IT'S JUST BEGINNING. [MUSIC PLAYING] >> OK. IT'S ON THERE FOR GOOD. >> WE JUST LEFT THE HIGH SIERRA MUSIC FESTIVAL. I JUST WAS TURNING AROUND THE CORNER. WE HAD GONE, LIKE, NOT EVEN 5 MINUTES, AND I WENT TO GO ACCELERATE ON THE GAS, AND JUST THE PEDAL JUST SNAPPED, JUST FELL ONTO THE FLOOR. I'M NOT KIDDING. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I JUST WENT TO GO DO IT. I WASN'T PUSHING HARD OR ANYTHING. AND IT JUST, LIKE, SNAPPED. NOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, CALL UP SOMEONE TO FIX IT HOPEFULLY. I MEAN, WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW IN 5 HOURS. >> I WAS JUST HOPING WE COULD HAVE SOMEONE COME OUT HERE, BECAUSE OUR GAS PEDAL DOESN'T WORK RIGHT NOW ON OUR RV. UH, IT'S GREEN, BRIGHT GREEN. >> THIS THE KIDS? >> YEAH. >> THANKS AGAIN FOR HOLDING. >> TOMORROW'S THE EARLIEST WE CAN DO ANYTHING, REALLY? >> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANYBODY TONIGHT, SIR. >> WELL, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TODAY? >> WHAT? >> HE DOESN'T KNOW. HE'S LIKE, "IT'S FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND." HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IF HE'LL BE ABLE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH ANYBODY. >> OH, GOSH. THOMAS KELLER'S TOMORROW IN NAPA, AND THAT'S, LIKE, THE INTERVIEW THAT I PROBABLY WORKED THE HARDEST TO BOOK. >> THIS IS, LIKE, OUT OF OUR CONTROL, YOU KNOW. >> HI. COULD I SPEAK WITH JOHN, PLEASE? I WAS SPEAKING WITH HIM EARLIER ABOUT MY RV THAT BROKE DOWN. >> I HAVE, LIKE, SO MANY, LIKE, CONTACTS OUT RIGHT NOW, I FEEL LIKE I'M COLD-CALLING. >> HE SAID THAT THE PART'S IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. IT'S AN OSHKOSH CHASSIS THAT WAS BOUGHT OUT BY FREIGHTLINER. SAFARI WAS BOUGHT OUT BY MONACO. LIKE, BASICALLY THIS THING IS A RELIC, AND THERE'S, LIKE, NO RECORDS OF ITS PARTS, THERE'S NO PARTS. >> WE MET THIS GUY YESTERDAY THAT WE'D HITCHHIKED INTO THE CONCERT WITH, AND HE WAS, LIKE, REALLY NICE, AND HE JUST WANTS TO COME AND CHECK BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON, SO HE SAID THAT HE COULD-- DID YOU ASK ABOUT JIMMY-RIGGING? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS, BUT... >> I WAS HOPING IT WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THIS SCREW FITS. >> HAVING ALL THESE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND JUST START, LIKE, HELPING US TO GET OUT OF THERE FROM, LIKE, THE KINDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS-- LIKE, THIS WOMAN OFFERED US HER CAR FOR THE DAY TO DRIVE DOWN TO NAPA. >> I WENT IN AND TOLD A FRIEND. I GO, "HEY, COME ON. HELP PUSH." AND HE GOES, "PUSH WHAT?" AND I GO, "LOOK OUT THE WINDOW." >> YEAH. EVERYONE JUST, LIKE, STARTED PULLING OVER, LIKE, CALLING UP THEIR FRIENDS. >> IT'S PINCHED PRETTY GOOD, HUH, KEVIN? >> OH, YEAH. >> I GOT HER MASHED DOWN. >> ONLY THING BETTER YOU COULD DO WITH IT IS WELD IT. >> IF WE GET IT WELDED, IT WILL BE THAT MUCH BETTER. HE WALKS OUT, AND HE'S, LIKE, THIS BAD-ASS GUY WITH, LIKE, THIS HUGE, LONG BEARD. >> FIRE IT UP. SEE IF IT WORKS. [ENGINE STARTS] >> I'M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW. HAPPY DANCE. CHARLIE. SEE? THINGS WORKED OUT. >> I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH GENUINE, LIKE, KINDNESS FROM A STRANGER. THE WHOLE TRIP DEFINITELY MADE ME REALIZE THAT, LIKE, THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON, AND THE BAD THINGS AREN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS THE BAD THINGS. >> ♪ THINKING ABOUT THE DAYS THAT USED TO BE HIGH ON THE MOUNTAIN, OH WIND BLOWING FREE THINKING ABOUT THE DAYS THAT USED TO BE HIGH ON THE MOUNTAIN, OH >> HAVE YOU-ALL THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT QUESTIONS YOU-ALL ARE GONNA ASK IN THIS NEXT INTERVIEW? >> I MEAN, I THINK THIS WILL BE, LIKE, A LOT MORE APPLICABLE TO MY SITUATION, BECAUSE HE'S AN ARTIST. LIKE, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT SOMEONE'S, LIKE, FOLLOWED A PATH THAT I REALLY WOULD CONSIDER, BUT I JUST KEEP HAVING THESE DOUBTS THAT, LIKE, MAKING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL ISN'T REALLY THAT WORTHWHILE. >> IS THAT WHAT YOU ULTIMATELY WANT OUT OF YOUR ARTWORK? >> THAT'S WHAT I WANT OUT OF LIFE, YOU KNOW. I WANT TO LEAVE AN IMPACT ON THE WORLD. AND ALSO I HAVE THIS FEAR THAT, LIKE, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE SO MUCH BETTER THAN ME, YOU KNOW. >> I THINK EVERYBODY FEARS THAT. OBVIOUSLY HE WASN'T THE BEST AT THE VERY BEGINNING. >> YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO ASK HIM ABOUT. >> ASK HIM WHAT KEPT HIM GOING, YOU KNOW. ALL THESE QUESTIONS ARE GREAT, DUDE. THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO BE ASKING. >> THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO KNOW, RIGHT. RIGHT. >> I SPENT A LOT OF TIME BEING KIND OF TORTURED, REALLY QUESTIONING IS THIS WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING? IS THIS THE RIGHT THING TO DO? AND THEN I WOULD DO CERTAIN THINGS, AND THAT WOULD STOP. AND WHATEVER MADE THAT STOP WAS THE STUFF I SPENT THE MOST TIME DOING, AND THE ONE PLACE THAT I FELT SAFE, THAT I FELT COMFORTABLE WAS WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE ARTS, WHEN I WAS MAKING THINGS. >> THAT REALLY RESONATES, JUST BECAUSE, I DON'T KNOW, I'VE NEVER HEARD SOMEONE DESCRIBE DOING ART AS FEELING SAFE. >> WELL, IT'S SAFE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THINGS THAT I FELT SO UNSAFE ABOUT. AND WHAT I FELT VERY UNSAFE ABOUT WAS, "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?" AND I THINK ESPECIALLY AT YOUR GUYS' AGE, THAT IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THE WORLD IS-- YOU KNOW, DON'T YOU FEEL ALL THESE EYES LOOKING AT YOU, GOING, YOU KNOW, "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?" >> I'M AN ENGLISH MAJOR AND A VISUAL ARTS MINOR. I COULD GO DOWN THE ART PATH OR DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY... COMPLETELY OPPOSITE, AND I JUST HAVE A TON OF DIFFERENT INTERESTS, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO KIND OF FOCUS ON... >> WELL, I'VE GOT SOME VERY SUCCINCT THINGS TO SAY TO YOU ABOUT THAT. >> COOL. >> YOU'LL NEVER BE SURE. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SURE. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF BEING SURE. IT'S A MATTER OF JUST HAVING ENOUGH FAITH AND LOVE FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. VERY MUCH LIKE YOU, I STARTED CERAMICS WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, ACTUALLY EVEN BEFORE THAT. MY MOTHER WAS A PAINTER. SO I WAS INVOLVED IN THE ARTS EVER SINCE I COULD WALK. AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST BE AROUND THE ARTS, AROUND ARTISTS, AND FOUND MYSELF WITH SEVERAL MENTORS IN SCHOOL THAT HELPED ME WITH JUST MY PASSION FOR MAKING THINGS. AND THEN IN SO DOING, I WAS ABLE TO EXPLORE THE AREAS OF THE ARTS THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN. IN MY CASE, IT WAS CERAMICS AND QUICKLY BECAME GLASS. AND I WAS OFFERED A JOB AT AN ART SCHOOL UP HERE AS A TRUCK DRIVER BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD TO BE THERE AS A STUDENT AND DIDN'T HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS. SO I LIVED IN A TREE HOUSE, DIDN'T HAVE ANY ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER. EVERYTHING I OWNED WAS IN A FIAT 128 SEDAN, INCLUDING MY DOG. I MET AN ARTIST THERE, A GUY NAMED DALE CHIHULY, A FAMOUS GLASS ARTIST. I SAW THE WAY HE WORKED. I WAS FASCINATED, AND I SAID, "HEY, CAN I HELP YOU? I'LL DO WHATEVER." HE SAID, "SURE. BE ON THE PAD WITH ME," ON THE WORKING FLOOR, THE NEXT MORNING, AND I WORKED WITH HIM FOR 10 YEARS. I NEVER TOOK A DIME IN PAY. AND HE WOULD TELL ME, HE WOULD SAY, "THERE'S 2 THINGS "YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER "ABOUT LEARNING SOMETHING. "IF THERE'S SOMEBODY OUT THERE "THAT DOES IT BETTER THAN YOU, "YOU HAVE, ONE, THE CHOICE "OF DOING IT THE WAY THEY DO IT OR PAY THEM TO DO IT FOR YOU." AND OF COURSE, I WAS ALWAYS INVOLVED IN THE PRIOR BECAUSE I COULD NEVER AFFORD THE LATTER. SO...BUT THE POINT WAS WAS THAT ANYBODY THAT I SAW THAT WAS GOOD AT SOMETHING, I JUST DID WHAT THEY DID, UNTIL YOU REACH THE POINT WHERE YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR CHOICE FOR YOURSELF. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I STRUGGLE WITH IS KIND OF, LIKE, ONCE I FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT TO DO, HOW DO I GO ABOUT DISTINGUISHING MYSELF? LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S GRADUATING WITH ME IN MY CLASS. I WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW... NOT NORMAL. >> THAT'S GREAT. WELL, THEN YOU ALREADY ARE. WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AHEAD YET YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT NOW. IT WILL MANIFEST. SAME THING WITH ME. YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MANIFESTATION, AND YOU'RE THINKING THAT I HAD SOME KIND OF A PLAN. YOU'RE MISTAKEN. I DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN. I NEVER HAD A PLAN. I WAS SITTING THERE SAYING EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. GO OUT AND MAKE WHAT YOU THINK ARE MISTAKES. THERE ARE NO MISTAKES. JUST HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GLEAN THAT WISDOM OFF ANY OF IT. AND IF YOU WANT REAL EXPERIENCE, THEN BE COURAGEOUS ABOUT IT. DON'T BE GUTLESS. HAVE THE FAITH. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU COULDN'T MAKE A WRONG DECISION, WOW, LOOK WHAT YOU COULD DO. YOU KNOW, LOOK WHAT YOU COULD DO. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE ONE YEAR OF UTTER JUST VITALITY, OR WOULD YOU HAVE 10 YEARS OF JUST SORT OF HO-HUM MEDIOCRITY? YOU KNOW, EITHER CHOICE IS FINE. BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, BE THE CHOICE THAT YOU MAKE. BE IT. DON'T MAKE THE CHOICE OF VITALITY AND LIVE MEDIOCRITY. YOU KNOW, LIVE THE CHOICE THAT YOU MAKE. >> SO ONE DAY RICHARD CALLS ME UP AND SAYS, "WHIT, WHAT WOULD "YOU SAY IF I TOLD YOU "THE NEXT THING WE SHOULD DO IS A BOARD GAME?" HA HA HA! >> EVERYTHING AROUND ME IS SO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT WAS 2 DAYS AGO. >> YOU GUYS SITTING HERE ALL HAVE IDEAS. WHETHER YOU PURSUE THEM OR NOT IS UP TO YOU. >> I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS, LIKE, THAT IDEA OF, LIKE, THERE'S ONE RIGHT THING FOR EVERYBODY. THERE'S A LOT OF RIGHT THINGS. I HAVE LOOKED, YOU KNOW, INSIDE MYSELF, AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I ONLY REALLY LOVE PASSIONATELY 2 THINGS-- HORSES AND COOKING. >> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON "ROADTRIP NATION" AND TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HIT THE ROAD, VISIT pbs.org. 

<p>In Bolinas, CA, the Roadtrip Nation team gets a bit lost on their way to film editor and Academy Award winner Walter Murch's house. Then it's off to Quincy, Oregon for the High Sierra Music Festival where they interview founder David Margulies and ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. They then head north to Seattle to interview William Morris, a glassblower and artist.</p>

Bolinas - Seattle

I spent a lot time being kind of tortured, really questioning, is this what I should be doing? Is this the right thing to do? And then I would do certain things and that would stop. And whatever made that stop was the stuff I spent the most time doing. And the one place that I felt safe, that I felt comfortable was when I was working in the arts, when I was making things. [MUSIC] >> That really got to me, it's just cuz, I don't know, I've never heard someone describe doing an art as feeling safe. >> Well, it's safe in relationship to things that I have felt so unsafe about. And what I felt very unsafe about was what are you gonna be when you grow up? And I think especially your guys' age, it's a big deal. Because the world, don't you feel all these eyes looking at you going, what are you gonna do? >> I'm an English major and a visual arts minor. I could go down the art path or do something completely opposite. And I just have a ton of different interest, and I don't know how to kinda focus on, I don't know. >> Well I got some very succinct things to say to you about that. >> Cool. >> You'll never be sure. You don't want to be sure. It's not a matter of being sure, it's a matter of just having enough faith and love for what you're doing. Very much like you, I started ceramics when I was in high school, actually even before that. My mother was a painter so I was involved in the arts ever since I could walk. And I had the opportunity to just be around the arts, around artists and found myself with several mentors in school that helped me with just my passion for making things. And then in so doing, I was able to explore the areas of the arts that I was interested in. In my case, it was ceramics, and it quickly became glass. And I was offered a job at an art school up here as a truck driver, because I couldn't afford to be there as a student and didn't have the qualifications. So I lived in a tree house. Didn't have any electricity or running water, everything I owned was in a Fiat 128 Sedan, including my dog. I met an artist there, a guy name Dale Chihuly. Famous glass artist. I saw the way he worked. I was fascinated and I say hey, can I help you? I'll do whatever. And he said, sure, you can go on the pad with me on the working floor the next morning, and I worked with him for 10 years. I never took a dime in pay. And he would tell me, he would say, there's two things you have to remember about learning something. If there's somebody out there that does it better than you, you have one, the choice of doing it the way they do it, or pay them to do it for you. >> [LAUGH] >> I was always involved in the prior, I could never afford the latter so. But the point was that anybody that I saw, that was good at something, I just did what they did. >> Yeah. >> And until you reach a point where you're able to make your choice for yourself. >> One of the things that I struggle with is once I've figure out what I wanna do, how do I go about distinguishing myself? I don't wanna be like everyone else that's graduating with me in my class. I wanna be, not normal. >> That's great. Well then, you already are. What I'm hearing you say is that you're looking ahead, yet you're doing it right now. It will manifest. Same thing with me. You are looking at me, and you're looking at the manifestation, and you're thinking that I had some kind of a plan. You're mistaken. I didn't have a plan. [LAUGH] I never had a plan. I was sitting there saying exactly what you're saying. Go out and make what you think are mistakes. There are no mistakes. Just have your experiences, cuz you're gonna glean that wisdom off any of it. And if you want real experience, then be courageous about it. Don't be gutless, have the faith. If you believed that you couldn't make a wrong decision, wow look what you could do. Look what you could do. It's like would you rather have one year of utter just vitality, or would you have ten years of just sort of ho hum mediocrity. Either choice is fine, but just be the choice that you make, be it. Don't make the choice of vitality and live mediocrity. Live the choice that you make. 

Interview

That really resonates just cuz, I don't know, I've never heard someone describe doing art as feeling safe, but- >> Well, it's safe in relationship to things that I felt so unsafe about. >> Right. >> And what I felt very unsafe about was, what are you gonna be when you grow up? >> Yeah. >> And I think especially at your guys' age it's a big deal. Because the world, don't you feel all these eyes looking at you going, what are you gonna do? 

Pressure

Eyes Looking At You

I spent a lot of time being tortured, really questioning, is this what I should be doing? Is this the right thing to do? And then I would do certain things, and that would stop. And whatever made that stop was the stuff I spent the most time doing. And the one place that I felt safe, that I felt comfortable was when I was working in the arts, when I was making things. 

Self-Reflection

Making Things

One of the things that I struggle with is kind of like, once I've figured out what I wanna do, how do I go about distinguishing myself? Like, I don't wanna be like everyone else that's graduating with me in my class, I wanna be not normal. >> That's great. Well then, you already are. What I'm hearing you say is that you're looking ahead, yet you're doing it right now. It will manifest. Same thing with me, you're looking at me, and you're looking at the manifestation, and you're thinking that I had some kind of a plan. >> Yeah. >> You're mistaken. I didn't have a plan. [LAUGH] I never had a plan. I was sitting there saying exactly what you're saying. Go out and make what you think are mistakes, there are no mistakes, just have your experiences, cuz you're gonna glean that wisdom off any of it. And if you want real experience, then be courageous about it, don't be gutless, have the faith. If you believe that you couldn't make a wrong decision, wow, look what you could do. Look what you could do. It's like would you rather have one year of utter just vitality, or would you have ten years of just sort of ho hum mediocrity. Either choice is fine, but just be the choice that you make, be it. Don't make the choice of vitality, and live mediocrity. You know, live the choice that you make. 

Beliefs & Faith

Experience

Individualism

Planning

It Will Manifest You

I'm an English major and a visual arts minor. I could go down the art path, or do something completely opposite, and I just have a ton of different interests, and I don't know how to kind of focus on, I don't know. >> Well, I've got some very succinct things to say to you about that. >> Cool. >> You'll never be sure, you don't wanna be sure. It's not a matter of being sure, it's a matter of having enough faith and love for what you're doing. Very much like you, I started ceramics when I was in high school, actually even before that. My mother was a painter, so I was involved in the arts ever since I could walk. >> Mm-hm. >> And I had the opportunity to just be around the arts, around artists, and found myself with several mentors in school, that helped me with just my passion for making things. And then in so doing, I was able to explore the areas of the arts that I was interested in, in my case it was ceramics, and quickly became glass. And I was offered a job at an art school up here as a truck driver, because I couldn't afford to be there as a student and didn't have the qualifications. So, I lived in a treehouse, didn't have any electricity or running water. Everything I owned was in a Fiat 128 sedan, including my dog. I met an artist there, a guy named Dale Chihuly, famous glass artist. I saw the way he worked, I was fascinated, and I say, hey, can I help you, I'll do whatever, he said sure, you know, being on the pad with me, on the working floor the next morning, and I worked with him for ten years. I never took a dime in pay. And he would tell me, he would say, there's two things you have to remember about learning something. If there's somebody out there that does it better than you, you have one, the choice of doing it the way they do it, or pay them to do it for you. [LAUGH] And of course, I was always involved in the prior, I could never afford the latter. So, but the point was, was that anybody that I saw that was good at something, I just did what they did. >> Mm-hm. >> Until you reach a point where you're able to make your choice for yourself. 

Passion

You Don't Want To Be Sure

I was offered a job at an art school up here as a truck driver because I couldn't afford to be there as a student and didn't have the qualifications. So, um, I lived in a treehouse, didn't have any electricity or running water. Everything I owned was in a Fiat 128 sedan, including my dog. I met an artist there, um, a guy named Dale Chihuly, famous glass artist. I saw the way he worked, I was fascinated, and I say, "Hey, can I help you? "I'll do whatever." He said, "Sure, you know, "being on the pad with me," on the working floor the next morning. And I worked with him for ten years. I never took a dime in pay. You're looking at me and you're looking at the manifestation, and you're thinking that I had some kind of a plan. You're mistaken. I didn't have a plan. I never had a plan. I was sitting there saying exactly what you're saying. Go out and make what you think are mistakes. There are no mistakes, just have your experiences 'cause you're gonna, you're gonna glean that wisdom off any of it. And if you want real experience, then be courageous about it. 

William Morris

Glassblower/Artist

Videos

William Morris

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Art

Environment & Nature

Being Creative

Hurdles

Challenges I Overcame

Financial