Shaping Glass
En-tao Andrew Hsu got his artist name, Torch Mouth, from the mask which he wears while performing and creating beautiful glass artworks in front of an audience. Hsu made fabricated the mask from scrap metal, old welding glasses, pipe connectors, and a propane oxygen torch sitting only eight inches from his face.
Having been practicing glass blowing for decades, Hsu has developed a plethora of techniques to create his pieces. One technique he demonstrated for me was a “Clear Coiling” technique that he has been developing for over a decade. The technique is hard to describe but is an amalgamation of classic pottery sculpting and traditional glass blowing.
Hsu hasn’t just developed techniques to shape glass but give it depth and allure. Using chemistry, gold, silver, and fumes he creates galaxies, optical illusions, and faces in the glass. and has begun recently experimenting with incorporating human ashes into pendants.
While glass-blowing is what Hsu is most known for, it is far from his only skill. Welding and metalwork is a skill that he has compared to working with glass but with, “Much higher temperatures.” Having fabricated numerous metal sculptures for Burning Man, Colorado State University, MeowWolf, and other festivals, art shows, and events. Aside from glass blowing and metal working Hsu works with 3d printing, 3d modeling, and digital art/drawings turning them into patches and stickers.
If you would like to see more of Torch Mouths’ work or commission a piece you can visit his website here.
