Blenko Man
Blenko Man, a sculpture assembled from colorful
Blenko glass vases and other glass forms, was dedicated on
October 19, 2007 during the grand re-opening celebration of
the Museum of American Glass in West Virginia. The near life-sized
cowboy resides in a sidewalk display window of the museum's
new location in Weston.
Blenko Man is the idea and gift of Rock Wilson, of Pennsboro,
WV who has been collecting Blenko Glass Co. glass for almost
20 years and was drawn to Blenko because "Blenko glass
is fun and I love the odd forms, vibrant colors and fantastic
size….some pieces are 3 to 4 feet tall."
Because Blenko made vases shaped like heads and ashtrays
shaped like hands and feet, Wilson thought that a man could
be created. As a friend and business associate of Dean Six,
founder and director of the museum, he wanted to contribute
to the museum yet wasn't sure how to put it together. Then last
fall, fate intervened when internationally recognized sculptor
John Zidek moved to Pennsboro and a partnership was born.
John Zidek has exhibited at Art Expo NY and has pieces in
the collections of such well known people as Kenny Rogers, Waylon
Jennings and Ross Johnson, former CEO of Nabisco. In addition
he was an invited Artist at Planetfest 1997-NASA Celebration
of Rover Landing on Mars and has a large installation at the
Fox Cities Children's Museum in Wisconsin. He has worked with
several materials, but currently is focused on copper wire sculpture
which works so well for Blenko Man. Thus Zidek took on the project
eagerly.
Mr. Wilson provided 18 glass objects from his personal collection
noting that it was hard to give up the piece that forms the
right arm as it is signed by Richard Blenko, fourth generation
president of the firm. In selecting the glass to be used, Wilson
tried to include as much variety as possible in color,
size and shape as well as age including piecesfrom the 1960's
until the present time. A problem arose when he had only one
hand and one foot, but the Blenko factory graciously made a
special production run of hands and feet that were originally
made in the 1970's. (The hand represents the company's outline
logo indicating that the products are handmade.) The only minor
glitch was that the glass molds are only for left hands and
feet, yet the Blenko Man proudly lifts aloft his right left
hand.
A western theme was selected to use the glass cactus, steer
heads and cowboy hat available in Wilson's collection. Originally
the cowboy hat was to be of clear glass, but his two year old
son made a move that caused a shift to a rare ruby colored one
instead. The hats are currently in production in clear and topaz.
Adding to the western style, Blenko Man sits surrounded
by sand and cactus creating a little bit of desert in West Virginia.
Showcased inside the museum is beautiful American made glass
arranged by form and or by company. It is amazing to see how
many glass houses once operated in the region of Western Pennsylvania,
Ohio and West Virginia. Once a thriving industry, there are
only a few handmade glass companies still in business and one
is Blenko which began in 1893. Located in Milton, WV its colored
glass for stained glass windows and architecture has long been
widely used. And the lovely shapes and colors of its decorative
and utilitarian wares can be found in homes throughout the country.
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