Hello World of Bongs Community, let´s say hello to Eric Duyette. His galaxy pipes are well know even if they got viral without any credit to him. Let us hear a bit about his life as artist. 

WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN GLASS IN THE FIRST PLACE?

I grew up working with glass at my fathers company installing auto glass and window glass. But I was always artistic and knew I wanted to do something more creative with it and after purchasing a few glass pipes I immediately wanted to know more about the process.

WHERE DID YOU LEARN YOUR SKILLS?

I first started learning glassblowing in the summer of 2000 down in a basement in Falmouth Massachusetts & on an abandoned sailboat in Woods Hole Harbor.

DO YOU CREDIT ANY OTHER GLASS BLOWER WITH HELPING YOU ACHIEVE YOUR SUCCESS?

I credit the start of my glass career to Derek Heagerty who was a skilled glass artist from Taos New Mexico. He was traveling around the country making his art & he had setup in someone’s basement that he met in Falmouth. We quickly became friends & he invited me to come watch the process.

TALK TO ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STYLE.

My style started to form after setting up my own studio in 2001. I was limited on raw materials & the still small pallet of colors that were available at the time. With no kiln in my studio I realized anything I made would have to be smooth in texture with clean welds to avoid cracking. That clean, smooth style continues in my work today. My inspiration comes from my followers & the wide variety of new colors being created.

WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU MOST LIKE TO WORK WITH?

 I love working with colored borosilicate glass mainly but also silver & gold for fuming is also my favorite. 

WHAT’S THE MOST EXPENSIVE/BEAUTIFUL PIECE YOU’VE EVER MADE?

The most expensive/beautiful piece I ever created was a custom order for a client in California. We worked on the design for over a week via text & what started as a $100 space Sherlock turned into a crazy $2000 space bong with over 25 attachments. 

WHAT WAS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT ON THE PATH TO “MAKING IT” AS A GLASS ARTIST?

The most embarrassing moment as a glassblower was when I was doing a live demo in front of 40+ people at Pairpoint Crystal in Sagamore Massachusetts. I was finishing a marble & it slipped out of the claw grabbers then melted instantly through my pants. I quickly jumped up & it rolled out of my pant leg onto the floor. Luckily I didn’t burn myself.

AND WHAT WAS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT?

My best proudest moment was in 2004 at Bonnaroo music festival while blowing glass in front of a large crowd of people. I just finished a fish sculpture & all of a sudden everyone started clapping. It was an incredible feeling that I will never forget.

My advice for new artists would be to bargain shop for raw materials & tools. I see lots of young artists running out of even basic materials like clear tubing because they’re dropping all their funds on expensive colors & torches. And the biggest advice I can give is to not listen to people telling you that you’ll never make it as an artist. It will only hold you back & make you doubt yourself and your dreams.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE STRAIN/EXTRACT, AND WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE TO DAB IT IN?

My favorite extract is anything organic, and I prefer wax. And my favorite piece to dab in is a clear cheap mini rig I made for myself during a demo at a party. I like the size since it’s easy to travel with. 

IF YOU COULD MAKE YOUR “DREAM” PIECE, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE?

My dream piece would have to be a space themed dab rig with over 25 spacey attachments. The body of the piece would be lathe shaped with sandblasted patterns & accents.

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE, MOST OF ALL IN THIS WORLD, TO HIT YOU UP FOR A PIECE, AND WHAT PIECE WOULD YOU MAKE FOR HIM/HER?

 I think waking up to a direct message on Instagram from Seth Rogen requesting a custom space bong would be my top choice.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR GLASS ARTISTRY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY?

I think in the future the next big innovation will be new diffusers, chambers, shapes that will give the smoker a better experience/flavor when dabbing.

IF YOU WERE SHIPWRECKED ON A DESERT ISLAND AND YOU COULD ONLY HAVE THREE ESSENTIAL PIECES WITH YOU, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE, AND WHY?

This is a tough question since there’s so many to choose from. Without a doubt I would need a solid durable spoon pipe as long as the island had lots to smoke. And my next two choices would not be a pipe at all. I would definitely bring a thick pint glass I made a few years back and a large clear marble to use as a magnifying glass to light things on fire with.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC TO WORK TO/DAB TO?

I prefer to listen to electronic music with no lyrics like Bonobo, Emancipator, Aim, Thievery Corporation, Air, Cinematic orchestra etc… It keeps me relaxed and in the zone.