Joe Cariati started out in glassblowing quite by accident. While studying at the San Francisco State University in 1992, he saw someone blowing glass, and thought he should try it! According to Cariati, he picked up the art quickly and has been working with glass for over 17 years now. A good fit from the start, he says his personality and glassblowing go together well, describing the art as “a cross between calculated control, with an element of risk (in relation to making it or breaking it) topped off with a physical engagement (sweating).”
Along with glassblowing, Cariati also creates urban-inspired paintings. When asked when his love of urban art began (as it is evident in viewing his work that he’s a graffiti and street art fan), he admits it began with the 1982 NYC graffiti artist documentary “Style Wars”. Going to high school in Santa Monica, he also befriended other graffiti artists his age who helped show him the ropes. As he puts it, “mostly, as I found out later, I was interested in 'place', not necessarily the action of graffiti, but the surrounding detritus and activity of the urban landscape. Ultimately, this phenomenon is what my painting is about.”
So when did his hobbies of glass blowing and urban art translate into a career? Cariati confesses he didn’t quite start trying to make money until he was already a bit in debt (characterizing himself as a typical “idealistic young adult”), but after 9/11, he had his first solo painting exhibition (though he didn’t quite sell anything). After a review in ArtWeek, his work began to get noticed, but still no sales. He took a chance with glassblowing soon after, debuting a line of wine bottles in opaque colors. As he calls it: “This was about the time the new modern 'look' was running rampant, and I saw a void in the market and filled it. I snagged ten accounts in the Bay Area and LA and started making some money.” He says he now has over 50 accounts that carry his work, from major stores like Barney's to smaller boutique stores like OK in Los Angeles.
Like many artists who work in different media, Cariati doesn’t choose a favorite between glass blowing and painting: “Glassblowing is "high tech". It requires a ton of money per day, a crew of 3-4 people. It's noisy, dirty and very physical. It's extremely stressful at times if things aren't going your way. Painting for me is the polar opposite: it's "low-tech". Painting is an affordable, quiet, very forgiving medium that you can get lost in by yourself.”
His current line of glassware is stunning, both in its form and its style. Delicately transparent with sharp edges and shapes, yet also equally curving, his decanters and vases have exaggerated forms, and it’s their contrast with their backgrounds that really set them apart from other glass work being produced at this time. More than just pretty forms, his work has a great concept: some of it’s inspired by pure forms derived from the cylinder, sphere and cone, and connected to the important influence of Cubist paintings.
“This type of research into Cubism was born out of a residency I had in the Bay Area, I think it was the first time that I was looking at another medium entirely (paint) for influencing my glass work. It was exciting and carried over into a lot of work I made during that time. Lately, I've referenced the look and flavor of American Glass in the 1960's, the decanters are born out of an interest to uphold and improve upon a legacy of American Glass designs...back to basics.”
As for the future, Cariati is looking forward to meeting with Swank Lighting in April to talk about a new line of lamps that will be more similar to his new line of glass. He’s also working on another, more “low-tech” lighting project: he’s developing a line of candle holders that are reminiscent of wine and liquor bottles used as candle holders. He also continues to teach the art of glass making, stressing the hand skills, experimentation and material exploration, research, drawing, writing, and professional practices that have characterized his 17 years of successful glass work. You can learn more about Cariati on his website, joecariati.com.
