Gasp Fumed Marble Hammer

Description

Brian McCauley, aka gasp, discovered glass flameworking in 1998. Inspired by the autonomy and creativity of the pipe making scene he spent the next 5 years engrossed in glass. Part of the 2nd wave of pipemakers, his style pushed the boundaries of shaping and patterning, incorporating the influence of San Francisco’s urban culture and street art. Later that year, gasp relocated to Portland, OR, where he began to explore more classic forms.

gasp uses a variety of techniques to elicit an emotional response from the viewer. From subtle layering of gold and silver fume, to heavily saturated colored glass and vibrant transparents, the color and pattern create a body of work that maximizes light play within the glass.

This is a fumed marble hammer by gasp. The shaping is tight throughout with fantastic symmetry in the fumed maria of the mouthpiece. The fuming that comes spiraling down to the mouthpiece flowers out symmetrically in the maria of the mouthpiece. This is a nice touch, and it’s all about attention to detail on this hammer. Beautiful colors in a variety of fuming approaches make this an interesting piece from any angle you choose. There are three marbles on the can and each is a different approach. A clear marble, an implosion marble, and a color marble. The heavy gold fume in the bowl sets it off with a rich pink highlight.

There’s thought in the placement of the marbles too. My index and middle finger quite naturally land on the clear and color marble when holding this, and it makes working the carb with the thumb a pleasure. Great ergonomics. 5.5 inches long, 2.25 inches wide, and 2.5 inches high make this an average sized hammer that’s easy to handle. Beautiful work from gasp out of Portland, OR!