Who are you?!
My name is Dan Buckley! I'm a mid-30s full-time health care provider and a part-time artist.
How did you get into minis and glass art, and what types of art do you make?
I've always been a creator. It's in my blood! For me, it all started with my grandma who was a fashion designer in the 1950s; my grandfather a lampmaker and woodworker, my great grandfather a wood carver, and my mother a visual artist. My early forms of art were painting, singing, playing piano and clarinet (I went to conservatory!), wood burning, woodworking, epoxy work, clay, and now glass. I find different mediums to convey different moments more effectively. Glass, recently, has been my newest and, dare I say, favorite! I grew up in my family's general store (which existed from 1959-2011) and we sold so many gorgeous glass pieces. My mother also was an avid glass collector. I, myself, have always loved the shine and the beauty. I have so much to learn with glass blowing and flame working (having just started in early 2023!) and every day I see myself growing!
Great, but what about the miniatures?
Oh yes. I cannot pinpoint an exact moment, however, as a kid, I loved Mighty Max, Polly Pocket, and Barbies (a special love to the latter!). I found everything small to be so whimsical and "cute". There's no function or utility, for us as humans, of a 1" picnic basket. But you best believe it makes me smile. Very specifically, I remember watching Beetlejuice as a kid and being in awe at the miniature town. I remember those images in my mind so vividly: the wonder and beauty of seeing something we usually see as larger than us, as smaller than us. I also loved claymation (specifically, Wallace and Gromit, Nightmare Before Christmas, and many others) and found the images of the real size of these characters and objects to simply make my heart melt. I also believe for me there is an induced nostalgia that is something that defines most of my experiences and thoughts. I think with minis, you feel it or you don't. In a world where most things stink and the looming global problems are so difficult to comprehend and place, it is so (dissociative? magnificent?) to marvel in the whimsy and perspective inducing magic of minis. What if we are the minis?
What do you hope people take away from your creations?
For me, I'd like you to take away something that makes you think or feel something you specifically crave. That's up to you! From my end, I know that minis help me adore something and admire its details: a form of mindfulness and presence that can be difficult to obtain in the monotony of the everyday. If you feel a warmth, nostalgia, happiness, or even feel bittersweet with something I create, I'd say that makes me happy. But, I honor whatever experience you have with something I create.
But why mid-century/ mid-century modern/ atomic/ space age decor?
I mentioned nostalgia. The decor and style of these periods reminds me of my late grandparents, whom I love so deeply. As artists themselves, I watched them curate a store (my family's general store) that was successful from the 50s through the early 2010s. They understood culture, trends, needs, and style, and how this changed throughout the years. However, they held onto their turn of the century to mid-century ("old world") core and this was obvious in the quality of everything we had at our family store. Besides this, I truly believe that most mid-century decor is inferior to none. Have you seen the white-washed walls, white countertops, minimalistic (but lacking absolutely any shape or detail) design that is incorporated into everything nowadays? Where is the design? Character? Shape? Color? I truly loathe current design trends, and sob over the lack of design that we are exposed to with any new building, products, or renovation. Mid century style was the pinnacle of form meeting function while maintaining visual appeal and character. I love to emulate these styles in my creations, and am deeply inspired by them! Bring back color and personality!
But why miniature swung glass vases?
They have a very special place in my heart. I started making miniature clay swung vases inspired by the popular vintage glass maker L.E. Smith's "bittersweet" color in 2022. Ever since, I've wondered how I can actually make them out of glass, and started selling my own miniature glass swung vases in mid 2023! I love swung vases because they weren't always just meant to be a functional vase (and often, they were not meant to be functional). They were made in such wild shapes and gorgeous forms that they were transformed from simply being a vase to being a centerpiece of decor. Because of glass' liquidy form when heated, this lead to some beautiful shapes. I think they're the perfect vessel for simply displaying the beauty that is glass!
How are your glass creations made?
I use a technique called flameworking, which involves melting glass through a 2,300 degree F flame. The glass is shaped, pulled, stretched, and blown (using tools, gravity, and other glass!) to obtain the shape I'm going for. Glass blowing is the main technique I use to obtain any vessel that is "hollow" in the middle, such as my miniature swung vases. They are then cooled in an annealer from 1,050 degrees down to room temp for about 6 hours, to strengthen the glass and reduce risk of cracking!
What inspires you?
So many things! Walt Disney, atomic design, 1950s sci-fi, space age, mid-century modern, Tim Burton, Jim Henson... to name a few. I find myself constantly thinking of new things to make and drawing upon these styles as inspiration for things I haven't seen specifically, but want to put into creation.