How did your interest in glass begin and what did you start off making?

My interest was sparked on our honeymoon in Stockbridge Massachusetts, where we bought a big stained glass panel. Soon after I took a stained glass class and began making panels and lamps in 1992. Towards 2000 I was primarily making Stained Glass Kaleidoscopes with marbles for the viewing piece.
 

You've been making furnace worked marbles for a relatively short time and yet you have made such a wide variety of styles with apparent mastery, what's your secret and what suggestions do you have for the person just starting out?

First let me say that I feel very fortunate to have been taken in by the marble community so quickly.

I have always been the type of person who won’t quit anything. I don’t care if I’m in last place and the race has ended, I’m still going to cross that finish line.  As far as someone getting started….Save, Save, Educate, and Save some more… Get the facts about all of the necessary tools that you really need. Try not to buy anything that you can make, and no matter how much planning you put into your studio setup, don’t expect miracles. Once you have the necessaries and get started don’t feel bad if you make mistakes….This is the only way to become a master. If something doesn’t turn out as you expected, don’t give up. It’s the only way you will ever move on. Make one design until you have it mastered and then go onto the next.
 

I've read where Andy Davis has played an important role in your development, have you collaborated on any works?

I owe a lot to Andy Davis and his family, in fact all of the Davis’ have been very kind to me and my family. Andy and I have become very good friends and have made a few collaborated pieces together, but it seems that we always like them too much to sell. We’ll have to work on that one…….
 

Having a good teacher is the only way to take some of the hardships out of this very expensive road. I almost went broke trying to cut my teeth in this medium.
 

What role has family and friends played in your progression as an artist working with glass?

My wife Amy and daughter Miranda have been very instrumental in all aspects of life since I began marble making. They help out whenever they can. My daughter is 11 now and I have just started letting her help out a little in the studio. She really enjoys helping pull stringers and cane. I have a felling there will be second generation marble maker one day.
 

What's the atmosphere in your shop like while you're working? For example have you got loud music blaring or is it so quiet you can hear a pin drop?

Hmmm….Don’t ask my neighbors…… I would say a little of both. It would depend on what kind of day I’m having and what I’m working on. It’s like working on a car. Music is good until you have to really concentrate then you turn it off so you can take in what your doing.
 

What sort of safety precautions do you take to protect yourself and your work shop while working with molten glass?

Safety precautions.….No gloves, no mask, wear eye protection and shorts.
 

Are there any suggestions you can pass along to folks in regards to having an organized work area and how that helps you to manage your time?

It really does save time and money to keep the studio clean, but as with anything when your working, things tend to pile up a little. I’m kind of a neat freak anyway, heck, I even married a neat freak.
 

Do you have any help in the shop and/or are you helping anyone else to learn to make marbles?

My wife, daughter, Dad, and Tom Rink all help when needed in the shop. Tom Rink will be working out of my studio pretty soon, and I my daughter will be pretty soon.
 

Do you often work with a specific idea of the design that you're looking for, or do you just work a little magic and surprise yourself?

 I guess I will take “ work a little magic” for $100 Mike.. hahaha…….When I go out to the studio to work I like to have a clear head and try not to force anything creatively. I just try to let it flow.
 

Hmmmm. It’s pretty hard to keep up sometimes, but with the proper blend of family, full-time job and marbles I seem to manage OK most of the time.

You've made several marbles with similar designs to the handmade German swirls of old, what do you think it must of been like to work in a production shop making marbles back in the late 1800's early 1900's ?

I don’t think I would have liked production work….. I’m not into production at all…..I work out of a relatively small 30 pound furnace, and like to take the extra time to layout designs, pull canes and stringers and make sure that every one that I make is of the highest quality possible.
 

Where does your inspiration come from to make all these wild and colorful designs?

I would have to say that my inspiration comes from within my family and a few close friends. As far as the wild and colorful designs….That’s just part of my personality!
 

Wow…I guess that would be Ro Purser, Mark Matthews, Geoff Beetem, Eddie Seese, all the Davis’ and Fritz Lauenstein, Josh Simpson, Salazar, Alloway, along with countless others. I look at some of the things these folks are doing and it leaves me simply amazed.

 My imagination has a hair trigger. It doesn’t take much to get me going on designs or color. I’ve seen design work in shirts that make me take notes on a new design!
 

Having come up with your own designs like the "Cross Hatch" and "Tie Dye", is it a struggle to come up with something new ?

It is very hard to come up with something new, especially when there are already so many beautiful designs. I guess the only way to come up with a new design is either by mistake, and hopefully you can reproduce it, or by ingenuity. The latter being the hardest way.
 

Are you going to be at any upcoming Marble or Art Glass shows where folks can come out to see you and say howdy and check out your wares up close?

I’ll be going to the Parkersburg WV Show, Wheaton Village NJ, and Massachusetts in Oct. Other than that, I may hit one or two others if I can get away.
 

Not only are your marbles drop dead gorgeous but your pictures of them ain't too shabby either, any suggestions for the new marble maker on the importance of quality pictures and how to attain them?

Hahaha, this is probably harder than making a marble to figure out. I just wish I could get those little light reflections out of my pictures…..My set-up is fairly simple, black backdrop with intense lighting. Usually this seems to work good with my camera, which is a Nikon Coolpix 5200.

When I bought this camera, I took some marbles with me and tried out camera’s in the store until I found the one that that took the best pictures for the money I had.

They can either go to my website: www.krisparkemarbles.com, or they can look on eBay as I am a regular seller there too.
 

Any plans for the future you'd like to share in terms of your business and the designs for your marbles?

Well, I hope to do some improvements to the studio this year if time and money permit, and as far as design are concerned…. we’ll let that unravel all on it’s own.
 

All work and no play makes Kris a dull boy, what other interests or hobbies do you have that are just for fun?

I like taking a cruise with my daughter on one of our Harleys, preferably the 59 Panhead, but most of the time we ride a 2003 Electra Glide Classic. I also enjoy fishing when I get a little time.
 

Wow, all this eye candy has given me a sweet tooth! Thank you so very much Kris for taking the time to answer some questions and share a little bit about yourself and your work. Folks, if you think the photos of Kris' marbles highlight his artistry and colorful designs, you should see these gorgeous marbles in hand! I know I couldn't wipe the grin off my face when Helen surprised me with a couple of Kris' marbles for Valentines Day. If you get a chance to visit with Kris at a show be prepared for sensory overload, whether it's his awesome marbles or his contagious laughter and smile, Temptation Art Glass makes one heck of an impression. I guarantee you won't go home empty handed!

Don't forget to check out www.krisparkemarbles.com and Temptation Art Glass on eBay!