Jun 27, 2016
Episode 114- Lewis Wilson The "P.T.Barnum " of the glass world
Lewis C. Wilson was born on January 14, 1949 in Roswell, New
Mexico. He was part of a military family. Moved to Dallas, Texas in
1954, then lived in Sidi Slamane, Morroco, North Africa from 1956
until 1959, and then moved to Riverside, California. In 1960 he
moved to Goose Bay, Labrador, Nova Scotia Province, Canada. While
in Goose Bay (age 11) he taught himself how to eat fire, juggle,
throw knives and do various magic and circus tricks.
In 1963 his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He started
learning Shotokan karate in 1964. Received his first degree black
belt in 1969 and fought in 10 to 12 tournaments a year from 1964 to
1974.
Lewis joined the United States Air Force on January 19, 1970. He
worked in the emergency room the last 3 years of active duty as a
physician’s assistant. In the fall of 1970 he founded the Patrick
Air Force Base karate club. He was part of the ground medical crew
for Apollo XII in 1971 for the second lunar landing.
In 1972 Lewis got an old book on scientific glassblowing from a
local library and taught himself how to make small glass figurines
by using the Bunsen burners in the medical lab. In October of 1973
he approached the Arribas Brothers who held the concessions for the
glass blowing at Walt Disney World. Lewis worked for the Arribas
Brothers for 3 months under a transition program from the Air
Force.
Lewis left the Air Force on January 20,1974. The next day he went
to Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida to try to get a job as a
glassblower. He wasn’t able to be their glassblower, but they did
have a vacancy for a juggler and fire-eater. For the next 2 years
Lewis worked with tattooed belly dancers, a magician, and an organ
grinder and his monkey.
In July of 1974 Lewis got married, and they moved to St.
Petersburg, Florida. He named his glass business Crystal Myths. In
July of 1975 Lewis’ daughter Jennifer was born. In 1977 they moved
to Quincy, Massachusetts and did about 30-35 art shows a year. In
1981 Lewis got divorced and moved back to Albuquerque, New Mexico
along with his daughter.
In 1987 Governor Gary Carruthers presented King Juan Carlos of
Spain with one of Lewis’ limited edition Eagle dancers as a gift of
state. The State of New Mexico later used a limited edition Eagle
dancer as an inaugural gift to President George Bush and a limited
edition Red Tail Hawk dancer as an inaugural gift to President Bill
Clinton.
In 1993 Lewis produced his first glassworking video, Glass Bead
Making. Crystal Myths has now produced more than 20 titles on
glassworking.
In 1996 Crystal Myths promoted their first show, The Best Bead
Show, in Tucson, Arizona. This was the same year that Robert Lui,
one of the editors of Ornament Magazine, called Lewis the P.T.
Barnum of beadmakers.
In 2002 Lewis promoted the world’s largest hot glass competition.
It was called the Albuquerque Flame-Off. There were 300 glass
workers from the U.S. and Canada and 6 torches running for twelve
hours a day for 2 days.
In the 2003 winter issue of Ornament, Robert Lui once again granted
Lewis a title, “The Impressario of Beads”.
In 2005 Lewis demonstrated at the Kobe International Lampworking
Festival in Kobe, Japan. Lewis taught himself Japanese and only
spoke Japanese during the demo.
One of the highlights in Lewis’ career was the dedication of a
building named after him at Art Glass Invitational in September of
2005.
Lewis is a founding member of the International Society of Glass
Beadmakers, a member of the Glass Art Society.
In 2008 Lewis sold the Best Bead Shows . 2008 was a pivotal point
in his life. Reemerging as a talented artist and being able to
concentrate fully on lampworking.
In 2008 at the Oakland ISGB convention, Lewis was presented with
the Hall of Flame Award.
In 2011 Lewis married glass artist Barbara Svetlick. Together their
work made it to the cover of Glass Art Magazine in Jan/Feb
2012.
Together , Lewis and Barb do a few shows a year. Lewis is teaching
privately and enjoying life
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