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A Planet placed at the North Pole

Just a Couple More Stories …
– In 1979, Simpson was part of an important exhibition at the
Corning Museum of Glass called New Glass. As part of an eclectic
group of glass artists, a piece of his work (a goblet) was part of a full-
spread image in Life magazine as the opening photo in a story about the
exhibit. The show was also headed to the Met Museum, the Louvre,
and the Victoria and Albert museum. What a way to step onto the
world stage of glass.
– Some of the most successful and artful glass makers inspire
Simpson's work including Lalique, Frederick Carder, Maurice
Marinot, and Tiffany. Speaking of Tiffany, “It’s interesting that my
grandmother collected his glass. That is probably where I first saw
iridescent glass. By the 1950s, Tiffany glass was seen as the most
expensive, beautiful glass imaginable. But my grandmother was giving
The Infinity Project it away to sell at church bazaars.” If only time travel was possible.
Josh Simpson
in his element.
“One day in 1976, I discovered several handmade glass marbles in photo: Greg Bardwell
the old garden bed outside my kitchen door. Probably left there by
children a generation or two earlier. When I washed them off, they
were still just as bright and vibrant as they’d been on the summer after-
noon they went missing.
“I thought about how many priceless glass objects now in museums
were originally lost for eons until dug up by archeologists. No museum
had yet shown my work and I wondered … what if no one ever
did!? But I was making glass Planets that would probably last for
centuries. So I thought, ‘Why not bury some of them, and perhaps
someday a future researcher might find one. Perhaps that small planet
would become an enduring mystery to confound the experts, and this
way my glass might even find its way into a museum after all!’ (I even
hid a Planet right outside the Corning Museum of Glass. Found by
Director David Whitehouse, it is now in their permanent collection.
My plan worked!)
“Eventually, I started leaving Planets first near my house and then later – What does Josh Simpson collect? “For a long time, I collected
wherever I ventured. They have even been dropped from the window I Mustard, because there are so many different interesting mustard jars,
had installed in my plane (um, in remote locations, of course). Soon, I from plastic ones that you can squeeze out to French crockery, to glass.
was giving away my little worlds to friends who promised to hide them One problem arose because it turns out that mustard is acidic. All of
in their own travels. This eventually became the ‘Infinity Project.’” the mustard lids that were metal screwtops were ruined. The mustard
(Plus, there may still be a Planet on the International Space Station.) ate its way out of the cans. I used to have mustard jars all around the
Lloyd Herman, in this excerpt from the catalog essay for the kitchen. But it was more of a running joke than anything else.
Visionary Journey in Glass exhibit, 2006, stated that, “Hidden on every “I am a pilot, so I collect aircraft items.” I discovered a carburetor
s continent, on the bottom of every ocean, on top of mountains, and in from a huge aviation airplane engine under the sink in his bathroom. “I
many more remote and mundane places in between, Planets are hidden actually have a Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp aircraft engine, which
by participants in the Infinity Project. Marked only with an infinity used to be in the garage but we moved it down to the field last summer.
symbol and no identifying name, Infinity Project Planets are an anony- It’s about eight feet long and five feet in diameter, has 18 cylinders, and
mous thought-provoking gift from Simpson to strangers who may find a huge propeller.” I am sure it looks outstanding in his field.
these little spheres someday, in the next week or the next century.”

Below from left: New Mexico Flower Vase, 1992, 8"Hx6.75"Diameter. Collection of Phillip Verdi, photo: Tommy Olaf Elder; Josh Simpson signing Planets, photo: Judy Gonyeau;
Storage of Mega Planets, photo: Judy Gonyeau

n “Every single object that leaves here
s I have personally made
a
n with the help of my hotshop assistants.
. Sometimes, I work entirely alone.

t Everything that comes out of here
a
s —every single piece that I sign, every
e piece that leaves this studio—
e has been made by me,
I and that’s important.
o
n That’s super old school, but it’s
s important to me.”
.
e – Josh Simpson
e
I
a Simpson is very active, giving demonstrations and workshops at his studio and at museums, other hot shots, and online at his website. His recently
published retrospective, Josh Simpson, 50 Years of Visionary Glass, includes over 500 photos of his work with in-depth insight into his life and
adventures. Visit www.joshsimpsonglass.com

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