Write on, brother

There it hung, with sky for background. Saturn. With its green orb and ruby red ring. Dark clouds lumbering by behind, with patches of sunshine brightening things momentarily. Then back to grey. And Saturn changed colors and feel at the whim of the clouds and breezes. The wire that she hung on was most sturdily fastened to the very edge of roof over my lanai, so as I sat under cover in the drizzle I could just see the drops striking those ruby lips. And accumulating, until they rolled off the edge. I hoped Lino would be proud. I wondered how many of his Saturns were hung out in the elements, as those that weren’t considered seconds were quite pricey, more than I would ever afford. But I remember the first time I saw her. It was on a shelf in the back back room of a Seattle gallery that specialized in glass artists. I was cruising through with the owner one day and spied the piece. It was really beautiful though quite dusty. Obviously been there awhile. The ring was just a bit larger than a big dinner plate and the sphere in the center about the size of a cantaloupe. Much smaller than the later ones in the series. More colorful as well. There was one tiny little glitch in the glass. Not a problem for me, but obviously enough so that Lino wouldn’t sign it. Too bad. Having it signed by Lino Tagliapietra, considered by many to be the best living glassblower, would be nice for the value it would add to the piece. But I don’t really care. Nobody that knows glass art would doubt who made it  and I certainly know who made it. I’ve really enjoyed looking at her for years hanging in the window of my Seattle home facing west so sunsets would pass through in the evenings. That is after I finally got it off the living room floor where it spent the first few years until I gained the knowledge and confidence to decide the best way to hang it. Then, very carefully double boxed and delivered with much more glass art to my new home in Maui. And, they all made it. I do remember shortly after I bought the piece I mentioned to the gallery owner that the next time Lino was visiting Seattle from his home in Murano I’d get him to sign it. The owner was adamant that I not do that. So I didn’t. But I’ve always wondered what that was all about and if he was really supposed to sell it to me.