Fused: a journey from artist in the National Art Glass Collection

• Sam Herman Orange Vase 1976, free-blown glass, silver nitrate decoration

Cultural Background
North America via Mexico and Eastern Europe, my mother immigrated to Mexico from Poland

Place of Origin
Born in Mexico City, and went to the USA at the age of six

Start of Migration Journey
I came to Australia from the United Kingdom in 1973

Place of Arrival in Australia
Adelaide, South Australia - 1973

First Home in Australia
Adelaide, South Australia

First job in Australia
In 1974 I was invited by the South Australian Government to take a position at the Jam Factory in Adelaide
I was also on the board of the Jam Factory and in charge of establishing the glass production workshops

Any glass related objects that you brought with you? And still have?
Some work I made at Val St. Lambert, which I bought back to the UK with me when I returned in 1979

Sam's story

I was born in Mexico City in 1936, my mother having emigrated from Poland in the early 1930's. At the age of about six I went to live in the United States and became an American citizen. After attending school in Baltimore and New York I had a short period in the US Navy. I then went to study sociology and anthropology at Washington State University and did an MA degree at the University of Wisconsin in sculpture.
When enrolling in the sculpture course I decided to study glass as a secondary subject and enrolled in a course led by Harvey Littleton. From that time on my love of glass as an artistic medium began. In 1965 I received a Fulbright Scholarship and went to Scotland to study cold glass technique at the Edinburgh College of Art under Helen Munro Turner.
When David Queensberry of the Royal College of Art in London saw the work in glass that I was doing he invited me to become a Research Fellow at the Royal College and after one year I became Head of the Glass Department where I remained for seven years.
During this period I also travelled and exhibited extensively in both Western and Eastern Europe, Japan and the United States. In 1971 I had a major exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. While in London I set up the Glasshouse in Covent Garden as a jumping block for students coming out of college in order to help them establish themselves in the industry.
In 1974 I was invited by the South Australian Government to come to Adelaide and help set up the glass section of the Jam Factory, Contemporary Craft and Design. I was also asked to be on the board of the Jam Factory and in charge of establishing the glass production workshops. After the initial set up I then invited people to apply to work there and taught them how to blow glass.
The concept behind the Jam Factory was to create a craft based industry in South Australia. It was directly under the auspices of the then premier of South Australia Don Dunstan. While in Australia I exhibited my work in Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney at the same time continuing to exhibit in Europe and Japan.
In 1979 I decided to return to London due to changes in my personal circumstances, I was awarded custody of my children after my divorce, and wanted to be closer to family for support. I set up and established my own studio in London for which I was offered financial support. This gave me the very attractive opportunity to concentrate on only doing my own work and I have since been working mostly in Europe. I now have studios both in London and Spain where I continue to work in glass, sculpture and painting.
If Australia wants me back I might be tempted as I had a great time there and have very fond memories!