LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles-based glassblower Cedric Mitchell thought he’d become a rapper until he discovered glassblowing.
Now, 10 years later, he’s established himself in the glassblowing world, making creations that are colorful and irreverent.
He says he’s a rule breaker and calls his aesthetic “Modern Funk.”
Mitchell described how it feels to get so close to the flames for his craft.
“It’s like a roller coaster, you know? You’re just so excited to be so scared. And then you go up, climbing this roller coaster. It’s pretty chill. And then you drop down and that’s when, like, all excitement happens. So that’s kind of like glass blowing. It’s not for the faint of heart. You’ve got to kind of be a risk-taker,” he shared.
Mitchell creates a wide variety of glass pieces.
“The work that I make ranges from functional objects like your typical barware, drink ware or home decor items like decorative vases, some lighting objects. And now I’ve ventured into the world of this sculptural objects. [One of the] the bestselling products that I’ve made so far is this kinetic glass. It actually rotates on this gold sphere. It has actual 24 karat gold in each sphere,” Mitchell said.
Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mitchell said his career options seemed limited. But when he fell in love with glassblowing, he was determined to follow that path.
“I Googled famous Black glassblowers and, you know, it was only a select few that popped up. Therman Statom, Debora Moore and Ché Rhodes. That was kind of like the thing that solidified my role and my place in this field,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell’s work has inspired others, like Tyler Straight, as well.
“I’m just glad that Cedric’s real chill. And I like the fact that we’re the same color. You don’t really see that in glass blowing, so it makes, makes it more comfortable. We talk a lot about the places we can take glass. So right now, I’m just watching him do his thing — he’s all over the place right now — and that’s so inspiring,” Straight said.
“I do a lot of teaching, more so now, at different craft schools or glassblowing places around the country and work with students there to help them develop their practice and pass on some of the skill sets that I’ve learned along the way. You have to just trust and believe and keep working. Keep your head down and work. There’s somebody out there waiting on you to quit. Share your story, share your goals. So that way people can help you along the way,” Mitchell said.
You can find out more about Mitchell and his work at CedricMitchellDesign.com.
Watch the full video above.
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