We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Samuel Spees a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Samuel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

At the end of the day, I am fortunate to look at the path I chose and know that I am pursuing something greater than myself. When you decide to pursue a career in art, it opens doors of creativity that not many other people seem to understand. I firmly believe that true artists and craftspeople make things because it helps them mentally process the world around them. This is what being a creative person does for me. It is therapy. It is an obsession to learn and become better through the process. I make things based on my previous experiences and the way I visualize the world around me. Through this, my hope is that other people relate to my work in their own unique way. That is the beauty of art. We all see the world differently and the ability to capture that, just for a moment, is a beautiful thing. Sure, there are small moments that I wish I could have the normal 9-5 with a stable income, but I know I wouldn’t be happy.

Samuel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Samuel Spees, and I am an artist, designer, and craftsman from Dayton Ohio. While pursuing football at Centre College in Kentucky, I was drawn to the process of glassmaking, which truly changed my life. Since college, I have been fortunate to work with many artists and designers in multiple studios across the country, including the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio in Norfolk, VA, Penland School of Craft in Penland, NC, and the Pittsburgh Glass Center in Pittsburgh, PA. My practice embodies the mental process and physical techniques of glassmaking to make work that is playful, experimental, and technical. The driving pursuit of perfection within creation is the foundation of my inspiration as an artist and craftsperson. In turn I create a wide array of both functional and sculptural objects through a lens perceiving the world through memories and sensory experiences.

This glass work includes barware and decor items, custom lighting, and one of a kind sculpture. In addition to working with glass, I have begun making furniture, mainly with wood and metal. What began as necessary fabrication has grown into a curiosity to explore these other materials creatively. This has further pushed my obsession with the gray area between art and design. Another catalyst in my life has been my partner, Blaine Steiner, who has opened my eyes to a different way of looking at making art. We have begun collaborating in a way that has challenged both of us to step out of our comfort zones and into a world in which both of us never thought we would get too. Branded Studio Slain, we plan to continue to grow our collaborative work to push those boundaries that exist between craft, design, and art.

Currently, I am the Director of Glass at the Nashville Glasshaüs, set to open in fall of 2023. In addition to continuing to make my own glassware and sculpture, I will manage the studio and maintain a leading role in the design and creation of Glasshaus branded glassware and lighting.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The move to Nashville, TN a little over a year ago was a large change in my career. This move came with a strange juxtoposition of giving up glassblowing in order to build a studio to then begin blowing glass again. Sacrifice is something romanticized in our culture in order to achieve something greater than one had before. For me this has been very tough because I moved from a great job with a growing self business in a place with a large glass community to a city in which there was an opportunity to build all of these things from the ground up. Having been a part of the foundation of this project for almost two years now it has definitely helped shift my outlook on life, as well as helped me grow in a manner that was very unexpected. Not only have I gained numerous new skills and knowledge, I have also gained invaluable perspective on my craft.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding thing is the community. The glass world is unique in that you need other people to help you make your work. It invites a collaborative culture and brings people of all walks of life together. Some of my best friends are because of this medium and I otherwise wouldn’t even have known they existed if not for glass. Also, glass has allowed me to travel all over the country, meeting and working with all different types of people in all kinds of places. This stimulates creativity while also giving me lifelong friends and memories.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.samfspees.com
• Instagram: @samspees
• Facebook: Sam Spees

Image Credits
Rachel Pressley.