Charlie Matz - USA

10 x 34 x 25     Red King Crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus)
borosilicate glass, research grade neon gas

This hollow sculpted Red (Alaskan) King Crab is a result of multiple years of practice in plasma and freehand flameworked sculpting. It took around 80 hours to create. The more than 1000 spikes on the crab's body and legs needed to be meticulously checked for microscopic leaks before the sculpture could be pumped down to a near perfect vacuum and filled with super high purity Neon gas, then permanently sealed. It is the largest and most physically and mentally challenging flameworked sculpture Charlie has made to date.

Since plasma guru Wayne Strattman gave them a crash course in the science of plasma art, Charlie and the creative director of Ignite Glass Studios Ben Tullman have designed and produced a large line of plasma filled cocktail serviceware and sculpture.