Glass-blower Patrick Vrolyk
Patrick Vrolyk is a local artist who has gained renown for his glass pipes and bongs commonly used for smoking marijuana. As you’ll read below, he is known to most as Redbeard. His work was featured in the Grasslands exhibition last year at the Penticton Art Gallery. He conducted the following interview with Herald reporter Dale Boyd via email.
HERALD: How long have you been a glass-blower (if that’s the correct terminology), and what do you like about the art form?
VROLYK: Twenty years. I love how I can express myself, create something with my hands and support my family doing it.
HERALD: From a business perspective, what impact, if any, are you anticipating from the legalization of recreational marijuana?
VROLYK: I think my market (the people buying my glass creations) will get bigger, which hopefully means more demand, to which I will try to provide more supply . . . and have fun doing it.
HERALD: What are your thoughts generally on the legalization of recreational marijuana?
VROLYK: It’s about frickin’ time. I’ve been using cannabis for over 20 years, and I could have told you that long ago. In fact, the Le Dain Commission was completed in 1972 and came to the conclusion that cannabis should be decriminalized, at least. Better late than never, I guess. This is Legalization Version 1.0, and I’ll look forward to the government getting it right in the next versions to come, including small-scale producers and farm-to-table-type models.
HERALD: You have made many zany or wacky pieces during your work. Which one sticks out the most and why?
VROLYK: Hmmm, good question. I think the piece “The Chicken Came First” was a groundbreaker for me, showing me I can tell jokes through glass (even if they’re not always funny).
HERALD: You host the Great Canadian Glass Gathering. How has this event evolved over the years, and is it becoming a more popular art form?
VROLYK: It all started 11 years ago, when I rented a beautiful acreage and wanted to share it with my glass-blower friends from the city. This year is our first year at a new venue, just outside Kelowna, and I’m excited to expand the event, kicking off a cross-Canada tour in my antique buses. We’ll be visiting six cities across Canada, all the way to Moncton, N.B. We have local musicians, vendors and many artists lined up. Tickets for the Kelowna Great Canadian Glass Gathering are on sale now at gcggtour.com.
HERALD: You have an online show based on glass-blowing. What inspired you to do this?
VROLYK: I wanted to show everybody what was involved in making glass pipes or sculptures. Sometimes we ask a lot of money for our creations, and I thought it might help to show the whole process and also the lifestyle. I wanted to put out something a little more lighthearted and “funnier” than other glass instructional videos.
HERALD: What is your favourite hobby or thing to do that is not glass-blowing-related?
VROLYK: I love to garden, to grow my own food, including livestock. I currently have chickens and ducks, and I miss my goats and dairy cows very much. I’ve also grown cannabis for more than 20 years and I find that very therapeutic as well.
HERALD: Pick one: Would you rather have a movie, book, comic book, Netflix series or cartoon show based on your life?
VROLYK: Netflix series or movie. In fact, I’m working on it (filming a pilot this summer while travelling in old buses cross-country meeting other glass artists).
HERALD: If you can recall, when did you get the nickname Redbeard?
VROLYK: It was around 2000. It was very much illegal to make cannabis paraphernalia (in fact, it still is now), head shops were getting busted, and it was wise to have an alias. The name “grew” on me.