Today we’d like to introduce you to Bonno Taylor.
Hi Bonno, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was first introduced to the glass industry when I started working for smoke shops the day i turned 18. I immediately became infatuated with the products, the culture, and the artists behind them. I decided early on that I wanted to dedicate my work to helping small businesses that supported local and American glass artists. I helped these businesses expand, while also helping companies train their current and future employees about glass so they could educate their local communities about quality, American-made glass products. I believed—and still believe—that when the community for glass grows, that’s one of the best ways to help individual artists grow with it.
Eventually, while working as a buying manager for smoke shops, I became interested in learning how to actually blow glass myself. I started reaching out to glassblowers and people in the community, but at the time, nobody really wanted to help me get my foot in the door.
Everything changed when I decided to leave the company I had been working for. Once I left, I began my apprenticeship under an underground glass artist named Chris George, better known as Boro Loco, who has been blowing glass for more than 26 years.
For about a year, Chris and I worked in an extremely hot glass studio that could reach around 120 degrees during the Texas summers. Chris worked during the day, and so did I—but at night, I had another job as an overnight truck unloader for 7-Eleven. I had left my previous company specifically to pursue glassblowing, and as a result, I had essentially been blacklisted within the community. Many of the smoke shops I had previously worked with wanted nothing to do with me anymore.
For the next two years, I spent most of my time sweating, working, and practicing my craft with very little money to my name. A lot of what I made during those first couple of years either wasn’t good enough or simply broke. Whatever money I did make went straight back into tools, equipment, and learning how to become better.
By the time COVID came around, I had finally built up enough equipment and experience to open my own glassblowing studio at home and practice independently.
I’ve now been blowing glass for eight years, and along the way I’ve rebuilt my reputation within the community—a new reputation without abandoning the relationships and experience that came before it. I’ve been able to show everyone I’ve ever worked for and worked with that I’m more than just a cashier or someone working behind a counter. I still genuinely love working behind the counter at a smoke shop, and it’s something I’m extremely passionate about. That’s a big part of why I continue to market and sell my own products to smoke shops today.
Starting last November, I began getting much more involved in glass competitions and events. I’m proud to say that I’ve participated in more than 15 glass competitions this year alone, including Glass Man Standing, hosted by Austin’s own The Glass Smith, CHAMPS Trade Show, and The Degenerate Flame Off in Oregon.
What started with me simply falling in love with the glass industry has turned into a career where I get to make the art myself, compete alongside some of the artists I once looked up to, and help grow the same community that gave me my start.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges with becoming an independent glass artist is the initial investment and the amount of time you can spend working before you ever see a meaningful profit. Glassblowing is an expensive craft. The torch, oxygen, propane, ventilation, tools, glass, equipment, and everything else required to operate add up quickly. In the beginning, you’re constantly putting money back into your business while trying to get good enough at your craft for people to actually want to buy what you’re making. That period of working extremely hard without turning much of a profit can be brutal.
There’s also a unique challenge that comes with the type of glass I make. Glass art that can be used to smoke out of has historically been viewed as a very taboo or “degenerate” form of art. I think that perception is changing as the culture continues to evolve, but everyone in the pipe community can probably agree that there have been some difficult periods along the way.
That stigma can have real financial consequences. Banks and traditional financial institutions can be reluctant to work with businesses connected to the smoke-shop and pipe industries, and you have to be especially careful about understanding and following all of the laws and regulations that apply to your business. Changes in Texas laws that affect smoke shops can also indirectly affect me. If the businesses buying local glass take a major financial hit, they’re going to have less money available to purchase artwork from independent artists like me.
That’s one of the frustrating parts of being a small artist in this industry. It’s already difficult enough to create something that people genuinely want, make it unique and technically impressive, and price it at a level where people can actually afford it. Then you have to deal with economic and regulatory changes affecting the businesses that make up your customer base. Those businesses can lose revenue because of things that have nothing to do with the artists themselves, and when their budgets disappear, it ultimately affects the artists they support.
I’ve also had to deal with the more personal side of taking a risk as an independent artist. There have always been people who didn’t believe in what I was doing. I’ve had people tell me to get a “real job,” go to college, or take a more traditional path. Even some members of my family looked down on me when I was spending my time studying glassblowing and working in smoke shops because they didn’t understand what I was trying to build.
But I’ve learned that you have to be careful about letting other people’s expectations determine your future. A lot of the people who told me I couldn’t make a career out of this weren’t necessarily people who had built the kind of life I was trying to build either. At some point, you have to be willing to take the risk yourself and accept that other people might not understand it until they can see the results.
And then there’s the very literal challenge of safety. Glassblowing involves extreme heat, compressed gases, open flames, and equipment that can become extremely dangerous if you don’t understand what you’re doing. I remember telling my mentor, Boro Loco, that I believed I could learn how to blow glass, but I definitely needed someone to teach me how to not blow myself up.
That apprenticeship was important for more than just learning how to make glass. It taught me how to approach the craft safely and responsibly.
So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road. But I think a lot of what makes building something yourself rewarding is that you’re forced to figure out how to keep moving forward without giving up on what I wanted to build.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a full-time glass artist and the owner of Bonno Glass. I’m probably best known for my mushroom bong bowls and the huge variety of hand pipes I make. I make pipes in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and patterns, from simple and affordable spoon pipes to much more intricate Sherlocks with sculpted leaves and other detailed elements. I belive I’m also the 1st glass artist to make a snack like goldfish, which have become another recognizable part of my work.
A big part of what I do is getting my work out into the real world. I’m known for making public appearances, doing live glassblowing demonstrations, pop-ups, and traveling to competitions whenever there’s one that will have me. I really enjoy the interaction with people who get to watch the pieces being made rather than just seeing the finished product. Competitions have also become a huge part of my growth as an artist because they force me to create under pressure and constantly push myself to try things I haven’t done before.
What I’m most proud of is the variety of work I’ve been able to develop while still having things that people immediately associate with Bonno Glass. I don’t want to be an artist who only makes one particular style of pipe. I like being able to make something simple and affordable for one person and then turn around and spend hours making an extremely detailed one-of-a-kind piece for someone else.
The biggest thing that sets me apart from other artists is that I never give up. There are a lot of incredibly talented glassblowers out there, but when something goes wrong, I don’t see it as a reason to stop. I figure out what went wrong, learn from it, and try again. Whether I’m learning a new technique, competing against artists who are better than me at something, or dealing with setbacks in my career, I just keep moving forward. I don’t necessarily have to be the most naturally talented person in the room — I’m going to be the person who is still there, still learning, and still trying when everyone else has gone home. I just refuse to quit.
And, apparently, I’m also becoming known for flipping my tweezers while I work and wearing shades everywhere.😆 😎
What’s next?
Me and my friend Hoss Style Glass are currently working on a large glassblowing studio in Texas, while I’m also building a mobile glassblowing studio inside a portable RV. Once it’s finished, I’ll be touring the country for competitions and pop-up events, while also using it around Austin for local events and community projects.
I’m also really excited about a big event I’m organizing in December, where I’ll be blowing glass live for 24 hours straight. We’ll have other glass artists collaborating, multiple projects happening, a movie night, food, drinks, and entertainment. It’ll be streamed live, but people will also be able to come watch in person at The Glass Smith on Airport Boulevard. Follow @bonnoglass on Instagram for updates!
Pricing:
- Wholsale available
- Most of my peices are $20.00-$60.00
- Peices made to fit you budget
- Discounts for return customers
- Seasonal sales
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonnoglass
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BonnoGlass
