Raul Rangel, or Ra Glass, is a Portland-based glassblower. Perhaps more accurately described as a lamp or flameworker, Rangel utilizes an open-flame torch to handcraft masterpieces.
With his odyssey into glass beginning in 2012, Rangel has accrued over a decade of combined experience in the art form.
“Glassblowing was just something that I fell in love with,” Rangel explained. “After my mom passed, I didn’t have a lot of things that I really cared about. But glassblowing was just something that I enjoyed doing. It really helped me through that time. … I spent probably 12 hours a day just wanting to be on the torch.”
A self-taught artisan, Rangel dedicated a large portion of his early years to refining his craft, making pipes and mini tubes and perfecting his wigwag technique. Around 2019, his work took on a new trajectory, moving into multipiece, elaborate functionals.
That is when his Scarab series was born. Illustrated as a visually distinct recycler with a large donut in the middle and curved “arms” on the side, each piece has a symmetrical form reminiscent of a giant beetle. The scarab represents rebirth and transformation in Egyptian culture. For Rangel, it was also a proving ground as a glassblower.
“If you look at the beginning pieces, one through five, then 45 through 49, there’s a big difference,” Rangel said. “I honed a lot of skills in that series.”
With a goal of evolving as an artist, Rangel capped his trademark Scarab series at number 50. He then prototyped until a blueprint of what would eventually become his “Lightbender” was created.
“The design is a play on something that’s a piece, but also visually looks like something else too,” Rangel explained.
“Lightbender” mimics a microscope, complete with a magnifying lens. Depending on the artistic style of the piece, the lens is positioned over an encased opal, millie or wigwag, enlarging the image. This technique was recently remixed with his Eye of Ra pendants, which can be worn as a necklace and also double as heady jewelers’ loupes.
As an artist, Rangel is constantly challenging himself and testing new concepts. Some glassblowers may spend a lifetime on a specific technique, but he embraces learning new approaches like millefiori, fuming and sculpting.
“I’m really drawn to the aspects of all of it, like that challenge,” Rangel said. “Every time I feel a little bored or stagnant, there’s always something to dive into and learn and challenge myself.”
It’s difficult to overstate the uniqueness and aesthetic of Rangel’s work. Each dab rig hits with perfect precision. No matter what he constructs, the craftsmanship and personal touch present in each project are incomparable.
“I’ve always just tried to be humble and do the best that I can to not put out things that are sub-par,” Rangel stated.
A wizard of flamework and function, Rangel’s art radiates sheer brilliance, beauty and talent in a way that fully substantiates his sun deity namesake. The future of glassblowing looks brighter with artists like Ra Glass holding down the torch.
