SANTA CRUZ, Calif - Vandal Glass, makers of erotic glass novelties, have been crafting tattoo-inspired art objects for six months, showcasing the design talent of Josh Frager, fine artist and graduate of glass luminary Dale Chihuly's Pilchuck School.
"I've always wanted to do it [create glass toys], but I didn't have the time," he told AVN Novelty Business. "When I got to the level where other people blew glass for me, I had the time. I enjoy making them, and I enjoy making people happy. I wanted to make a toy that was beautiful, functional, and affordable-and keep it under $100."
Frager has been blowing glass for 12 years, starting with a line of art glass inspired by the artist's relationship with the ocean. Popular in Hawaii and California, Frager has worked with "around 40 galleries in the past six or seven years" and has set up studios around the world, including Thailand and Shenzen, China-where Vandal's glass is blown.
Toy-making is a relatively new endeavor, but Frager is not endeavoring alone. Two partners, long-time fan Brian Wellikson and Zack Stedman, take care of the business side of things.
The designer says he has "been researching this for a few years," and that his aim was to turn glass toys into fine art. The company website, VandalGlass.com, mirrors this sensibility. "I wanted to do a non-hardcore site-more for people who are shy or want to try new things but are scared and don't want something too in their face. The site is glam and sexy," Frager remarked.
The erotic objects are inspired by graffiti and tattoo art, as well as sea life. The result is a fairly inconspicuous, artful collection of glass sculptures. Unusual details, such as a grip in the shape of a heart made of diachroic glass (the effect is like looking at a school of shimmering fish underwater) distinguish this line. In the Bamboo model, glass swirls and beads create bumps and nobs for pleasure. This item, where form and function are in harmony, was inspired by the designer's travels in Thailand.
As far as the response from the public, Frager was extremely happy with response at the recent Erotica L.A. consumer show. "I got tons of emails. Tons of industry people stopped by; Brad [Armstrong] from Wicked loved our toys. People wanted to get them into movies," he said.
As for a market where there are already a number of artisanal glass toys and manufacturers mass producing glass items, Frager said, "We're trying to be super-personable and re-create glass. People are a little bit jaded on it. We're going to a new place with the design and making it out of creative mind, but we also want to know what people want."
To learn more about Vandal or to contact the company, please visit VandalGlass.com.
