Flickinger Glassworks Newsletter
Our brief monthly newsletter about Red Hook, Brooklyn...
and other people, places & things we think you should know about.

Welcome to the June edition.

This month we present an inventive local textile artist; an interview with the founder of Red Hook’s first and only local paper; and photos of some scalloped-edged glass pieces, a new technical finishing offered by Flickinger Glassworks.
Finding Her Materials in Unlikely Places
NYC textile artist and dress designer Ann Hamilton prefers to work with recycled fabrics and found materials. Her most cherished dress combines vintage tulle veils, Irish lace cuffs & collar, and embellishments from a 1950's prom dress. We particularly admire her shift fashioned from New Yorker magazine book bags, a jumper constructed with USPS envelopes, and a sweater woven from those ubiquitous plastic bags that snag in trees. Ann, who began sewing at age five, also restyles and restores vintage bridal gowns . When you click on the video, you will be treated to the soothing sounds of her rich Irish mother tongue while she explains her work. 

Instagram: @ah_textile_art

He Keeps Red Hook Informed
Meet George Fiala, the freewheeling publisher responsible for The Red Hook Star Revue , a free local monthly that tackles politics, education, entertainment and whatever else grabs his attention. The latest issue features a primary voting guide; how local restaurants are surviving the pandemic; and a review of Nobro, the all-female (no bro’s allowed) band. 

“Red Hook is an interesting place with interesting people. I was surprised that nobody had done a paper here before,” says Fiala, who hails from Queens and previously served as general manager of another community newspaper, the Brooklyn Phoenix.

Over ten years, the Revue’s articles have won several NYS Press Association awards. Fiala welcomes pitches from any writer with a stellar idea. “Writers ask me, ‘400 words?’” says Fiala. “I say, ‘Just write the story.’ That’s why writers like me.”

Fiala used to drum with Union, a country and pop band, which helps explain his paper’s bountiful music stories. “Crawdaddy!” he says, referring to the first U.S. rock and roll criticism magazine launched in ’66, “that’s what I really want to be.” 

Owning a newspaper isn’t all fun. “When you have a paper, no one likes you. There’s always someone’s name you misspelled.” However, says Fiala, “I do the paper because I love what I do. So whether people read it or not, I’ll do it.”
George Fiala describes an upcoming story idea.
Scalloped Glass
If you want to shape glass edges to refract light, scalloping is the way to go. This old world technique of chipping glass edges is typically for glass shelving and tableware. But Flickinger Glassworks was recently commissioned to scallop edges for custom lighting. Glass technician, Noe Sanchez, taught himself to scallop and then did a masterful job on four bent glass wall sconces and a large pendant bowl. Look at the video below to see Noe at work. The scalloping throws light at several angles bringing a vibrancy to the edges.