UK educated Chinese glass art Instructor on CCTV

Guan Donghai
UK educated Chinese artist Guan Donghai has been only been working in glass for eight years but he's established a style of his own. He's created two glass series, "Gates" and "Weapon". The later is pictured above.
It looks to us like these are pate de verre, but is hard to tell from the CCTV review which appeared October 21, 2008 on CCTV's website.

Guan said, "The human head figures as the remarkable part of most of my works. The look is typically Chinese. It doesn't represent ancient people. I use it to express a modern idea. In ancient China, rulers cut off the heads of criminals - stuffed them in cages and hung them on gateways."
Wow just like the English in the 1700's.
"I am trying to adapt that Draconian rule of ancient times, to the discussion of how today's people can open their minds. I've just borrowed the system of punishment from ancient China to explain my thinking about today's social problems."
Nice thinking, and it looks fierce, too, Guan.

Guan didn't find his lifetime interest right at the beginning. He took a detour into dyeing and weaving and watercolor painting, says the CCTV article. Wow, just like Annie and Mike Nourot here. Weird and interesting parallel.
In 2000 he was named director of the newly established glass art studio, of the Tsinghua University's Academy of Arts and Design.
It may be true he then went to the University of Wolverhampton,in the UK. Anyway this trip helped him decide to make glass his life's pursuit.
Guan says he is enthralled by the mystery and fascination of the art. And so are we at the Nourot Glass Studio in Benicia, California.
He has found that, "I can see what a glass piece will look like before I make it. Sometimes the completed work is totally out of expectation. Sometimes it's even better than the way I had visualized it."
It seems we both find glass making a breathtaking and exciting experience.
He adds, "You may discover a new technique accidentally.To me it is the most valuable and encouraging thing."
You can read more about this Chinese artist in glass at the CCTV website.
Happy Happy, Mr. Guan Donghai!