Mark Peiser talks about the first glass class he took at Penland. Oral history interview with Mark Peiser by Catherine Whalen, February 25, 2020, Bard Graduate Center. Clip length: 01:07.

Mark Peiser: In a three week class, I saw one demonstration that actually looked like it showed the promise of the process of glassblowing. And I must say, I was very impressed with that [clears throat]. And one of the things that impressed me was, well, this was just a simple bubble form, but treated right the proportions came out quite elegantly. But something that appealed to me was, in the blowing process anyway, if you blow the thing, basically you’re done. My experience in making stuff out of wood and metal, rubber, plastic—you know, all this stuff—the finishing is the huge—it’s where I start losing patience, let’s put it that way. And, you know, blowing glass—at least at that point—seemed like, ‘Wow. This is quick and easy, could be.’ And so that was very appealing about it.