Momka Peeva

www.momkasglass.com

A warm word, not myth or fictionÖ

I was born in a small, very old beautiful European country ñ Bulgaria in 1937. I grew up in a house by the Black Sea beaches. My childhood was during the World War II, then during the transitions to Socialist society but I stuck to a simple goal ñ to try and do my best in life with what I had.

My parents were practical people and pointed me to choose a profession and direction in life which I wanted to follow and thought would be interesting and fulfilling. My mother later on in life told me that even what I was young, I was curious and was very interested in discovering new ways and new things. Her and I talked and discussed the potential in my interests in science ñ specifically biology, pharmaceuticals and chemistry. She also supported me in my love with sports ñ swimming, gymnastics, rowing, however one of the most valuable skills which I inherited from her was to organize and make the best of my time such that I did well in both ñ my studies and my achievements as an athlete.

I chose to enroll in a Technical High School and my child hood dream to look for new ways and new things turned to reality which I could pursue daily. In the early days after the war Bulgariaís economy was being rebuilt and I got plenty of opportunities to apply myself.

We studied 12 subjects per year in high school, had semester exams and laboratory time and tests. The high school environment and focus on chemistry was not very different from the university, I enrolled immediately after graduating from high school in one of the oldest universities in Bulgaria the High Chemistry and Technology Institute in Sofia. I spent 12 semesters there over 6 years which included my mandatory internships prior to graduating with a Science degree in Non-organic Chemistry specializing in Glass Technology and Ceramics.

After graduating from the university I worked in the chemical lab at an electrical bulb plant in Sliven. We analyzed different types of glass and raw materials. My focus was on the quality control of the glass bulbs so that we could increase the efficiency of the plant.

In those years Bulgaria was a socialist country and there were regimented laws with regards to education. Education was free, but upon graduation, each student had a 3 year assignment to a specific government enterprise which was not of their choosing. We were assigned to different plants, per the plants needs for specialized expertise. Our pay was minimal, all at the same level for all, independent of the score or success as a student and your performance at the workplace. After the specialized work in the laboratory, I started working at another Technical high school which specialized in glassmaking. I was fist a glass chemistry teacher for 3 years and then was promoted to high school director.

The team of teachers which I worked with was very young and very motivated to build a successful high school environment and start teaching fourteen to eighteen year olds to all which we know and had learned about glass.

During the 1970-ies, the period which I started working in the Sliven Glass Technology high school there were six main plants producing glass for all of the national demand. Upon completing high school, the graduates could enroll in the university or else work at one of the six plants.

To diversify and make the program a bit more interesting the teachers and I developed a program for glass design. We founded and were able to obtain sponsorship for a small production base workshop in which we conducted and practiced all glass technology processes on small scale with the students, including coloring. Experimenting with glass colors was one of the more popular programs at the workshop among students.

During these years we also started student exchange programs with Poland the Czech Republic and Russia. We participated in forums and conferences. I had great contacts with my colleagues from these countries and we often exchanged tips and shared experiences in the glass coloring processes which we were working on developing.

In 1990 I co-wrote with two of my university colleagues a text book on Technology of glass making which is still used in by students in Technical high schools in Bulgaria.

I love working with glass. My career is very fulfilling and I enjoy it. But above all of my glass work, between 1970 and 1990, I loved and raised my two sons who are now grown men.

I moved to the Untied States in 1993. The early nineties after the fall of the Berlin wall were challenging as yet another turn in life. The unemployment in Bulgaria was extremely high and many of the plants end government run plants went bankrupt and closed.

When I moved here, I did not speak any English. I enrolled in evening classes so I could be independent and be able to work and support myself. Anothething which drove me to learn English and to learn how to drive at 57 was my social thirst. I am a very social person and right away I was impressed with Seattleís glass community ñ galleries, shops, schools and people who enjoyed them.

I almost by accident met Ms Ann Hauberg who first reached out and invited me to the glass community. She took me to Pilchuk and the Chihuli boat house. She also took me to some of the first planning meetings for the Tacoma Art Museum which was an amazing experience to me. I am forever grateful to her for that.

Eventually I learned enough English and in 1998 I received a call from Henry Grummet of Portland, OR who was looking for a chemical engineer. I was back in the glass making business and off to a new start in glass making. For nearly a year we worked on setting up the new company and in the summer of 1999 four of us founded Glass Alchemy ñ Suzan Web, Richard Payton, Henry Grummet and me.

I moved to Portland in December and started to work on developing borosilicate colors. I was using my experience with soft glass and was able to develop Bright Crayon borosilicate colors. This was a bug success and I am very proud of it.

After leaving Glass Alchemy, out of necessity, I started consulting with different companies, both soft and borosilicate.

After experience in the local glass business I decided to found my own company Momkaís Borosilicate and Soft glass. This business has only been around just over a year, but we already have over 40 high quality color glass rods in production.

My goal is to develop and continue this line of new colors. I will do my best to make the glass artists in the Northwest and nationwide happy.

I have received a lot of warm wishes from them. Thank you!