Oneonta native Bobby Sharp has been a lifelong artist, but his passion for glass was forged in the early 2000s.

Sharp, 57, owns Glassworks, a studio, production and gift shop space established in 2004 at 736 state Highway 28 in Oneonta.

Sharp said he came to glass by way of furniture.

“I started designing high-end furniture at a very young age, and then somebody told me that you have to sell this to the rich and famous, because of the quality of the work,” he said. “I did things very well, but I knew some glassblowers that had some shards, and I said, ‘You throw all this out? Can I take it?,’ so I gathered it all, cleaned it and polished it by the hundreds and I had this dream about encasing glass in plastic. I approached (local attorney) George Silvernail, and he commissioned me to do an end table. I knew I was on to something and … it was incredibly beautiful and that’s how I got started: the attention paid for it, and that opened up the door for me to glassblowing.”

Another commissioned piece, Sharp said, proved pivotal.

“Frank Mann, of Mann Media, said, ‘Create something for me and I’ll see if I’ll buy it,’ and, being as I had all those shards of glass, I thought I’d do something with this picture of Jimi Hendrix,” he said. “You have to think differently, and you can’t just do the basic stuff like everybody else; it’s got to be unique.”

The result, Sharp said, was a mosaic-style, hand-painted glass portrait that took three months to refine, but emerged “incredible” and “a masterpiece.”

The Hendrix portrait, he said, launched a follow-up commission from Mann to “do the whole series of Woodstock” artists.

“I took that money to feed the business,” he said. “Then Hoffman Lane Bistro (in Cooperstown) said, ‘this man is incredible,’ and ‘we’ve got an idea for you; we want you to put dividers in the restaurant of glass and flowers.’ I created the forms and the flowers. I went to the woods and did a test, and it was incredibly beautiful. Then something strange happened. I was taking a walk on Main Street and met an art dealer that was a big dealer in Manhattan and Paris. (Robert Horne) looked at this composition of the flowers … and said, ‘You’re a genius. Your spatial sense is incredible.’ He knew I was living in a garage and he said, ‘I’ll put you up in business,’ so he put up thousands and thousands of dollars as I built the business. That’s how it started to take off … and it got me known.”

Establishing Bobby Sharp Glassworks, Sharp said, again relied on critical collaborations and commissions.

“I put a small glass line and a small 190-pound tank with gas and I did everything small — a small website and I started working on designs and it started taking off,” he said. “It was around then that I got the Beekman 1802 (commission). I approached them to do soap dishes and some decanters, and they said, ‘We have other ideas for you’ and started giving me commissions for more decanters and champagne flutes.”

That, Sharp said, necessitated an early expansion of the business, originally called Mountain Glass, for which he relied upon help from Art Reed of Sweet Water Glass in Andes. Simultaneously, Sharp said, he began a relationship with Corning Museum of Glass, where he also rented studio time and further honed his skills.

“I would do what Art told me … and it took months and months to develop all the equipment,” he said. “When Art and I finished updating, that’s when I brought people from Corning to work for me in Oneonta.”

Popular items developed during that period, Sharp said, included his “Lady Fingers” whiskey glasses, designed to fit comfortably in female hands, and baseball bat-shaped drinking glasses.

Today, Sharp said, he’s focused on sharing his passion.

“Out of all that hard work, now I’m setting up all these workshop classes and maybe a school and I’ll be teaching through the whole winter,” he said. “I’m doing these ornament classes and have other classes coming up with the head teacher of glass from Corning and he is going to teach an intro to glassblowing … and do that at the end of January or beginning of February. And we’re having make-your-own paperweight (classes), where you’re one-on-one with the glassblower and … another where you’ll be able to make your own beads for necklaces.”

Classes, he said, are $99 per person and will be “a little over an hour.” Classes and gift shop hours will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 to 3 on Saturday. Sharp said he is open to requests for gift shop products.

Though his products are sold “all around the country,” Sharp said, locals are enthusiastic about the class series.

“After ‘Blown Away’ (a Netflix documentary), people are coming to Corning from all over the world and everybody wants to be a glassblower,” he said. “That’s why I’m pushing now to do the classes and I have something different than what other people are offering. I’m going to have a class where you can learn how to make glass and make money from it. It will include the chamber of commerce and the bank and the right people … so that, when (people) take the class, they’ll know how to wholesale and retail and do social media and open up a small business and generate revenue. A lot of locals now are approaching, like for the ornament class, so it’s Franklin and Oneonta people signing up.”

Sharp said, after nearly two decades, glass still fuels him.

“It’s so much fun and you get so excited,” he said. “Sometimes, it’s late at night and I’ll just come out and sit out by the furnace, because it glows and it’s something that you appreciate and look forward to. It’s fun and it’s not boring and I can’t wait to wake up in the morning and start to create. It makes you feel good. I love it, I love glass.”

For more information or to book a class, visit bobbysharpglassworks.com.

Solomon ‘Sol’ Atkinson was born in Metlakatla, Alaska in 1930 and, as a Ts’msyen (Tsimshian) Native American he lived a purposeful life defined by both his Native American heritage and his service as a U.S. Navy SEAL.

His early years were shaped by the region’s rugged lifestyle, which taught him to be resourceful and appreciate the support of his community. These values guided him through his career in the U.S. Navy and public service. He also inherited a rich cultural legacy from his ancestors, a society that follows the matriarchal line, and who belonged to the Gitlaan clan of the Xpi’hanaḵ house in the Tsimshian nation.

“Dad was such a humble guy who had so little growing up here, but he never ever complained,” said Atkinson’s daughter Maria Hayward. “As a matter of fact, he only owned one pair of shoes and when those got a hole in them, he placed cardboard inside so he could still wear them.”

The National Museum of the American Indian explains that many clans in tribal communities are based on animals that have history and meaning. As a Tsimshian, he was part of the raven and frog clans, two animal-spirits that matched his naval career with their stories and traits.

As the Creator’s helper, the raven is a heroic figure. According to Tsimshian artist Bill Helin, the raven stole the Sun in an operation that required courage, cunning, and creativity and delivered it to humans who had never seen the light. Likewise, “Sol” Atkinson shone in service with brave deeds during conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, often putting his life on the line for the sake of his comrades and country.

The Sun that the raven brought is so vital to the ‘long-winter’ Metlakatla community, that it is featured in the middle of the town’s logo. And, as a SEAL, Atkinson prepared astronauts for space exploration, an act that launched humans into the sky and closer to the raven’s Sun than ever before. The raven also symbolizes Atkinson’s legacy as a protector, safeguarding others through his courageous actions during wars in Korea and Vietnam, frequently risking his life for his teammates and nation.

Meanwhile the frog represents the voice of the people and strives to build unity. The selfless frog teaches by example and is more focused on the us and we of the community and less on I – key notions also reflected in Atkinson’s SEAL ethos: “…I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans …placing the welfare and security of others before my own.” And while many know Atkinson was the first Alaskan Native to join the Navy’s Underwater Demolition Teams (later becoming a SEAL) he may have also been the first “Frogman” descended from a frog clan.

“He was just a gigantic person and I’m not talking about him being six foot something,” says Verdie Bowen, director of the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs, who knew Atkinson since he was a kid. “He was a great storyteller.”

After retiring from his successful navy career, Sol was called to service again. As Metlakatla’s mayor, Atkinson used his charisma and “great storytelling” skills to motivate the town to pursue projects like an Olympic-sized pool for the high school which resulted in a certified dive program at the small school where about a fifth of the students participate in the lessons.

This career preparedness program exposes young Alaskans to U.S. Navy Diver and SEAL career paths. Four of Atkinson’s grandsons and two of his great grandsons have achieved SCUBA certifications through the program.

Brad Billings, the state’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Administrator praised the program as unique and impressive, noting that Metlakatla offers the state’s only high school CTE dive certification course. “What was impressive is their discipline, they really stuck to the goal of certification and that’s quite an accomplishment considering the requirements and how small of a community they are.”

Atkinson wanted to give back to his community by championing the high school dive program and pool. He believed that anyone could excel by attacking every challenge and turning it into a chance to succeed.

“There wasn’t much here as far as opportunity when he was growing up,” noted Hayward. “He was shipped off to boarding school at one point, yet he overcame everything he had to deal with. Dad’s success in the SEALs allows young people here today to have hope that they too can really make something of themselves just like he did.”

Sol was proud of his Tsimshian heritage and served his community in many ways. Besides helping high school divers, he also led a team that created the first of what would eventually be three totem poles for Disney’s Canadian Pavilion at Epcot Center in Florida. There, about 30,000 visitors a day can admire the amazing Tsimshian art that includes Atkinson’s own raven at the bottom of the first pole, carrying the entire weight of the vertical community on his feathery shoulders.

“Sol was really involved in the community, proud of having grown up in it. He was a leader, always carried himself so well… intelligent, thoughtful, kind and friendly, said Metlakatla board member and tribal historian David Boxley who was also responsible for carving two of the totem poles. “You never would have known that he had been a very capable Navy SEAL and did the incredible things he did while he was in service,” added Boxley.

Like the totem raven’s unflinching community support, Atkinson founded and launched the Metlakatla Veterans Association, working diligently to ensure his fellow veterans received the benefits and recognition they earned.

“As a mayor and a veterans’ advocate, he was a pillar in his community,” said Verdie Bowen, the director of the Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs. “He was always putting others before himself.”

In the spring of 2019 – the same year as his passing – Atkinson’s contributions were displayed as part of the Avenue of Heroes Program by the City of Coronado, California, a tribute that underscores his enduring impact. And just this year, the Navy he heroically served paid tribute to Atkinson by naming a future Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue ship after him, serving as a lasting tribute to a man who gave so much to his country and his community.

“I am pleased to ensure that his name will extend globally to all who view this great ship,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro when announcing the name of the future USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12).

This honor is not just a recognition of Atkinson’s service but also a milestone in acknowledging the contributions of Native Americans in the armed forces. The National Indian Council on Aging reminds us that Native Americans serve in the military at five times the national average; the highest per-capita volunteerism of any other ethnic population.

Solomon ‘Sol’ Atkinson’s life was not just an account of military valor but also a narrative of Native American heritage and community leadership.

“His pioneering role as one of the first U.S. Navy SEALs, and his unwavering commitment to service both in and out of uniform, serves as an inspiration for the entire Naval Special Warfare community,” said Rear Adm. Keith Davids, commander, Naval Special Warfare Command.

By Andre’ Billeaudeaux, Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs
Petty Officer 1st Class Alex Smedegard, Naval Special Warfare Group One and Balinda Oneal, Alaska National Guard Public Affairs, contributed to this story.

The crowds gathered around a space just inside the entrance to the National Museum of the American Indian.

They listened as Misty Rose Nace [Solorio], a member of the Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation and the Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation, explained the story behind the dress Friday afternoon. A little girl was sick, Nace said, and as she danced in her dress decorated with silver cones, she was healed.

Nace said there are many versions of the story before sharing how when she suffered the unexpected loss of her older sister.

“I was broken,” she said.

Though she had long taken part in dances tied to her heritage, she found the Jingle Dress Dance was truly a healing experience.

“Every lady that wears this dress, we all have a story as to why we wear it. And it’s such an honor,” she told the crowd. “I’m very grateful.”

With that, she began to dance, the sound of the silver cones that dangled from her dress mixing with the drum and vocal accompaniment from Ralph Zotigh and his son Dennis.

After the dances and presentations, members of the crowd got to visit with the dancers and ask questions.

WTOP talked with Dennis Zotigh, a cultural specialist with the museum and writer for Smithsonian Magazine. Asked what question he gets most, Zotigh didn’t hesitate:

“Are you all Native American, or American Indian?”

Asked, what is the answer to that question, Zotigh said: “We’re none of these. Because they’re in the English language, and English is a foreign language. It did not originate here, it was brought here by immigrants.”

Zotigh explained the general preference is for someone to be identified by their tribe.

“Secondarily,” he said, “We can be called Native American, American Indian, simply American, Aboriginal, First Nations, all these different secondary English titles that were put upon us.”

But, he explained, “American Indian is the language of the law.” And added, “When the president, the courts and the Congress deal with American tribes, American Indian is the language of the law.”

In his case, “My father is a full-blooded Kiowa Indian from Oklahoma. My mother is two tribes, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo from New Mexico and Isante Dakota from Nebraska — and I’m all three,” he said with a broad smile.

The museum provides education and cultural experiences throughout the year. The Native Art Market will be held Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2 and 3. Admission is free.