March/April 1980
By the Mother Earth News editors
MAX MILLER: FROM PICKLE JARS TO PAPERWEIGHTS
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"Eight years ago," says Max Miller, "an 80-year-old glass blower, who was on the verge of retirement, offered to teach me the basics of his skill .. . and I jumped at the chance." Now, Miller — a Redkey, Indiana pipe-organ tuner — spends all his spare time turning glass jars and bottles into beautiful, handmade paperweights . . . some of which are on display at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Max uses secondhand and homemade glass blowing equipment for his craft. He begins each work of art by heating clear glass in a melting vat, then shapes his masterpieces on an iron rod and decorates the "sculptures" with colorful crushed-glass designs. And Miller has no trouble accumulating the raw material necessary for his hobby . . . because friends and neighbors make sure the 58-year-old craftsman is well supplied. "Sometimes, when I leave the house in the morning," says Max, "I find my front porch covered with bottles and jars . . . or folks'll trade me their empties for a chance to watch me work."
Most ecologically conscious citizens think of glass recycling as a way of protecting one of this planet's natural resources . . . but for the folks in Redkey, Indiana-thanks to Max Miller-glass conservation is a means of maintaining an art form, as well! —Jeffrey S. Close.
BEVERLY E. COLEMAN: NACHES
In 1975 Beverly E. Coleman founded a health care center — called the New Age Community Health Education Services (NACHES) — that was designed to teach people to take greater responsibility for their own physical well-being. The Los Angeles-based establishment instituted three basic programs: [1] the use of massage, acupressure, and reflexology to reduce stress and promote relaxation, [2] home parties that explore patterns in healthful living, and [3] individual self-development plans consisting of a personalized diet, exercise routine, and guide to stress management.
In addition to her activities at the center, Ms. Coleman's endeavors have included the formation of the Foundation of NACHES, Incorporated. This off-shoot organization — which was set up to train personnel, offer seminars to the public, and continue research into wholistic self-care — will, Beverly hopes, enhance her concentrated effort to spread the word about alternative health care methods. -Valena Broussard Dismukes.
