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GOOD MORNING, JACKIE! THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE ARTISTS' WORK -- THAT ARE COMPETING IN THE PIPE CLASSIC THIS YEAR. BUT THESE ARE ON A SMALL SCALE -- IN COMPARISON TO THE CRAZY PIECES THEY'LL CREATE THIS YEAR. áNAT BLOW TORCHá <10:35:22 ARTISTS COME AND BRING EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO OFFER (3)á áNAT BLOWING SEQUENCE FROM FIRST THEM WHO THEY ARE (2)> LOTS OF PERSONAL TOUCHES AT THE AND PROFESSIONAL TECHNIQUE. <JAKE SPIEGLASS, ATTENDEE 10:53:44 I'M JUST HERE TO LEARN AND SOAK IT ALL IN (2)> JAKE SPIEGLASS -- MAKING THE 14- HOUR DRIV FROM NORTH CAROLINA -- JUST SO HE WOULDN'T MISS THIS áNAT GONG "WOO!"á <SPIEGLASS 10:51:53 I JUST DROVE STRAIGHT UP THROUGH THE NIGHT TO GET HERE BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO MISS THIS HEAT (4)> áNAT TRANSITION OF FLAMEá <SPIEGLASS 10:52:29 I SAW THE PIPE CLASSIC VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE AND THEY INSPIRED ME SO MUCH TO GET INTO THIS CRAFT (5)> NOW HE GETS TO SEE ALL THE ááMAGIC -- UP CLOSE. áNAT CLOSE UP SHOTá <CRISTIAN "CHAKA" GAZMURI 11:12:48 WHEN I FIRST STARTED BLOWING GLASS, I WAS LIKE, MAN I GET TO BE A MAGICIAN (CAM MOVES AT END) (5) áNATá 11:12:55 YOU GET TO CREATE THINGS OUT OF NOTHING (4)> CRISTIAN GAZMURI -- KNOWN AS "CHAKA" IN THE GLASS-BLOWING COMMUNITY... SAYS HE'S BEEN PLANNING HIS CREATION -- FOR MONTHS. <GAZMURI 11:04:43 DON'T WANT TO BE SITTING THERE LIKE, WONDERING WHAT TO MAKE DAY-OF > THIS ISN'T HIS FIRST TIME BEHIND THE FLAME AT THE BERN GALLERY... SAME FOR MANY OF HIS FELLOW COMPETITORS. <PADDY DONNELLY, BRAND AMBASSADOR, THE BERN GALLERY 10:34:38 IT IS THE WORLD'S FIRST EVER, AND THUS LONGEST- RUNNING PIPE-MAKING COMPETITION (3)> SO EACH DELICATE PIPE -- áNAT CRACKING OFF GLASS OR SOMETHINGá MADE IN áJUSTá 12 HOURS... áNAT - DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A POP, JUST A PAUSEá CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT. <SPIEGLASS 10:53:22 YOU TURN THIS CRAFT INTO A COMPETITIVE ON THE ACTION HERE AT THE BERN GALLERY... THE NEXT 6-HOUR WORK SESSION STARTS UP AT 9 THIS MORNING. YOU CAN SEE THE FINAL PIECES ON DISPLAY DOWN THE ROAD AT NECTARS ON SATURDAY. WE'LL HAVE THE FULL RUNDOWN OF EVENTS -- ON OUR WEBSITE FOR YOU LATER THIS MORNI

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The competition is heating up at The Bern Gallery for its 14th annual Pipe Classic.Some of the best glassblowers in the country are competing in the Burlington Smoke Shop this week, creating intricate and complicated glass pipes in under 12 hours."It takes a lot of discipline," said Bern Gallery brand ambassador Paddy Donnelly. "Artists come and bring everything they have to offer, showing what makes them who they are."One glassblower putting his torch on the line is Cristian "Chaka" Gazmuri. He has competed in the Pipe Classic before and said he came in more prepared this year."You don't want to be sitting there wondering what to make day-of," Chaka said. "I could've used my time better in a lot of ways."As Chaka and the other glassblowers create their pipes, their methods and progress are live-streamed on YouTube where it reaches a global audience. Jake Spieglass has watched these streams for years and came to see the competition in person this year."They inspired me so much to get into this craft," Spieglass said. "Being able to actually come here and participate in the event is just a huge honor."Spieglass drove 14 hours from Asheville, North Carolina, arriving minutes before the gong sounded, starting the next 6-hour work block for the competitors. He said the overnight long drive was worth it."This event brings people together," Spieglass said. "It creates this environment that's really conducive to meeting like-minded people and having a good time and also learning in the process. We watch these people push their skills to the top of their ability and make some really impressive work. I'm just here to learn and soak it all in."Donnelly is not a glassblower, but said he loved seeing the different artists come through the shop each year. "It's the world's first-ever, and thus the longest-running pipe-making competition," he explained. "If you have any interest in glass-blowing, this is the time."Pipe Classic 14 runs Sept. 23-28 and The Bern Gallery invites the public to come see the heat in action each day. You can see the final pieces at Nectar's on Sept. 28. Public voting is from 2-5 p.m.