The Smithsonian American Art Museum Acquires Glass Replica of Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine by Micah Evans
Raphine is a 1:1 replica of a 19th-century Willcox & Gibbs sewing machine made of thousands of thin strands of glass. Designed and made by Micah Evans—who serves as the director of product design for Austin-based pipe-maker GRAV—the sewing machine surprises because it is also a fully functioning water bong.
“It’s pretty hidden and you wouldn’t be able to tell, all tucked in behind things. There’s a water chamber where the sewing machine engine would go, a little cap you lift out for the bowl, and the mouthpiece is right next to the needle,” Evans says. “A surprising amount of it is the smokable piece. It comprises about 60 percent of it. The whole ring-shaped base is the smoke path.”
The sewing-machine water bong was acquired from a private collector for an exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery called This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World. Evans’ piece is one of more than 100 new works from contemporary American craftspeople — sculptors, woodcarvers, weavers and more — on view through April 2023.
Raphine is actually not Evans’ first glass sewing machine: he’d previously made a replica of his mother’s vintage Singer. But that wasn’t also a water pipe. All told, Raphine weighs just a few pounds but took about 300 hours to make, which Evans put in over the course of a single month. “If I had to pick something to go into the Smithsonian, that would have been it. I’ve made a few other pieces that are more special to me personally, but that one just grabs people from all different walks of life,” he says. “It just stops people in their tracks, and there’s something to that.”
At GRAV, Evans combines his artistic talent with his passion for what he calls the “subculture” of pipe-making. His cannabis-consumption pieces for GRAV have become a cultural phenom, boasting a following of both casuals and collectors alike. In this role, his distinctive personal style has evolved into an unmistakable signature within the industry.
You can see Raphine on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C., through April 2, 2023, or to find more of Evans’ work, visit micahevans.com or GRAV.com.
About GRAV
GRAV of Austin, TX represents the perfect intersection of cannabis culture, art and social responsibility. Grav was born from a desire to respect that culture and create art that both embodies and celebrates it. Over the years, this pursuit of perfection has resulted in a line of products that equally emphasize functionality and design. GRAV’s product quality and consistency remains unmatched for over 18 years in the glass industry, supporting their philosophy that how you smoke is just as important as what you smoke.With attention to sustainability, company-wide DEI initiatives, and continued support to the Marijuana Policy Project and Students for Sensible Drug Policy, GRAV lives their mantra of “Find Your Higher Self.”
Janell Barrett
HGPR Inc.
press@hgprinc.com
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