ANIMATION TO HOTSHOP
Born in Canada, Robertson Glass originally pursued animation before a transformative experience at Sheridan College’s hotshop shifted his path. He swapped pencils for glass rods, graduating in 2007 with a focus on flame work. That pivot laid the foundation for his eventual impact on the world of functional glass.
EUGENE PIVOT
After graduation, the 2008 recession hit hard. Robertson abandoned soft glass, relocated to Eugene, Oregon, and immersed himself in borosilicate. With cannabis legalization on the horizon, Eugene’s boro scene offered the perfect ground to fuse art with functional design.
CHARACTER CRAZE
Robertson carved his niche with matte-finish caricatures of animals—giraffes, cows, zebras, walruses—captured in playful, sculptural “moments.” These weren’t just pipes, but characters with personality. Collectors chased his animals as much as his technique, elevating his work beyond simple function.
MATTE SIGNATURE
While most artists leaned into glossy finishes, Robertson doubled down on a flat matte style. This signature look—paired with safari humor, skin patterns, and a sculptor’s eye—made his pieces instantly recognizable in any showcase.
ZOO WORLDWIDE
Robertson’s creations appeared in respected shops and galleries such as Elev8, Smoke ATX, and Millennium Gallery. With price points ranging from $600 to $3,500, his ZooTubes, walrus rigs, and pendants demonstrated that sculptural comedy could thrive in the heady glass market.
COLLAB DNA
His playful yet refined style lent itself well to collaborations with heavyweights like Karma Glass, JLZ, Crunklestein, and even artists from Mothership circles. Works like the “Rain-Bovine” exemplified how Robertson’s zoo themes could stretch boundaries without losing identity.
STASH STORIES
Beyond the torch, Robertson expanded his influence through the Robertson Stash podcast, hosting long-form conversations with figures like Banjo, Nikocray, J Kelly, and Band of Ballerz. In doing so, he became an oral historian for the functional glass world, archiving perspectives for the next generation.
DEVICE AGNOSTIC
When the Puffco Proxy and other e-rigs entered the culture, Robertson adapted seamlessly, designing Proxy tops that extended his zoo aesthetic into new formats. This showed his ability to evolve characters alongside emerging consumption tech.
AUCTION ERA
Robertson bypassed traditional sales models by hosting direct-to-collector auctions, offering “Zookeeper” memberships, and curating private zoo-themed drops. These strategies empowered him to manage demand while setting an example for glass artists running independent economies.
ZOO KEEPER TO CULTURE KEEPER
What began as animal satire evolved into functional fine art, and later into community stewardship. Robertson’s matte finish, zoo character world, and humor-driven aesthetic didn’t just reshape what collectors valued—they also reinforced the cultural identity of modern glass.
YOUTUBE VIDEO
Presented by Nugg Notes
sources:
• Elev8 Presents. “Elev8 at 8 with Robertson Glass.” Elev8 Glass Gallery, 25 Apr. 2022, https://www.elev8glassgallery.com/blog/elev8-at-8-with-robertson-glass/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Elev8 Glass Gallery. “Matt Robertson Royal Jelly ZOO TUBE.” 22 Nov. 2019, https://www.elev8glassgallery.com/matt-robertson-royal-jelly-zoo-tube/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• GlassPass. “Robertson.” GlassPass Marketplace, https://glasspass.com/artists/Robertson. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Robertson Glass [@robertson.glass]. “The RAIN-BOVINE Collaboration with @karmaglass420 @jlzill.” Instagram, 3 Jan. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/C1pXAITLRvL/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Karma Glass [@karmaglass420]. “‘Rain-Bovine’ with @robertson.glass… on the @glassvegasexpo table.” Instagram, 3 Jan. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1pTiVgri6G/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Smoke ATX. “Robertson Glass (collection page: Goat Rig; Blue Giraffe Print Bubble Cap; etc.).” Smoke ATX, https://www.smokeatx.com/collections/robertson-glass. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Aroma Annapolis. “Robertson Glass – Full Body Walrus.” Aroma Annapolis, https://aromaannapolis.com/product/robertson-glass-full-body-walrus/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Glass2Grass. “Giraffe Pendant by Robertson Glass.” Glass2Grass, https://glass2grass.com/products/giraffe-pendant-by-robertson-glass. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Presidential Smoke Shop. “Matt Robertson Glass—Giraffe Pendant.” Presidential Smoke Shop, https://presidentialsmokeshop.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/giraffe-pendant-copy. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Smoke ATX. “#5 Proxy Attachment by Robertson Glass.” Smoke ATX, https://www.smokeatx.com/products/5-proxy-attachment-by-robertson-glass. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025.
sources:
• Elev8 Presents. “Elev8 at 8 with Robertson Glass.” Elev8 Glass Gallery, 25 Apr. 2022, https://www.elev8glassgallery.com/blog/elev8-at-8-with-robertson-glass/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Elev8 Glass Gallery. “Matt Robertson Royal Jelly ZOO TUBE.” 22 Nov. 2019, https://www.elev8glassgallery.com/matt-robertson-royal-jelly-zoo-tube/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• GlassPass. “Robertson.” GlassPass Marketplace, https://glasspass.com/artists/Robertson. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Robertson Glass [@robertson.glass]. “The RAIN-BOVINE Collaboration with @karmaglass420 @jlzill.” Instagram, 3 Jan. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/C1pXAITLRvL/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Karma Glass [@karmaglass420]. “‘Rain-Bovine’ with @robertson.glass… on the @glassvegasexpo table.” Instagram, 3 Jan. 2024, https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1pTiVgri6G/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Smoke ATX. “Robertson Glass (collection page: Goat Rig; Blue Giraffe Print Bubble Cap; etc.).” Smoke ATX, https://www.smokeatx.com/collections/robertson-glass. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Aroma Annapolis. “Robertson Glass – Full Body Walrus.” Aroma Annapolis, https://aromaannapolis.com/product/robertson-glass-full-body-walrus/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Glass2Grass. “Giraffe Pendant by Robertson Glass.” Glass2Grass, https://glass2grass.com/products/giraffe-pendant-by-robertson-glass. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Presidential Smoke Shop. “Matt Robertson Glass—Giraffe Pendant.” Presidential Smoke Shop, https://presidentialsmokeshop.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/giraffe-pendant-copy. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025. 
• Smoke ATX. “#5 Proxy Attachment by Robertson Glass.” Smoke ATX, https://www.smokeatx.com/products/5-proxy-attachment-by-robertson-glass. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025.
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