Blown Pieces

Glass blowing is very challenging (and I can still make it look difficult).  Most other materials used in art are static.  Glass demands fluid craftsmanship.  You get the craft down and the art flows!  Have a look ….

Slumped and Fused Pieces

My fused and slumped pieces are easily recognized through the use of bold color, distinctive design and ample use of dichroic glass in many of the pieces. (Dichroic glass has a special coating. Be sure to look at it under light to get the full effect.)

To make a piece, I select sheets of glass for their color, density and texture. Multiple sheets go into each piece. The glass is cut, shaped and designed in preparation for fusing. Next, the piece is kiln-fired and fused at a temperature of up to 1450 degrees and then slowly cooled in the kiln over a 24-hour period. (Fusing at lower temperatures results in more texture in the finished piece; higher temperatures yield a smoother surface finish.) Finally, the functional work is given a second firing. The fused art is positioned over a form and goes back into the kiln to be molded into shape.

This type of work ranges from decorative panels and framed pieces to functional trays and platters. All of the platters and trays are food safe.

Kilncast Pieces

The cast work uses the “Lost Wax” method. I make a wax sculpture of the piece and then set it in a mold box. The box is filled with a plaster & silica flour mix, encasing all but the bottom of the wax sculpture. The mix hardens after a day and the wax is then steamed out, leaving a cavity the shape of the (former) wax sculpture. The wax sculpture is lost in the process -hence the method is called “Lost Wax.”

Next, the mold and enough glass to fill the mold is placed in the kiln. It is heated to a temperature of 1500 degrees and held at this temperature for up to 6 hours to allow the glass to melt and flow into the cavity. The kiln then cools slowly over a period of several days. The mold is cracked open, revealing the glass sculpture. Cold working is the final step.