Fused Glass Process

No two pieces of glass are exactly alike and the way colors melt at high heat also varies. As a result each piece will have naturally occurring differences. In forming my glass pieces I usually have an idea in mind when I begin. It might be a loosely sketched design, a set of colors I want to play with, or a notion of trying something just because I have never done it! Once I have something percolating, I will cut glass into strips or shapes, depending on the design needs. From there, the glass starts to take over and I will work the piece until it feels right.

Here is an example of a loose design being created while in my home studio.

There are times when I feel overwhelmed with glass scraps. On these days, I work with scraps of glass to make accent pieces, as seen here, or sheets of glass to be worked into future pieces.

Here is one of my platters under construction. There are times when the glass seems to dictate the design to me. I had only the barest of ideas of how this piece would eventually evolve!

Once I have a piece assembled, it goes into the kiln for a firing to melt the glass. Once out, the currently flat piece of glass is cleaned and worked on with a variety of tools. When this has been completed, a slumping mold is chosen for the second kiln firing. It is here that the end shape is formed.