PORTFOLIO
Since I can remember, glass art has intrigued me and the intense process of manipulating it - with fire, heat, gravity and technique - has intoxicated me.
I now seek to understand glass and become skilled at manipulating it to make beautiful things using three entirely different yet similar processes - glass blowing, kilnforming and flameworking.
With my fourth art form, I intentionally exploit the beauty and mystery of glass to create photographic art work.
BLOWN
Glassblowing involves using human breath to inflate very hot molten glass (usually around 2100 degrees) on the end of a hollow blowpipe into a bubble and then forming the piece using tools, technique and gravity.
For the most part, the piece itself is actually created outside of the heat source (known as a furnace) although the piece is continually plunged into it to keep it from cracking.
This is my newest body of work and the work that originally attracted me to working with glass in the first place.
KILN-FORMED
Kilnforming, as the name implies, is the process of shaping and manipulating glass, usually using various tools and some type of heat-resistant mold, by heating it inside of a kiln.
Afterwards, a process known as coldworking is used to grind, polish smooth or add additional details to the piece.
Primarily, the piece itself is actually formed inside the kiln but, just as with blown glass, an annealer (a special type of heat source) is used to gradually lower the temperature of the piece to prevent cracking...hopefully.
Up to this point, the majority of my work has been made utilizing this process.
FLAMEWORK
Lampworking is a type of glasswork in which a torch or lamp is used to manipulate the glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed and shaped using controlled hand movements and specially designed tools. It is also known as flampworking or torchworking.
I create my Unveilings! Glass Jewelry line using this process, giving someone the ability to have the beauty of glass with them throughout their entire day.
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