There are many forms of glass art. Fused glass is one of them.

The basic idea behind fused glass is that art objects can be created by melting glass in a kiln.  That simple idea is behind hundreds of techniques.

Unlike stained glass, fused glass has no “lead lines”.  Dimensional (non-flat) pieces can be created by using multiple firings.

Unlike blown glass the artist doesn’t need an elaborate set up and can totally create alone.

Special glass is used for fusing.  It is important that the glass used is compatible and expands and contracts in the same ratio.  Otherwise the glass will shatter.  This compatibility is measured by COE.   I use COE 90 glass for all my projects.  For my work a firing typically takes between 9 – 12 hours.

 

 

Types of fusing I use:

 

Full Fuse:    Glass is heated to about 1485 to join layers of glass into a single sheet.  Individual pieces of glass maintain their shape but are flattened.

 

Tack-fuse:  A  kilnforming technique wherein two disparate pieces of glass are heated until they're just hot enough  ( about 1350) to stick together, but not so hot that they lose their individual characteristics.  The pieces maintain their texture.

 

Slumping:  A kilnforming process that uses heat and gravity to transform sheet glass into the shape of a mold.

 

Type of glass I use:

 

I mostly use transparent glass, glass that light can pass through.  

 

Streaky

 Two or more colored glasses mixed together to create a multi-colored glass sheet in which each color can be seen separately as well as where they intersect to make new color(s).

 

Irridized 

Iridized glass is “normal” glass that has a thin, metallic coating on one surface. The most common iridized coating colors for fusible glass are gold, silver, and rainbow.  Adds sparkle to the glass.

 

Dichroic

 

Dichroic glass is glass that has been very thinly coated with certain metal oxides to produce unique color combinations when looking at the glass.  It adds bright sparkles to any piece. 

 

 

 

How to Care for Fused Glass.

Fused glass items require special care.  They can be hand-washed in warm water with a mild detergent. They are neither microwave nor oven safe. Please do not place in the dishwasher. Use a clean cloth free of any food or dirt to prevent scratches during the washing.

All my dishes are food safe.