The Magic and Mystery of Fused Glass

My friend Ellen called my glassware "fumeless art" a while ago. However, tonight at the studio, there were some awful fumes blowing our way. Everyone in the studio was put off by the noxious smell and I felt a bit heady myself. Nevertheless, we persevered, being compellingly drawn to cut and snip and saw bits and pieces of glass in the hopes it will do something wonderful. Some of my studio mates work with such precision, it makes me see squares in my dreams. Meanwhile, I am still fascinated with what can happen when I take some leftover slices and chunks and lay them on a surface or two of glass. It's the recycler in me that prevails, not some orderly cadence that others seem to march to. So, if you are looking for perfectly square edges or perfectly round dishes, I am not your Glass Woman! There is something provocative about odd shapes, odd corners, pieces that don't quite match. One would think I had not worked on all those jigsaw puzzles my mother used to put out on a card table when we were growing up. We would walk by the table, spot a piece that looked just so, and fit it neatly into the negative space just waiting for its mate. No, I do not "do glass" that way.

The kilns, which are powered by the sun through the solar panels on top of the studio roof, work their magic while we are away from the studio. I can never predict what my pieces will look like when they come out Will there be a "dribble" here? or a color different from what I pictured in my mind as I worked with the pieces. The striker glass is the most surprising. It can look orange when I cut into it cold. After being fused onto another piece of glass, if that one is clear, what was once orange has now turned a striking red!

Tonight the kiln gave birth to several new card holders, soap dishes, a small plate perfect for sushi, and a large art deco-type serving platter. I am looking forward to finding out what appeals most to the MENSA folks this Saturday!

Whatever is left over from that show will be shown and sold at The Crucible Show December 13-14, 2008.