Art In The Pearl: Fine Arts & Crafts Festival

Description:

I am the sole creator of each of the glass vessels and sculptures on display. My work is created through the flameworking process which utilizes a specialized burner to heat and melt the glass. By using a burner I can achieve much more detail and control than traditional glassblowing. I use borosilicate glass, a high-strength laboratory glass, which is blown and/or sculpted.

First, I start with a section of clear glass tubing or rod, which I rotate in the flame of the burner until it is molten. Once sufficiently heated to about 2000-3000 degrees Fahrenheit, I usually roll the piece in powdered colored glass to form a base layer of color. After several coats of powder, I use various techniques to decorate the piece. Examples include using colored glass rods and painting on the glass, taking shards of color and inlaying them into the piece, or fusing different sections of glass together. Next, the piece is blown and/or sculpted to achieve the final form and placed in a hot kiln to anneal and release any stresses in the glass. After it cools, I then use various cold-working techniques to add finishes, textures, and patterns. For me the process usually consists of sandblasting the glass and carving the glass using diamond tools.

Growing up in Oregon sparked my fascination with the natural world and its many wonders. My work is inspired by its amazing colors and endless patterns, my experiences, my thoughts and dreams, and by the glass itself. Glass is a remarkable medium to express the mystery that is beyond words. I feel very grateful to work with it.