The Process

Glass is a versatile material that has been held in high regard from the Bronze Age to the present. Blown glass has been the predominant technique, with working temperatures between 1700 and 2300 degrees Fahrenheit. Fused or warm glass, with working temperatures between 1200 and 1700 degrees, makes it possible to style graceful shapes, textures and rich colors into decorative and useful forms that may not be possible with blown glass.

The fused glass process begins with a design. Designs are cut from sheets of hand-rolled glass, or massed together by using glass frits - broken particles of glass - and powders. All glass used in a piece must have the same thermal expansion coefficient (COE) to prevent cracking or breaking during the different temperature cycles. After the design is assembled, the glass is placed into a kiln for the fusing process. Fusing ranges in temperatures from 1350 to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to the complexity of designs, many pieces undergo multiple firings.

After cooling, the flat fused cooled piece is placed over a mold and placed back into the kiln for slumping. As the glass heats, it softens and eventually takes the shape of the mold.

Each cooling, or annealing, process is long and most critical to the sturdiness of the glass. It is during this time that the glass molecules are reforming. Annealing may take as long as 12 - 18 hours or more depending on the size and thickness of the glass.

Slight imperfections in the glass including bubbles, wrinkles, depressions, and some cloudiness, may occur. Because of these variations, no two pieces are ever alike.