Process

The medium I use to create my designs is flat sheet glass, which can be opaque, clear, ridged or opalescent.

I also use dichroic glass, which adds the lustre to my work. Each piece of glass is slightly different as the colour is created by a coating of 36 layers of metal oxides which are sprayed on in an alternating geometric pattern. The coating then refracts and transmits light differently when it bounces off the surface. In different light levels the piece will appear to have changed colour, which means that each creation is unique.

Once I have designed the piece by sketching and using photography, I will draw the plan then select and cut the glass into the desired shapes. I then place the pattern pieces in the desired position and fuse the design in the kiln. Once the designs are cold I can use cold glass working techniques, such as sandblasting, before cleaning and polishing the design. If I am making jewellery I will then add the silver jewellery attachments to each piece.

The glass bowls are created using the techniques of slumping, fusing, painting and/or sandblasting. The slumping technique involves cutting the glass base and decorations and then lightly sticking the pieces together. I then fire them in the kiln and leave overnight to cool flat. The next day I will place the glass on top of a slump mould and fire the piece at a lower temperature so that the glass becomes pliable enough to slump down into the shaped moulds.

Sandblasting involves placing the item with a stencil applied in a sandblasting machine. The grit literally blasts away the surface of the glass that is not covered by the stencil, leaving the glass dry. The grit can also blast completely through the glass in seconds if required.