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As
the name suggests, fused glass is the process of taking sheets of glass
and attaching them or "fusing" them together. The more heat,
the closer together the glass becomes. The amount of temperature determines
final texture of the glass, the higher the temperature, the smoother
the glass 'Dichroic glass is actually glass that has been coated with a very thin film of metal oxides which are too thin to stand alone. What we commonly refer to as dichroic glass is any glass that is coated with metallic oxides such as silicon, titanium and magnesium in a vacuum furnace using a technology called thin-film physics. Dichroic means 'two colors' and the glass is called this because it reflects one color but transmits another (the color you see when you hold the glass up to the light and look thru it.) To create a design, I assemble glass onto a shelf in a glass kiln. As the kiln heats up, the glass contracts, expands, and adheres together. I change the kiln temperature several times over the first fusing cycle which is 6-8 hours depending on the desired finish, (3-D or smooth). It's interesting to see the dichroic glass change color in the kiln. The finished product is a totally different color than the one I start with. Next, the item is cooled slowly. If the glass were to be taken out of the kiln while still hot, it would crack, or become foggy. So, the kiln temperature is lowered to allow the glass to slowly cool down. Once the glass has properly cooled down, the fusing process is finished. If the piece isn't to my liking, I use tools to reshape the glass and then fire it in the kiln again to polish out the scratches. All kinds of items can be made by fusing colored and dichroic glass. Items available on my web pages and at my art shows include Pendants, Earrings, Compact mirrors, Wine bottle stoppers, Nightlights and Clocks. I also design plates, bowls, letter openers, wall hangings and a host of smaller items. You
may also find on the web page, an occasional visiting artist
I
hope you enjoy your shopping experience! |