Recent Work
My current work with kiln-formed glass includes two primary areas of exploration:
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A traditional Italian technique that consists of pulling strands of multi-colored hot glass into long rods known as canes. The patterns that emerge from this process are determined by how the glass is initially loaded into the vessel from which the canes are pulled, and by how they are manipulated while being pulled. When cooled, these pieces are cut into small sections that are then fused into larger work through a kiln-firing process. Cutting these segments into very small units called murrine, and turning them on end before fusing, is another way of applying this technique which reveals a different facet of the cane.
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Using crushed glass shards or frit to create a larger piece when fused together. Often, interesting patterns are revealed that are not present in the original sheet glass from which the shards are made.
The glass at this point is typically cold-worked to remove sharp edges or irregular attributes before being put through another kiln firing that forms it into a final 3-D shape.