How I create things in my kiln, and what eventually happens to what I create...

Glass goes in the kiln, and glass comes out, quite altered! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. That's what happens in life.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Pink and green confetti plate

Wavy plate, 10" square, made with 96 COE clear pink and green and pink confetti glass with black streamers.  The center (confetti glass) reminds me of green leaf bits and pink petals.  Definitely a spring time plate!  It's backed on 96 COE clear glass, so the total texture is smooth and it is food-safe.

Cost:  $120.00

Theory of Gravity Bowl


Phil said, "That's one huge black hole!"  I said, "Yes.  It is.  I wanted to see what one looked like."  "You can't see them," he said.  I replied, "Sure you can.  Look at this one."

This bowl was made out of 90 COE Bullseye black irradiated ripple glass.  The design was made with finely ground, multi-colored frit and Glassline Pens.  I fused the frit and Glassline colors in one 1465 df firing, then added the brightly colored glass beads as an after thought.  I tack fired the beads at 1300 df.  The third firing was to slump the glass, at 1265 df.  

Price:  $250.00 (it took a lot of man hours!)

Sunday, March 13, 2011

I'm stuck on plaid!

8.5" wavy plate out of purple, red, yellow, aqua and black strips of glass, and 4" square dichro on black center.  Cost $120.00



Friday, March 11, 2011

9 5/8" wavy edge plate

 Plaid ribbons with "electric" dichro square set in the middle, slumped on a wavy plate mold.  Designed, fused and slumped over a 4 day period, this 9 5/8" square wavy plate is by far the craziest, useful piece of glass I've made in a while.  AND it didn't crack or break in the kiln.  I learned that I don't have to use Elmer's glue to hold the design together, and therefore I don't get bubbles or "burned" inclusions from the glue trying desperately to burn away.  I framed this during construction, using a large carpenter's square and built it on a very thick, portable piece of cardboard.  That way I was able to move the entire thing outside to the kiln and then reconstruct it on the kiln shelf using the carpenters' square.  

Fusing schedule looks like this:  500 dph to 1000 degrees with no hold; 1000 dph to 1465 degrees with a hold of approximately 20 minutes; 9999 (as fast as possible) dph to 1000 degrees with 10 min hold; 300 dph to 965 degrees and hold for 20 min (annealing stage); 800 dph to 300 degrees with no hold--don't open the kiln until everything has cooled completely.

Slumping schedule looks like this:  500 dph to 1000 degrees with no hold; 1000 dph to 1300 degrees with a 30 minute hold; 9999 (as fast as possible) dph to 1000 degrees with 8 min hold; 300 dph to 965 and hold for 20 min (annealing stage); 800 dph to 300 degrees with no hold--don't open the kiln until everything has cooled completely.

If you want to buy this, the cost is $199.00

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Coasters, tiles and dishes, oh MY!

Moss green clear 1/2 inch strip border
around a 4" x 4" dichro on black square.
Four small clear rubber dots placed on
bottom of tile to keep it from skidding or
scratching the surface of tables.

black 1/2 inch strip border
around a 4" x 4" plaid center tile.
Plaid is labor intensive.
It is created by fusing 1/2 inch clear
colored strips of glass together in
repeating and alternate
directions.  This dish is slightly
curved.  

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Moon and stars

I finally fired this piece I created back in 2010, only to find out then that it was too large for my little kiln.  The finished size is 7.57" x 11.50".
 Glassline paint on clear float fired at 1500 df 
 detail 


Sunday, February 20, 2011

Size Matters!

 The big kiln works!!!  Test fire to follow.

 Look at the size of this thing.  I'm in love.