I like to play with these elements by layering, fusing and slumping the glass to accentuate my ideas.
My work is created from recycled plate window glass, kiln fused with various inclusions and layered with rich, vivid colours. Although this type of glass can devitrify when fired I find it fascinating and occasionally encourage the process to add surface texture or emphasize an ‘aging’ concept. The final result is generally unpredictable, I never know quite how the piece will be affected, which adds an element of excitement and anticipation each time the kiln is opened.
Silk fibres, fine wires and precious metal leaf are fused within layers of glass to create depth, detail and interest. The pieces are then slumped over or into moulds for texture and form. Colour is an important element in my work, fired inside, painted on the reverse and sprinkled on the surface. Traditional glass pigments are used along with vibrant dyes and I enjoy their movement across the glass, blending and merging spontaneously. These techniques, along with gilding, engraving and etching, enable me to enrich and alter my work, producing many variations within each piece of glass and ensuring every form has a unique, and often surprising, outcome.
