Monday, June 15, 2009

Part 2 Fire Glass and Metal












Hi It has been a crazy few weeks since I wrote. We are converting an acre with a beautiful brick house into our new offices for our Crane Company and we have a deadline 14 hour days need I say more. Anyway here is part 2

My Kiln and glass are happiest when they have a good long soak in temps around 800 to 900 degrees. I leave the dial on low and say good night and leave the glass at this soak overnight. At the crack of morning a sniggle starts in my head and the wild call of the glass enters my dreams.
Time to wake up----- time to play in the kiln “Hellllllllloooooooo Peg, It’s me your glass here I am warm and happy sitting here basking in this glorious heat relaxed and happy waiting come on out and play.”












So groggy from my dreams and desiring a cup of coffee I get up pull on jeans and my fuzzy robe I wander downstairs to make coffee and start my bath water.
The smell of coffee hits my nose and I toddle off to the cupboard for a mug. Cup in hand I open the back door greet the morning and sniggle out to the studio. The kiln temp is in the perfect place at 850, I don my leather gloves and take a peek. Everybody looks happy and no one has gone dancing during the night. I then add the plug and crank the dial to high.
Off the bath, dressed and ready for public appearances 1 hour later I return to the studio.
Peek again the temp is now at 1400. I know it will not be much longer so I stay put and turn on the radio and work on a idea to take up some time. I check every 10 minutes







First check I can see the heat in the glass there is a slight shimmer

Check #2 the edges have begun to soften but not yet

Check #3 the forming has begun the glass looks soft and honey like all hard edges have transformed to rounded edges there is a grace to the glass each piece has emerged into it’s new form gone are the layers now a fusion of color and metal.















The glass that went it a bit wobbly emerges a graceful swan. The metal transforms differently in each piece. Some the metal reacts with the glass and changes the color of the glass. In others wee bubbles form in a pleasing manner at the edges of the metal. The dichroic glass gleams and captures you imagination letting you feel as if you could fall into the glass and find your self in a whole new world.


Meanwhile I keep to the task at hand and back to the kiln we go One last check and that shimmer and softness I have been waiting for is there and singing to me . Final checking the entire shelf for the same look and making sure the glass looks just right.

Part 3 finishes