Thursday, January 26, 2012

It Always Comes Down To the Glass


I’ve been considering my addition of clay to this multimedia mix I work with. On lampwork glass I work with frits – crushed glass. I love the look you can get doing this. If you fire enamel on metals you are still working with glass – just in its finest ground form.

Clay – it’s the frame work to display my creative expression and once again – it’s covered in ground colored glass that’s fired onto its surface. Clay without surface decoration is, well – dinner plates. You know, the ones you in a package from Walmart. They’re probably slip cast in some large factory and sprayed whatever color is the most popular. I have a set of those…in the least popular (they were on sale) color of burnt orange. But orange is my favorite so I win…LOL.

The only time I don’t work with some form of glass is when I fabricate with sheet metal or carve wax to cast. And then, I’m often thinking in terms of what can be created and combined with the lampwork for a balanced fusion of the two. I’d actually prefer neither take the spotlight but work in a harmonious balance. Aren’t I the dreamer?

When I do Kumihimo, or felt it’s never fiber for fiber’s sake. They are merely a tree in the forest, a creation where the thought pattern was primarily about the glass. Like what can I hang on this beautiful cord or wouldn’t this felt make a wonderful purse for a handmade bead.

I guess since percentage wise it always comes down to the glass I consider myself a glass artist no matter which of the mediums is in my hand.

I have to laugh at myself…. it’s like thinking about a great meal. If you slap a steak on a platter and just serve it it’s never going to taste as good as when it’s served with a nice wine, garlic potatoes, and a medley of roasted vegetables. THAT is when the flavor of that steak can be savored. See what I mean – the glass can be appreciated when it’s surrounded by a great accompaniment of other mediums.

The good people over at fusedglass.org have this cool site called
glassfacts.info that give you massive amounts of information about glass. Like they didn’t do that already. Fusedglass.org is one of the most informative sites about glass around. And who is a better reference hoarder than me! LOL

Have a great day!

2 comments:

rosebud101 said...

I know what you mean, Sharon, it is glass. It always is glass.

Sharon Driscoll said...

Yes, it kind of ends up at the core of it all no matter how you section the apple.