Glass fusing is the joining together of pieces of glass at high temperature, usually in a kiln. This is usually done roughly between 1,292 °F and 1,510 and can range from tack fusing at lower temperatures, in which separate pieces of glass stick together but still retain their individual shapes, to full fusing at higher ones, in which separate pieces merge smoothly into one another.
These glass creations begin as sheets of colored glass, each sheet a single color. By cutting, breaking and melting colors together in the kiln (heated to about 1500 degrees) I can create a multitude of different colors and textures. Once these ‘parts’ are made I begin to create images by cutting and breaking these new mixes into pieces that will blend in a painterly way. Back into the kiln they go to become a single piece. Again and again this process goes on, each time adding glass and color, until I’m satisfied that the transformation is complete. These works have been in and out of the kiln at least 4 times each. The process takes days as glass is heated and cooled very slowly. Sometimes I add enamel painting to the surface before the final firing. To finish, the edges of each piece are ground smooth and polished.