Lis Simpson

Lis is inspired and sharing with us ..... 

Fusing Glass in a Kiln

This summer I visited my artist friend, Deb Kirk, [Deb was on our Tour for many years] who moved to Prince Edward County.  While there we went to several glass and pottery studios.  Of course, I had to buy some glass art for myself!  One of the pieces really intrigued me – it had bubbles created by adding a metallic oxide between the two clear glass pieces. 

So I wanted to do this technique for myself.  Here’s the process I go through in making a glass plate, first cutting the glass.  (This also gives you a small glance into my studio.)

After I’ve cut the various pieces, I added the powdered metallic oxides to two pieces of clear glass – in this case, both copper and cobalt.  Whenever handling powdered chemicals or glass, one needs to wear a respirator for safety.

Then the first firing.  WOW!  I love the bubbles it created!

For the second firing I put the clear glass piece onto a white glass base and put it into the kiln.

The final firing will be to slump the piece into a plate with the edges curled up.  

Come to the studio tour to see the final result!

Lis is at Studio #13 Sandra Cole Burke's Studio location