Artistic Process

During Open Studios, visitors often point out a piece of my art and ask: "How did you make that?"

Below are two step-by-step examples of how I create my stained glass and fused glass panels.

Sunburst Stained Glass Panel

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The Sketch

First, a series of sketches are made for the client. For this project, the customer wanted a panel for a window in the meditation room of her home. She wanted something that was multi-colored, bright, and that expressed both passion and enlightenment. I provided her with several sketchs; she decided upon the one below.

Cutting the Pieces on a Light Table

2. Once the sketch has been approved, I create a pattern or cartoon that is "life-sized" and which I will use to cut the pieces of glass for the panel.

3. After selecting the glass that will be used in the project, I lay the cartoon on my light table and cut out each piece of glass by hand. I keep the sketch nearby to determine which color to choose for each piece.

Waxing the Pieces on an Easel

As I cut each piece, I wax their edges (I've used a bit of masking tape here as well) and put them up on an easel so that I can determine how the colors in the panel are flowing together as a whole.

Leading the Panel

After all the pieces are cut, then I lead the panel. Leading is a lot like making a puzzle. The cartoon is placed on a piece of plywood and then each glass piece is set in its proper place using a length of lead came. Lead came is shaped like the letter H (imagine a building construction I-beam) and the pieces of glass are slotted into the lead.

Once I lead the panel, I solder each joint, both front and back. Soldering the joints makes the panel one solid piece.

After leading, I cement the panel with a mixture of linseed oil and whiting. This putty makes the panel water proof and prevents the pieces from sliding in the tracks of the lead.

Afterwards, I clean the panel and allow it to set for a while (a week or two during which the putty dries). Then, it's ready for installation or framing.

Finished Product

Dimensions 31" x 31"

Fused and Painted Panels

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These tiles are always popular. I make them using odd shaped scrap glass that is left over from other, larger projects. The finished pieces look simple, but the process to create them is really quite complicated!

First, I place pieces of cut, colored glass on a sheet of clear glass Next, I fuse the two layers of glass in the kiln (1485F)

Once the panel has fused completely into one piece and is cool, I prepare to paint the panel.

The glass paints I use are a combination of pigment and ground glass; I mix them with water and gum arabic (a 'wetting agent' that causes the paint to stick to the glass)

Next, I paint heavy black tracing lines on the glass.

After the paint has dried, I scratch away the paint to reveal the colors underneath.

The painted pieces then go back into the kiln so that I can fire the paint into the glass (1200F). This makes the paint permanent.

Once the piece has cooled, I use a large badger hair brush to apply a matte to cover the entire surface of the panel.

After the matte has dried, I then scrape away paint to create a three dimensional feel to the panel.

The piece is then fired again in the kiln (1200F) to make the matte paint permanent.

Now, it's time to put a lead frame around the piece. Horseshoe nails hold the lead in place.

Next, the lead must be soldered and patinaed.

And finally polished and cleaned.

Finally, it's ready to hang in a window!

As you can see, there are many steps needed to create a single 'simple' panel!