Glass (gla:s)
- n
A. a hard brittle transparent or translucent noncrystalline solid, consisting of metal silicates or similar compounds. Made from a fused mixture of lime and oxides, such as, silicon dioxide along with other substances... It will keep you up way past 2am as you crave to get the perfect location for that one last piece placed, It will make you sigh as you open your kiln and see that the annealing process wasn't long enough and let you release that inner 'Yes' when the piece has worked perfectly. It will make you feel proud when people approach it and just have to touch it to see how it's made. But most of all it will allow you to show off you!
The pieces shown here () are influenced by Theatre Lighting using the glass as the filters and the sun as the bulds. I first got into glass fusing in 2004 and have since moved on to get my own studio workshop where i create my pieces in my Nabertherm F-110 kiln. To add a unique touch to my pieces I am currently expermenting with airbrushing glassline paints onto the glass before firing. ()
As a child I used to visit Avondale Glass, Tenby, A glass blowing shop where I would be given the chance to empty my lungs in a hope to shape the molten glass, rarely gaining more than a bubble. My chosen step from fusing would be to fulfill my childhood dream and create blow glass sculptures.
Through self-teaching I have learnt how to create Jewellery pieces using the lost wax casting, hand sawing metals and joining them together using my PUK Welder / Soldering. I will continue to learn through self experience but look forward to learning new skilss and soaking up greater knowledge through tutoring and networking at MMU.
Andrew Howard
