Fused + Slumped
Fusing
(1) The process of founding or melting the batch;
(2) heating pieces of glass in a kiln or furnace until they bond (related: Casting and Kiln forming);
(3) heating enameled glasses until the enamel bonds with the surface of the object.
Slumping
The process of reheating a blank until it becomes soft and gradually flows under its own weight over or into a former mold and eventually assumes the shape of the mold. Also known as sagging.
glass terms as defined in the Corning Museum’s Glass Dictionary
Major Installations
Many of our large-scale art glass installations involved processes of fusing and slumping; most notably, glass rondel panels are a staple of glass design and technique at Rock Cottage Glassworks.
Reflections | Leawood Aquatic Center
Strata | Charleston Civic Center
Iris & Violet | Capital One Offices
Artist’s Statement
My love for fused glass evolved out of demand for larger Art Glass shapes that would fit the monumental scale of public and private art commissions that I was awarded. I really enjoy the glassblowing process, and fusings are comprised of “rondels,” or blown glass plates. The process for making rondels is very frenetic, like and dance or even a wrestling match. Muscle memory dominates the time at the furnace. Fusing rondels became thoughtful time I could spend alone: laying out the pieces in patterns, creating my infinite puzzle.
