going out on a limb

Time is of the essence right now as I have a deadline in mid December to complete this portfolio-worthy project . What better time to add a new material that I know nothing about?

Inspired by Eric Seratella, a very talented ceramicist who visited during a class session recently, my interest has been piqued. Eric creates beautiful ceramic sculptural work but he also works in ‘pate de verre’, a form of glasswork that uses powdered glass frit that is fired into molds in the kiln.

Above left to right: Clay model w galv steel, investment molds, removing clay model, clean mold ready to use;

Lower left to right: Fired frit color tests, packed mold; (back) fired glass removed from mold, (front) finished glass form.

It appears the glass and the galv steel wire are repelling each other. No matter which type of binders tried or the method of packing the molds the two elements predictably separate in the firing. Though it is intriguing it makes for a very fragile finished piece that is impossible to cold finish. Cold finish is the clean-up process for glasswork that involves grinding and polishing. The image on the lower right is damp so has the appearance of my ideal result.