Kiln Fired Glass Process
The fused glass technique or kilnforming glass process

Since we’ve been on the subject of kilns and ceramics, I thought it fitting to look at another popular use of kilns: the fused glass technique or kiln-forming glass.

Unless you’re already familiar with what kiln-forming glass produces you may be wondering just what might be expected in the way of results. Interestingly enough, much of what can be made with clay for functional ceramic can be made with glass in any number of functional forms: dinnerware, serving pieces, nested bowls, platters, floral vases, and candle holders.

A simple description of the fused glass process is taking different pieces of glass and melting them together with one of three surface descriptions: a “flat fused” where the layered pieces of glass come out appearing as a single unit with a flat surface; a “relief fused” that is semi-fused and full of relief texture; and “tack fused,” where only slight melting occurs on the surface and is likely to be more textured.

San Juan Island artist Jaime Ellsworth went from being a successful ceramic artist for many years to working in kiln-formed glass after seeing her first kiln-formed pieces in a Seattle art gallery. Eventually she sold her ceramic business in pursuit of working with kiln-formed glass and since then she’s been making both functional and art pieces. Some readers may even know Jaime for her ceramics, but you’ve got to see her amazing custom sinks for home use–if nothing else just because glass sinks are so unusual. Of course her sushi plates are incredible as well. Another artist whom I had opportunity to talk with was Yvonne Buijs of San Juan Glass Works, who has for many years worked with stained glass and has incorporated beautifully designed fused glass pieces to her stained glass structures. Yvonne’s latest pursuit in working with fused glass is in a process known as photographic transfer or photo resist, which after hearing her description, is an advanced method involving the layering, etching, and painting, processes.

She says her love of fused glass is in the “alchemy or magic of it, although much has been figured out today, it's really my specialty to work from within the kiln…finding a new way to work the glass. I love the happy accident to learn from, and use in my work, trying a new way of seeing.” Her pieces are no doubt unique and one-of-a-kind. Just what is kiln-forming process anyway?

In getting down to the general process of building and designing a piece, I refer to a process that Jaime described, although there are many different methods and approaches and each are as individual as your choice in final product possibilities. First determine what the piece will be, let's say a flat fused platter with elevated edges. Next is to make your selection of glass in both color and texture. The glass is then cut and arranged into layers on a flat surface for its initial firing. Remember that for “flat fused” work the initial firing will serve to completely fuse the glass layers into one unit of glass with a flat surface, and without relief texture.

Next we go to the kiln and from the moment the glass goes into the kiln at room temperature it is heated to approximately 1375 to 1475 degrees F. Then through its cooling down process, it will have taken 24 hours. After the initial firing cycle has completed, and you determine that it was fused the way you want, it goes to the next process of the slump or kiln-forming fire. A kiln wash is first applied to keep the glass from adhering to the mold. In the second firing the finished flat piece is then laid onto a mold and is fired at a lower temperature of approximately 1350 degrees F to get it to just shape, not melt. Once the second firing is complete and your shape is established there are a number of treatments that can be applied, such as color to the lip area, but we’re just covering the basics here! So we’ll move on to some information about glass selection.

Kiln-fired glass is tricky in that you cannot just select any combination of glass–you must select glass which has a similar melting range that involves glass expansion and viscosity during heating and cooling phases. Very important information indeed! Currently entire product lines of glass are made specifically as kiln glass and have compatible firing ranges. Kiln-forming glass is found in a variety of ready to use shapes and in approximately 50 to 60 shades of colors. Lots of options to get the imagination started.

You can lean more about Jaime Ellsworth’s kiln-formed glass by visiting her web page on www.sanjuanartistcommunity.com/ellsworth/glass.html.

Yvonne Buijs just moved to her new location on San Juan Island and can be found by visiting her new artist studio page at www.sanjuanartistcommunity.com.