Sometimes a piece of glass is so pretty that it really doesn’t need a complicated design. This beautiful pink and white Bullseye glass is a perfect example. I love the soft movement of the pink flowing through the creamy white—it almost looks like watercolor or wisps of pink floating across the glass. With glass this beautiful, I wanted the shape of the finished piece to complement the pattern rather than compete with it.
I especially like this particular mold because it creates those soft, gently curved sides and slightly wavy edges. You can really see the transformation when you compare the mold with the finished piece. What began as a flat square of fused glass becomes a graceful little dish with movement and personality—and the flowing shape works beautifully with the movement already present in the pink glass. And, of course, that pink glass is something special. Some Bullseye pinks are striker glasses, meaning heat helps develop their final color during firing, and certain transparent Bullseye pinks are even gold-bearing. Pinks are also among the more expensive colors of glass, so I tend to use them thoughtfully. But when a piece comes out of the kiln looking like this, it’s easy to see why I love them!
Creating these dishes is a two-step firing process. First, I design and assemble the glass and full fuse it in the kiln, allowing the layers to melt together into one smooth piece. Once it has cooled completely, it’s time for the second firing—the slump. Before using a mold, I prepare it with kiln wash, which creates a protective barrier and prevents the softened glass from sticking to the mold during firing.
That’s one of the things that keeps fused glass so interesting for me. Sometimes it’s all about creating an intricate design, and other times it’s about finding just the right mold for a beautiful piece of glass and letting the glass be the star. I think this pretty pink dish needed very little help—it was already beautiful before it ever went into the mold!
If you would like to see more of my fused glass work, please refer to my website Elegant Fused Glass by Karen. If you get a chance, check out all my site and my Elegant Fused Glass by Karen YouTube. If you would like to stay abreast of what I’m up-to and learn a little more about jewelry, check out our newsletter. It is published the last day of each month.
Keeping my Kiln warm,
Karen
