The Art of Glass Fusing

There seems to be a sudden increase in the number of glass and bead artists who are creating fused glass items and jewelry that incorporates this glass. Some of my favorite fused glass artists include Sarah Creekmore, Tamara Baskin and Amy Bajorek Kappler. They are my idols and one day I hope that my own fused glass creations will be as spectacular as theirs.

Glass fusing is the process of heating multiple layers of glass together in a kiln until they stick, or fuse, to one another. The only limitation to your work is the size of the kiln you use. I started with a Rapid Fire kiln made by Even Heat. It has a six inch square interior chamber and can be used to create a variety of fused glass cabochons, beads, pendants, barrettes and even small tiles. This size of kiln retails for between $275 and $350 so shop around to find the best deal.

For over a decade, I have been a seed bead artist, creating a variety of one-of-a-kind objects and teaching classes in a multitude of beading techniques. However, in January 1998, I became addicted to glass. Thanks to a generous monetary Christmas gift from my grandmother, who's only stipulation was that the money NOT be used to pay bills, I suddenly had the means to purchase a kiln and the basic equipment and supplies necessary to get started in glass fusing. Not long after setting up my glass studio I started selling the fused glass items at the bead and quilt shows I was participating in. Quite a few people would stop by my booth and comment on the fused glass pieces but they weren't sure what to do with them. So of course I had to start making lots of jewelry pieces which featured the fused glass to add to my booth display. Then I started getting requests to start teaching the technique of fused glass from other artists attending the shows. And this lead me to writing articles on the technique of fused glass for a few craft magazines.

In the past year my studio has undergone a huge expansion. I purchased a large digitally controlled Jen Ken kiln with a 13 inch interior which allows me to make larger fused glass pieces such as bowls, plates and vases. I've also added a Taurus 3 diamond ring saw and a Diamond Max glass grinder both of which can be used to cut and shape the glass into more intricate shapes before being fused in the kiln. My goal is to eventually start marketing these art glass pieces to local galleries and gift shops.

If you are interested in learning how to create your own fused glass creations there are a number of ways to go about. You can do what I did and go out and buy all the necessary equipment along with a few books on the subject and teach yourself this interesting art form. However, this can be a bit expensive. My new Jen Ken kiln cost $750, the glass grinder was $125 and my diamond ring saw was $380. This is not to mention all the hand tools, books, magazines and of course glass that you will need to set up even a modest fused glass studio. A less expensive way would be to take a class at your local bead or stained glass store to make sure you enjoy working with this medium before spending a lot of money on supplies. Most of the bead and stained glass stores near me offer a variety of glass classes including a introduction to the basics of glass fusing.

Fused glass is a wonderful hobby which can also be turned into a part time or full time business. Fused glass pieces, such as beads and cabochons, can be marketed to other jewelry artists such as beaders, polymer clay and art clay silver artists to work into their unique creations. And local bead stores may be interested in selling your creations to their customers. I've taught fused glass classes and sold my fused glass cabochons on consignment at two of the bead stores in my area.

Fused Glass Artists
Sarah Creekmore - www.creekmore-glass.com
Tamara Baskin - www.tamarabaskin.com
Amy Bajorek Kappler - www.hipposeatingalligators.com
Lynn Smythe - www.lynnsmythecreations.com

Fused Glass Supplies
Delphi - www.delphiglass.com
Ed Hoy's International - www.edhoy.com
Glass Crafters - www.glasscrafters.com