How to Learn the Art of Fused Glass

Tree of Life: Kiln formed Glass (Author's work)

Have you tinkered with the idea of learning how to fuse glass? You can get started pretty quickly, learning the basics in a weekend. Then you can spend years -- or a lifetime -- perfecting your style and form.

Warm glass or kiln working is the art of forming glass designs and then fusing the elements together for long periods, at temperatures of about 1450F. You can fuse glass to make:

- functional pieces such as accent tiles, sinks, drawer pulls, bowls and sushi plates,
- lighting (pendant lights or sconces),
- panels (used for wall art or windows),
- jewelry such as brooches, pendants and earrings,
- sculpture and 3-dimensional pieces, and more.

It's hard to miss a sparkling, richly colored and textured, well designed piece of glass art. If you're intrigued and want to learn about glass fusing, but don't know where to start, or wonder whether you have the time, skill or resources it might require... this article will point the way.

You'll find some great resources and suggestions on how to learn the art of fused glass.

Things You'll Need

• Time to explore intro classes and workshops online OR
• Purchase of how-to DVDs

Instructions

1. 

   START by FINDING LOCAL CLASSES

   Introductory, hands-on classes are a great way to immerse yourself in fused glass methods and materials. A combination of lecture, discussion, slide shows, and hands-on work will cover the basics of selecting and beginning to work with fusible glass. Classes are usually small (less than a dozen students), informal, and very interactive. A class can range from one day to two consecutive weekend days to one night a week for five weeks, for example. Most beginner classes will send you home with glass tiles that you will make, or a medium fused and slumped dish, or a handful of pendants, if you've signed up for a jewelry class.

   You might be surprised to learn how many different places and people offer glass classes throughout the year. For example, in the Washington, DC metropolitan area where I live, the choices are abundant and include:

   o Art glass studios and retail stores (check the yellow pages),
   o Visual Arts organizations (such as VisArt in Rockville, MD),
   o Community colleges (as part of their adult education offerings),
   o Glen Echo Park for the Arts and Performing Arts in Bethesda, MD,
   o The Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA,
   o Art Leagues in various jurisdictions, and
   o County Recreation Departments (in their leisure/recreation catalogs).

   Private instruction is also available on an hourly fee or flat rate basis if the classroom setting/schedule is inconvenient for you.

2. 

   FIND GLASS SCHOOLS

   Nationally recognized glass schools are plentiful if you want to travel or live in a remote area without classes nearby. Check the web sites and on-line class offerings for these schools. Read the course description and pre-requisites, if any. Get in touch with the instructor if you need more detail about what will be covered, what if anything you're expected to bring, etc.

   There are lots of choices in various parts of the country, some courses are more economical, others are more intensive (like 5 consecutive days). Have fun looking or just imagining what taking a class would be like:

   - Bullseye Glass, Portland, OR
   - Corning Glass Museum Studio, Corning, NY
   - Creative Glass Center at Wheaton Village, Millville, NJ
   - Eugene Glass School, Eugene, OR
   - Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
   - Pilchuck Glass School, Seattle, WA
   - Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
   - Sonoran Glass Art Academy, Tucson, Arizona, USA

3. 

   LEARN BY BUYING or RENTING DVD's

   There are more than 100 instructional DVDs available to rent or purchase. If you want to learn about the craft but not necessarily jump in and start fusing, this might be the approach for you. Two popular and well-liked glass instructors on DVD are Vicki Payne and Peter McGrain. Each has DVDs for sale ranging from 1-3 hours that will give you an overview of glass fusing projects and techniques.

   There is also an option called Smartflix that lets you rent 'how-to' videos. They have a "Glasswork University" series with 135 DVDs on all things glass; beadmaking, stained glass, glass carving, fusing and slumping, and more. I haven't used this myself, but it looks interesting. This might be the most economical way to watch established glass artists use a variety of techniques to create works of art.

   Instructional videos have their purpose, but if you've never handled or cut art glass, don't have a supplier nearby, and aren't sure what equipment or tools you will need, I don't recommend DVDs for beginners. There is no substitute for a casual, relaxed classroom setting with an experienced teacher and a handful or two of other novices. These are people you can learn from now and down the road when you want to compare technique, results, unwanted surprises, materials, etc.

4. VISIT GLASS WEB SITES

   A web site worth visiting again and again is Warm Glass.

   It's a lively community of people with info and resources on fusing, slumping, casting, and other kiln-forming techniques. It has a tutorial for those who are new to fused glass, a comprehensive resource section, an online gallery of kiln-formed art, and an active bulletin board for users and devotees of warm glass.

Tips & Warnings

• Take a look at Glass Patterns Quarterly, a magazine that is available by subscription or at book-stores such as Borders or Barnes and Noble.

• Once you get started in fusing, you risk becoming a glass-a-holic. It's a good thing (~.~)

Resources

• Warm Glass