Fused Glass: From Fan to Maker

Admiring the work of other artists is a great way to spark joy and foster inspiration.  Often the seed of an idea will be sown without conscious thought.  The idea may take root immediately or it may go dormant waiting for the right growing conditions to sprout.  I’ve found as ideas grow, they rarely, if ever, mimic the original—instead they evolve into something different and new.  My experience with fused glass is a case in point.
I’ve been aware of fused glass for some time but didn’t fully appreciate its beauty and versatility until I visited Cat Martin’s Glass Studio a few years ago.  Her studio was part of the Henderson County Open Studio Tour in North Carolina (see Peeking Behind the Studio Curtain and Add a Little Sparkle).  The vibrant colors and intricate patterns in Cat’s fused glass art are amazing.  Here are some examples.

I love this quirky bluebird!

In her book Creative Glass Techniques: Fusing, Painting, Lampwork, author Bettina Eberle describes glass fusing as: “the process of joining pieces of glass by melting them together… in an electric kiln at temperatures ranging from 1470⁰F to 1650⁰F (800⁰C to 900⁰C). … The goal of fusing itself is to produce a solid glass sheet from individual pieces of glass that are arranged beside or on top of one another and then melted together.  This first step is called ‘full-fuse firing’.”  The below teaching aid illustrates the various steps.

Different stages of glass fusing are also visible in this work-in-process which I spotted at Gilbert Glassworks in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida where I participated in a Glassblowing Fundamentals workshop (see A True Hot Glass Experience).

Bettina Eberle goes on to explain, “These days, the term ‘glass fusing’ often refers to an additional step, that of shaping the fused pieces. … In a second step, the fused piece is then shaped, again in a kiln, to make an object such as a bowl.  For shaping glass, a variety of molds, into which the glass pieces can be ‘slumped’ or over which they can be ‘sagged’ are required.”
Here’s an example of slumping in a bowl mold.

Here’s a gorgeous example of fused glass from Gilbert Glassworks.

My initiation to the world of fused glass continued with a visit to Chez Glass Lass in Chester, Nova Scotia.  This dynamic gallery showcases the stunning fused glass art of Sharon McNamara and Paul Palango of KilnArt.

Here are some examples from Chez Glass Lass.

Chez Glass Lass also offers a variety of small decorative pieces like these Christmas tree ornaments.

The more beautiful fused glass I saw, the more I wanted to try it for myself.  I had my opportunity a few weeks ago when the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (OCAF) hosted a Fused Glass Ornament / Suncatcher Workshop.  The workshop was taught by Patti Quinn, the award-winning glass artist behind Aurora Jewelry Studio.  Patti brought some of her gorgeous jewelry to show the class.  Of course, we didn’t make pieces this beautiful!


We did, however, make small ornaments and suncatchers.  The workshop was held in December so holiday-themed ornaments were popular choices.  Here are a few of Patti’s sample Christmas trees.

After selecting our designs, Patti explained how to make our fused glass pieces.  The first step was to select the glass we would use.  I chose a palette of blue, green and turquoise to make a simple heart-shaped ornament.

Next, we cut the glass to fit our designs.

Lucky for me, I’ve had lots of practice cutting glass for my various glass mosaic projects.  This mandala-inspired oval mirror frame, for instance, involved cutting stained glass, glass mosaic tiles and pieces of mirror.  See My Mandala-Inspired Oval Design.


My one-of-a-kind mosaic serving tray was covered in glass mosaic tiles and embellished with a stained glass fern frond.  The trick to accurately cutting tiny pieces is to smooth off the edges with an electric grinder.   See Serving Up My OOAK Mosaic Tray.


Unfortunately, I didn’t have my grinder at the workshop so my edges weren’t as precise as I would have liked.  Regardless, the pieces fit together and the rough edges add a little character.  When fusing glass, a separate piece of glass is typically used as the foundation.  Then other pieces are stacked to be fused together by the heat of the kiln.  We secured our glass pieces with tiny dabs of glue.

Our assembled pieces were placed in a small, tabletop kiln for firing.


There wasn’t enough time to finish the firing onsite but it took only a few days to get our finished projects back.  They were definitely worth the wait!  Here’s my first fused glass project.

It’s not perfect but it sure is pretty in the sunlight!

More Info

Check out my newest Pinterest board, Fused Glass – FanningSparks Favs, with over 175 examples of fused glass from small ornaments to fine art sculptures.
The following fused glass artists are mentioned in this blog post:
. Cat Martin  For more information about Cat and her beautiful fused glass, see the posts Peeking Behind the Studio Curtain or Add a Little Sparkle.  Contact Cat at CatMartinGlassArt@hotmail.com
. Russ Gilbert  For more information about Gilbert Glassworks, see the post A True Hot Glass Experience, the Gilbert Glassworks  and the Fusion Art Glass websites.
. Sharon McNamara and Paul Palango of KilnArt  For more information about KilnArt and Chez Glass Lass, see the Kilnart website.
The book, Creative Glass Techniques: Fusing, Painting, Lampwork, by Bettina Eberle is available here on the Internet Archive.
The Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (OCAF), located in Watkinsville, Georgia, offers a variety of workshops.  You can learn more on the OCAF website.  Keep an eye out for more fused glass workshops by Patti Quinn.  She generously shares her knowledge and talent in a fun, relaxed setting.  Many thanks, Patti, for a great workshop experience!

Today’s Takeaways

1. Admiring the work of other artists is a great way to spark joy and foster inspiration.
2. Project ideas may take root immediately or may take time to sprout.
3. Consider seeking out fused glass art near you.