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• Kiln or oven-formed glass

  Often referred to as warm glass technique, sheets of glass of any color or thickness can be formed into desired shapes. Glassworks' kilns are purposefully large to accommodate glass up to 13 ft. X 6½ ft. Never random, our kilns are custom made and computer controlled so that all pieces are formed to exact specifications and design demands.

• Fused glass

  Every type and color of glass has its own unique point when it will become a liquid, or conversely, a solid. When fused together, glass of a similar makeup creates a dynamic visual. Understanding this point of chemistry is the juncture of art and science. At Glassworks, we take pieces of glass that have compatible melting and cooling points and fuse them together into a variety of designs and functions. Fusing takes on a myriad of characteristics and, working with individual pieces, we can fuse glass into layers or merge them together to create specific colors. The thickness of glass used for fusing does not make a difference in the integrity of the piece, although thicker glass will take longer to fuse. Fusing can capture the light bending qualities of glass and offers dynamic variety and intrigue to a once static color.

• Slumped glass

  Slumped glass takes its name from a process that takes flat glass and then, through a combination of heat and bending, molds glass into three-dimensional shapes. A process that dates back to Mesopotamia, slumped glass is a versatile and dynamic process. Slumped glass appears to be embossed with a design on the back, while the front and top remains fluid and smooth. Any color or thickness of glass can be slumped to create unique and individual shapes.

• Cast glass

  Cast glass is produced by melting individual fragments of glass into a mold. Molds can be a variety of shapes or sizes and colors can be cast together as long as they have compatible melting and cooling points. Thicknesses of cast glass vary from ½ inch to 6 inches.

• Sandblasting (etched, carved)

  Glass of any thickness or color can be sandblasted. Sandblasting as a design element can be remarkable, specific and full of detail, depending on how the process is managed. Sandblasting delivers the same effect as etching - without the use of strong chemicals. Glassworks uses sandblasting to deliver the "etched" look.

  Sandblasting begins by masking an adhesive on one side of the glass and then either hand cutting a design or plotting specific shapes with a computer generated image. From there, the "mask" is removed and powerful blasts of compressed air shoot fine grains of clean sand directly onto the unmasked areas. This gracefully "clouds" the surface into a pristine, beautifully opaque state. The amount of sand and the strength of the blast are completely controllable. Individual areas can have masks removed incrementally to deliver a "carved" appearance. Carved glass offers added fluidity, texture and shape. Sandblasted areas are more porous than clear glass; therefore sandblasted glass should be sealed.

• Glue-chipping

  A time-honored process that has not changed for a hundred years, glue-chipping delivers an intriguing palette of random textures and designs that give shape and meaning to otherwise neutral glass. Starting with a sandblasted "etched" surface, we cover the glass with heated, liquid glue. As the liquid glue begins to cool, "chips" of glass pull from the surface in random, almost fern-like or ice crystal patterns.

• Stained Glass (leaded)

  Stained glass can be full of color, devoid of color, and everything in-between. To start, a design is drawn to reflect the architecture of the structure. This drawing must be an accurate template of the opening to be filled with the stained glass form. From there, a full cartoon is made for each piece of glass. Then, individual pieces of glass are cut following the lines of the cartoons. These cut pieces are fit together with H-sectioned lead divider bars known as cames. Lead is used for its visual esthetic and as well as its metallurgic "softness" and flexibility. When the glass and cames are put together, the joints are soldered and a putty-based cement is pushed between the panes of glass and the came to make it both air and weather tight. All lead and solder joints are brushed to a uniformed patina. A labor-intensive process that is well worth the result.

• Tinting and painting

  In order to create depth and variety we often tint or back paint glass. These painted and tinted areas can be either large or small and offer designers and architects added variety in color choices and visual texture.