Metal Marbles : The Search for Random Detail
Metal Marbles are the culmination of more than ten years of transitional experiences working in glass,
starting with stained glass, progressing to kiln-formed
glass, and presently concentrating on casting and torch
working. More than
anything else throughout this progression Metal Marbles are about the search for randomized
detail in glass design. The venture started several
years ago when I noticed that bead makers were very
experimental with what they applied to the bead surface
under the heat of the torch. They used an array of
techniques many of which included the use of metals such as
copper and gold leaf, silver thread, metals
mixed with enamels, and fumed (evaporated) silver to create iridescence
on the surface of the bead.
Up to this point I was only
minimally aware of the chemistry of glass, and the role
metal oxides had to play in the formation of color in glass.
In 2005 the first series of Metal Marbles show the initial
stage of my understanding of the application of metal to the
surface of molten glass. I understand at this point that I
have as much in common with ceramicists as I do with hot
glass workers, and have only begun the venture into the
depths of glass chemistry. The basics of the process are
still being perfected. It is similar to the Raku technique used by ceramicists, where a metallic glaze is
applied to pottery, then fired in an oxygen-starved kiln.
The burning wood in the kiln needs oxygen and strips oxygen
molecules off of the metal oxides to help fuel the fire,
resulting in iridescent glazes of random patterns. This is a
very controlled process with the goal of producing
unpredictable random patterns.
Fuller control is
gained when working glass in a torch, since as the metal is applied the results
are
seen. Some elements of the technique are: the proper
mixtures of raw metal powders; application techniques to
insure micro-thin washes are applied to the molten glass
surface; torch heat levels and atmospheric control (gas and
oxygen mix); length of time in flame; cycles of heat and
cold; cycles of reduction and oxidation; differences in the
base glass; secondary metal applications; and on and on. The
key element, of course, is the application of metal powders
where the wash must be thinner than copper leaf, and then
fired properly, or, the results are simply mud.
The goal of this phase of my glasswork is to refine the
technique by adding more color, and to explore variations
of three-dimensional form. I will expand the use
of different metals or chemical elements in the washes such
as potassium dichromate and cobalt nitrate. Raku Rocks will be a focus, which
are basically Metal Marbles molded into various randomized
shapes and sizes, resulting in agate-like forms. They are
the crude beginnings of the next stage of development.
The ultimate goal is the integration
of my glasswork with woodworking, specifically lathe-turned objects.
I've been working towards this integration for the past fifteen
years. The final work can be seen on the Sculpture Site.
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