the starting point: sheets of glass
Fused Glass by Gabriele Baumann
Glass fusing is fascinating to me. Not only do I have an amazing variety of colors to choose from, but I can also transform glass into something new through the application of heat and the use of tools.
​
Fused glass has become a passion of mine within the past five years. The process of fusing glass forces you to plan ahead and be very deliberate about the arrangements. Unlike a painting, that can evolve and be corrected with each brush stroke, glass once set in its arrangement and placed into the kiln for firing, will settle as prepared.
​
My work is well planned and I take pride in the execution, starting with finding a pattern and matching the colors. After firing (temperatures can vary) kiln glass requires a lot of secondary work or “cold working” that ranges from cutting, grinding, sanding and polishing to sometimes sandblasting – the quality of a piece isn’t only reflected in its initial design, but also in the execution and handcraft that follows. After all that, a second or third firing is necessary where the prepared piece gets slumped into a mold to give it the desired shape.
​
I am inspired by geometric patterns that can be found in nature and architecture as well as by contemporary designs and re-occurring themes of colors. Once you start looking, it is amazing how many patterns surround us.
​
I am also fascinated by water and ice and its different formations. You can find elements of this in many of my pieces.