Fused Glass Technique

Fused Glass is an exploration of design and individuality.
The artist Stephanie Bowen draws inspiration from colour, pattern, and the glass itself to create a truly unique Objet d'Art. The preparation of each piece takes time and patience to ensure perfect results after firing. Each piece starts out as a plain sheet of glass on which the artist carefully plans a design. Many different materials are used to create textures and effects within the glass. These include metals, foils, mesh, enamel powders, glass grains, oxides, gold and silver leaf, and copper wire. It is these materials that are combined on the glass surface to create

the design to be fused within layers of glass. Once the design is complete the glass is kiln fired at temperatures in excess of 800°C. The process of fusing the glass takes around 30 hours. The glass then needs to be allowed to cool slowly to prevent thermal shock from causing the glass to break. If the fused glass panel is to be made into a bowl it is then placed onto a ceramic mould and reheated to around 730 degrees C. At this temperature the glass slumps to take on the shape of the mould. Again the glass is allowed to cool slowly to avoid stresses within the glass. This final firing process takes an additional 24 hours to complete. It is the combination of materials and individual designs which make each piece of Morpheus Glass fused glass unique.