Glass Art: An Ancient Technique

Glass art is an ancient art dating back to prehistoric times. It was practiced in Egypt and Assyria for window making or what we would call Rose Glass. It was done by a very time consuming process in which the glass material was formed while heated around rough cores of mud and animal dung into a massive producible material which could be quickly inflated into large, transparent, and leak proof vessel or window for cathedrals.

Today's glass art, I interview a lady named Tess Quesada who lives in San Diego California. I met her through my mother when our mothers lived next door to each other. She is an inspiration not only to myself but to others around her. Here in this interview she gives me the low down on glass art, an ancient technique now used for delightful jewelry, figurines, and etc...

1. What does glass art involve? (name tools, does it involve a special kiln, name of dyes, etc...)

Tess states that the list of tools and product is endless....the more advanced you become the more advanced your tools become. Basically you need a couple of mandrels which are covered in clay (that allows the glass to remove from the metal). The size of your mandrel determines the size of your bead hole.

2. What can you make in glass art?

Tess tells me that the possibilities are endless. She specializes in glass beads and they are made from Italian soft glass.

3. For a project (example: a figurine of a hummingbird) how long or how much time is involved in making something like this?