In this fabrication process, I place shards of glass in a mold and heat them until they join together. The shards can be slightly fused (just sticking together), be fully fused (melted together completely), and anywhere in between. This fusing variation allows for a range of textures, light transmissability, and looks. In the slumping process, l place larger glass pieces over a form and melt them to assume its shape. Slumping can actually occur as part of the fusing process and may result in the shards becoming supple and soft for a slightly fused piece, however, this process is usually performed as a separate step when a previously fabricated plate of glass is melted over a form to create a larger piece, for example, a bowl.

I use only reclaimed glass from local sources for fusing and slumping . I feel deeply inspired by the history and earlier life of this glass which is usually as beverage or food containers. I feel excited about the overwhelming availability of this material and how I can utilize its natural beauty, strength, and the irregular geometries of broken bottle shards. The inherent sublties of both the fusing process and of bottle glass itself offer many options for creative expression. I revel in the creation of artistic work that challenges and explores these subtlies in visually appealing and provocative contexts.