Fire in the Madhouse

Fire in the Madhouse, fused glass. 3 panels. 2016

Where’s Chicken Little when you need him? Yea, I keep forgetting only a few listen to a conspiracy theorist; also, word is Homeland Security has Little on the no fly list. And most importantly what is falling from the heavens in my story are not acorns nor is the king ignorant of the ‘falling sky’ because in my story the royals are the conspirators.

My current glass art series entitled Fire in the Madhouse, especially this title piece, may seem chaotic and may agitate or perturb. Fine, too many people don’t recognize or especially want to see the seemingly vast array of serious threats in our world. I’m looking up from parched California into our sky and there are long threads of what appear to be clouds; some think contrails from jets but that just ain’t so. I have no factual data, just 66 years of observations as a native northern Californian. For data look here:geoengineeringwatch.org  This particular cloud formation is a man made nightmare; instead of fantastic cumulus cloud animals & wild cirrus horsetails parading across azure skies it has the look of a gigantic unravelling fabric with giant discordant threads. Oh, nice metaphor and is western civilization unravelling?

People are zombies, heads bowed, praising almighty ‘Cellular’ contacts/content/friend me! Look up! A week ago while hiking I looked up to see a darkly painted jet aircraft ejecting it’s load into the blue sky as it headed from north to south and shortly after as I gazed skyward this same apparent craft was returning north with no contrails. Hm-m, what’s wrong with that picture. At the same moment farther to the west off the coast another sister jet aircraft was seen spewing it’s thread of noxious cloud materials. Never mind.

If the moral of the Chicken Little fable is don’t believe everything you hear then fine. Never mind and forget me, artistic sublimations, etc., because I think I hear your phone a ringing ding dinging and it could be your new friend Foxy Coxy, Ducky Lucky, or oh my god Turkey Lurkey.

 

Teaching fused glass in Sonoma

Stacey & I taught a fused glass class at the Lodge at Sonoma this past January. Normally my classes are in my Sebastopol studio, however,  my new business card should read;  Have Glass Will Travel. Participants made a tile, or pendants in just three hours. Super cool!

You guys are awesome and were so much fun. Thank you! Nils, workshop participant

 

Student work

student’s pendant

Dish by first time fuser

Cast Glass Walks Labyrinth

Drive 20 minutes due west from my glass studio and we arrive at the Shell Beach Labyrinth. The small blue glass casting in my hand is from a class some years ago, and she now resides on this pathway by the sea. A magical assemblage of sacred detritus, flotsam & totems. Glass has been part of my creative life for over 40 years and the seaside my home.

My mother flew through the heavens above when I appeared by the bay waters.

Castaway, flotsam & jetsam rescued, ferried, drifting, & sailing for decades too and fro upon the sea.

A different path we all must tread, our unique dance, and at our particular pace. Some things take a lifetime or two. Me…I’m a late bloomer. So I walk the distance to find my center and a big part of the journey is through my creative glass art.

 

How to Fuse Glass

Working wtih frit & stringers

Fuseable glass is handmade by a handful of companies to expand and contract at the same rate.  It comes in many forms including powder, sheet and stringers (long and skinny).  This specially formulated glass is hand cut, assembled in layers and then melded together in a kiln at 1480 degrees or so. Paintings made from frit (powdered glass) may have many firings as images are built in layers.

A second firing is done to shape (slump) the piece from flat glass into a bowl or other three dimensional piece.

A third firing is done on pieces that are painted with glass paint.

“I feel like an alchemist when I open the kiln and see my layers of glass transformed into a luminous image.” – Leland Dennick

WHAT IS DICHROIC GLASS?

Dichroic glass Buddha mask

Dichroic glass is beautiful sparkly glass that was originally developed for the aeronautics industry. It must be manufactured in a vacuum chamber where an electron beam deposits many microscopic layers of metallic oxides, such as magnesium and titanium, on glass. This metallic coating absorbs and reflects different colors of light at different angles, making the glass multi-hued.

Because of the complexity involved in making it, dichroic glass is quite costly. It was originally created for satellite mirrors, but it now has many high-tech applications in fiber optics, infrared lasers, motion picture equipment and even sun glasses.

For more information on fusing and slumping, Warm Glass has free tutorials, an active bulletin board and an inspiring gallery.   I also recommend Bullseye Glass Company’s online education program.  Here’s a blog post with a link to a movie my wife and I made about raking glass.

© Copyright Leland Dennick 2014
All rights reserved

First Fusing Class Description

In this 3.5 hour class you’ll make two 4″ by 4″ coasters and one 6″ square piece using several different techniques.

Projects will be fired after class and available for pick up in within a few days. We can also ship.

• The day begins with a brief safety talk and gets rolling with a lecture demo on the most important aspects of working with fused glass: color reactions, volume control & fun.

• We’ll then cut and assemble pieces for the first coaster.  No prior glass work experience is necessary, but those who do have experience can enjoy more complicated projects.  Ideas include abstract designs, self portraits (fun for kids!) and animal portraits.  We’ll use sheet glass, powdered glass (AKA grit), stringers (long skinny sticks of glass) and glass rods of Bullseye brand fusable glass.

• For the second coaster students can choose from our pre-made part sheets to create a silly fish or other design.  Part sheets are patterned glass made from a combination of advanced techniques resulting in unique glass with various designs and  textures.

• The third project, a 6″ square, may be created using any of the above techniques.

The class fee includes glass and firing costs. Class size is limited to two, so each person has plenty of space and attention.

Call me for more info. – Leland

Learn Advanced Fusing Techniques One on One

You asked for it, I’m offering private lessons in glass fusing at our studio in Sebastopol.

PRIVATE INSTRUCTION

Here’s how it works.  For an hour fee (two hour minimum) I’ll provide instruction and tools – cutters, grinder, tile saw, kilns, polishers, etc.  You only need to bring your own eye protection (glasses or safety glasses) and wear appropriate clothing (including closed toe shoes).  The fee includes some glass.  Additional glass and materials are available for purchase. Buy just enough to complete your project. In addition to Bullseye brand’s vibrant color palette of 90 COE  glass, my students can also use one of a kind components that I’ve made, incuding raked, painted and layered glass.

Learn a new technique, make gifts, have fun!  Adults, and children age 8 and up with parental supervision. One to two people at a time.

BAKE AND TAKE PROJECTS

Here are a few project ideas to pique your imagination:

• Coasters – suitable for beginner to advanced
• Self portrait – great for kids
• Sushi plate- suitable for beginner to advanced
• Sun catchers and ornaments
• Pendants, cabuchons, and earrings
• Heart dish or wavy bowl
• Box with fused glass inset

 LEARN NEW TECHNIQUES

• Basic fusing & slumping
• Frit imagery (using powdered glass)
• Using color reactions for texture and depth
• Create and fuse your own decals (additional supply fees apply)
• 22 Kt gold leaf inclusions (additional supply fees apply)
• Paint with Sunshine vitreous water based, non-toxic enamels
• The art of cold working with diamond polishers
• The Bubble up technique for creating organic patterns in glass
• Working thick – multi-layered imagery

Sound like fun?  It is.  Call or email for more information.