Studio
Precision cutting is integral to my work–and it takes time. My visual vocabulary depends on making glass curve and flow. I work with sheet glass and cut small sections of each element. I use both mosaic and stained glass techniques to build forms from many small pieces of glass at the target resolution. A glass scorer along with running pliers and grozer pliers are used to cut larger pieces.
Smaller pieces can be nipped with wheeled nippers. I use both the traditional hammer and hardie and wheeled nippers to cut gold smalti.
I use the double reverse method. Glass is adhered to contact paper laid over the drawing. Working on the contact paper makes it easier to edit and revise. Once the piece is complete, I use tile tape on the top side of the cut glass. The contact paper has lower adhesion so it can be removed from the back side.
Glass is carefully positioned onto the substrate using enough adhesive to secure the many pieces of glass but without excess adhesive seeping between individual glass pieces.
Grouting is the final step in the process. An industrial material is re-purposed as an art medium to create matte black negative space. The piece is transformed with this strong contrast between matte grout and shimmering glass.
Use Mosaic Elements to create your own glass mosaic feature
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