Creation by accident or by design?
When it comes to fused glass, there are countless approaches people use to create kiln-fired pieces. But it really boils down to this: do you prefer creation by accident, or by design?
Let’s consider the importance of personality in answering this question. For example, I am a control freak and totally obsessive-compulsive…(although I have an uncanny ability to ignore a mess in my house … hmmmm … contradiction!). So venture a guess as to the type of creation I prefer.
If you guessed “by design”….You are RIGHT! I like to think that I planned for my work to come out of the kiln that way. I like structure, intentional design, and reproducible results. I willingly accept the “chaos” inherent with glass that each piece will slump differently in the kiln, have a different section of dichroic glass that changes the color…in essence, that each piece will be unique. But with creation by design, your work comes out of the kiln reasonably close to how you intended it to look.
Creation by accident is really fun for those who generally like to leave things to chance. I can’t describe this person very well because I simply don’t understand them from my OCD perspective, but it seems they actually enjoy letting go. One way to create by accident with fused glass is to do a pot melt. The result is a fully fused block of glass with completely random patterns and colors that formed by accident as the glass melted and dripped down to the kiln shelf. Another way of doing this is by layering glass on top of a sheet of steel mesh that is suspended between two kiln blocks inside the kiln. The glass drips down through the mesh as it melts, forming random patterns and swirls of color.
So as I try to grow as an artist, I realize I do need to accept a little accident into my life. I do think the pot melting technique produces interesting results … maybe you’ll see it emerge as a planned element in my future designs!
