Sequoia Blue Green Diptych -
Carved Glass, 20 x 35 x 1.5 in.
First I melt layers of colored glass together...
First I melt layers of colored glass (with varying degrees of translucency & transparency) into a solid, thick slab. Then I choose an interesting texture or design motif from scientific research or the natural world. Highly detailed textures such as a cross section of a giant Sequoia tree’s microscopic root system are some of my favorites. The end result seems to me to emulate the way nature creates. I then adjust the scale of the image and tweak it using computers with photographic image processing programs (similar to photo-lithography). I then develop a rubbery “mask” from the image using Ultraviolet light and high pressure jets of water. The resulting lace like material is then firmly attached to the smooth glass blank. Using a reductive, high powered jet of sand laden compressed air, I deeply carve into the exposed areas of the glass where there is no mask, creating textures that reveal the different colors (and light play) inside the glass. All of the carving is done by hand and so every time I create a sculpture, I get to push myself and the process farther down the road of innovation.
