Dichroic Glass Jewelry

This fused glass vase combines art and function.  Many pieces of cut glass decorate this piece, which has been decorated on both sides and fired in a kiln to 1475 degrees to fuse all pieces into one.  This same process was done on the front and then again on the reverse.  Then a third firing was done at a lower temperature to slump the flat piece of glass over a floral mold to give it the shape of this vase.  When not using as a vase for flowers, it makes a bold statement turned on its side as a sculptural piece of artwork. 

Mosaic is the art of creating images with small pieces of colored glass, stone or other material. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral. Small tiles or fragments of pottery or of colored glass or clear glass backed with metal foils are used to create a pattern or picture.

Mosaics are often used in jewelry, vases and hanging art.
 

Fused glass is a term used to describe glass that has been fired in a kiln at a range of high temperatures from 1100ºF to 1500ºF. There are 3 main distinctions for temperature application and the resulting effect on the glass.Firing in the lower ranges of these temperatures 1100º 1250º F is called slumping. Firing in the middle ranges of these temperatures 1250º-1350ºF is considered “tack fusing”.

Firing the glass at the higher spectrum of this range 1350º-1500ºF is a “full fuse”.

All of these techniques can be applied to one glass work (such as decorative glass platters) in separate firings to add depth, relief and shape.

The care for dichroic glass jewelry is a very simple process, but necessary.  As each piece is unique, you want to make sure that the fused glass jewelry you own is taken care of, as it can’t be reproduced.  Here are some beginning tips:

Keep jewelry in a sealable plastic bag. Air and moisture can cause tarnishing.  It should only need cleaning once a year at most, maybe every two or three years.

If you think the gemstone is loose or it needs adjusting, have someone who does wirework look at it. 

Dichroic glass can be cleaned with glass cleaner or rubbing alcohol; use a cotton swab to apply.