VERNE ORLOSK
The Growth of "Water Lily Meditation"
The path of this fused glass bowl evolved through a continuous study of looking into and around water.
Lily pads are always an unexpected sight. Growing, blooming, and floating simultaneously.
In researching aquatic plants and algae, I read more about the spatial growth zones in New Hampshire lakes. The rich plant life that creates habitats and beauty, also provide for a variety of invasive species,
that can choke out the native ecology.
At the water’s edge, or in the depths of any water experience, I prefer to enjoy all that nature has to offer
in its colors, symmetry, complexity, simplicity, and continuous surprises.
My work revolves around the visual depth that I push to create in fused glass.
The offerings of seasonal changes in New England inspire me and change is what intrigues me most.
Lily pads are always an unexpected sight. Growing, blooming, and floating simultaneously.
In researching aquatic plants and algae, I read more about the spatial growth zones in New Hampshire lakes. The rich plant life that creates habitats and beauty, also provide for a variety of invasive species,
that can choke out the native ecology.
At the water’s edge, or in the depths of any water experience, I prefer to enjoy all that nature has to offer
in its colors, symmetry, complexity, simplicity, and continuous surprises.
My work revolves around the visual depth that I push to create in fused glass.
The offerings of seasonal changes in New England inspire me and change is what intrigues me most.
Glass as an Artistic Medium
"Fused glass" describes different elements of compatible glass coming together,
when activated by high heat in a kiln, to become one piece – also known as warm glass.
Frequently from an artist perspective, there is a reference to letting the ‘medium speak to you.’
I find less of that to be helpful in working with fused glass.
There are many variations in fused glass techniques,
but it still holds firm to scientific properties that have some restrictions.
As an amorphous material, it doesn’t even categorize as a solid or a liquid.
There is science pushing my art, but I favor my fine art background pushing and challenging that science.
when activated by high heat in a kiln, to become one piece – also known as warm glass.
Frequently from an artist perspective, there is a reference to letting the ‘medium speak to you.’
I find less of that to be helpful in working with fused glass.
There are many variations in fused glass techniques,
but it still holds firm to scientific properties that have some restrictions.
As an amorphous material, it doesn’t even categorize as a solid or a liquid.
There is science pushing my art, but I favor my fine art background pushing and challenging that science.
1.
Working through color combinations is necessary at the beginning of my fused glass work.
It might be evident here that my palette play resulted in a different base piece as I describe in step 2.
In creating a palette for the subject of water and lilies in "Water Lily Meditation,"
there was much consideration for the changing colors and textures through the four firings ahead.
I find glass to have finite colors in its manufacturing, but there are infinite colors
when combining in layers and in combination with light in, on and through a glass object.
The chemical composition of glass has various metals such as copper, lead, and sulfur/selenium.
A combination of which can react with each other and form a third color.
Generally, these reactions occur when mixing warm and cool colors.
It might be evident here that my palette play resulted in a different base piece as I describe in step 2.
In creating a palette for the subject of water and lilies in "Water Lily Meditation,"
there was much consideration for the changing colors and textures through the four firings ahead.
I find glass to have finite colors in its manufacturing, but there are infinite colors
when combining in layers and in combination with light in, on and through a glass object.
The chemical composition of glass has various metals such as copper, lead, and sulfur/selenium.
A combination of which can react with each other and form a third color.
Generally, these reactions occur when mixing warm and cool colors.
Steps 1. and 2.
2.
My chosen base color was cut from a piece of special production sheet glass.
It is a Blue/Purple shift tint with a silver iridized coating on the back:
Special production—being not always available.
Blue/Purple shift—being affected by light as it stands cold and changing from a sky blue to lavender.
Tint—being a mildly pigmented transparent glass.
Silver iridized--is a metallic oxide coating that has been applied to the back of this sheet.
Immediately I know that the iridized back may have some resistance in scoring and breaking into a circle.
In firing, it has characteristics that can create bubbles,
doesn’t stretch along with other glass
and can be dull or shiny.
The only other solid forms of glass were in my choices for the rocks.
I love drawing, I normally do a quick sketch for composition right on the glass with a sharpie.
At the firing temperature, the sharpie will burn off.
You may notice that some of my images don’t appear in the same direction.
I frequently work on a piece from a different direction
to find balance in the composition and colors—especially if it is circular.
It is a Blue/Purple shift tint with a silver iridized coating on the back:
Special production—being not always available.
Blue/Purple shift—being affected by light as it stands cold and changing from a sky blue to lavender.
Tint—being a mildly pigmented transparent glass.
Silver iridized--is a metallic oxide coating that has been applied to the back of this sheet.
Immediately I know that the iridized back may have some resistance in scoring and breaking into a circle.
In firing, it has characteristics that can create bubbles,
doesn’t stretch along with other glass
and can be dull or shiny.
The only other solid forms of glass were in my choices for the rocks.
I love drawing, I normally do a quick sketch for composition right on the glass with a sharpie.
At the firing temperature, the sharpie will burn off.
You may notice that some of my images don’t appear in the same direction.
I frequently work on a piece from a different direction
to find balance in the composition and colors—especially if it is circular.
3.
It is seemingly an obsessive amount of time considering color choices, but the glass powders also have a quality of their own. For example: an unfired, powdered white glass appears white. A powdered clear, cream, yellow, orange, pink, tan and sometimes blue – can also appear as white. An opaque glass and a transparent glass in powder form can appear to be the same color. The use of powdered glass is the method I use most often and for me, has a painterly quality in its application and fired results. So, as layering begins, colors are no longer a visual element of creation, but a system of organization on my desk and continuous focus on fired results. In this case – greens.
4.
All the elements used to create the design of this water scene were done in the kiln, in a pre-firing (#1 firing). The form of glass known as frit includes powdered glass, a fine grain glass, a medium and coarse.
The three sizes of the granules are easy to spot in the sand areas
and the powders become a more complete object, such as the lily pads.
I used my own pulled vitrigraph pieces for some stems and cross-cutting into murrine
to make other smaller lily pad forms.
Stringers for other stems and confetti glass for some of the algae-like areas
are other thinner manufactured glass.
The use of this pre-firing method allows me to have thinner, less weighty pieces to place and control overlap. Three firings to keep placement and texture is common in my work.
This pre-firing is at a peak temperature of 1440° F—also known as a contour firing.
Full process temperatures run around 1450-1460° F
The three sizes of the granules are easy to spot in the sand areas
and the powders become a more complete object, such as the lily pads.
I used my own pulled vitrigraph pieces for some stems and cross-cutting into murrine
to make other smaller lily pad forms.
Stringers for other stems and confetti glass for some of the algae-like areas
are other thinner manufactured glass.
The use of this pre-firing method allows me to have thinner, less weighty pieces to place and control overlap. Three firings to keep placement and texture is common in my work.
This pre-firing is at a peak temperature of 1440° F—also known as a contour firing.
Full process temperatures run around 1450-1460° F
Pre-fire lily pads Lily pads
Vegetation: coarse and medium frit
Vegetation: added fine and powdered frit, ready to fire
5.
When assembling some pre-fired elements in the first layer, it was done as a flip-firing (#2 firing).
I intentionally placed the gray rocks, sand/pebble frit pieces and other underwater detritus
on the iridized back side of the bowl.
I fired this layer face up and then flipped the piece over to add the next layer of elements.
I intentionally placed the gray rocks, sand/pebble frit pieces and other underwater detritus
on the iridized back side of the bowl.
I fired this layer face up and then flipped the piece over to add the next layer of elements.
Flip-fire
Left-unfired Right-penny for scale
Bottom-flipped to front side after firing on underneath
Bottom-flipped to front side after firing on underneath
6.
Flowers at this scale, in this form of glass doesn’t allow for much detail.
I tried several methods of creating lilies. I eventually used a glass clay
I can form with a medium, glass powder, water, and a binder.
It would never be three dimensional unless I glued them to the bowl at the end.
Not my choice in this piece.
I tried several methods of creating lilies. I eventually used a glass clay
I can form with a medium, glass powder, water, and a binder.
It would never be three dimensional unless I glued them to the bowl at the end.
Not my choice in this piece.
7.
When the layering was complete it got firing #3.
The final #4 firing is called a slump firing.
The flat, contour fused piece is set on top of a mold to settle into the bowl shape.
This fires at 1235°F and therefore cannot be done in combination with any earlier firings.
The final #4 firing is called a slump firing.
The flat, contour fused piece is set on top of a mold to settle into the bowl shape.
This fires at 1235°F and therefore cannot be done in combination with any earlier firings.
#3 Firing: Note the lavender base
"Water Lily Meditation"
(Finished )
14" Fused glass Bowl
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