(aka Flame working or Torch working)
Lampworking is an art form that has been around since around the 1300’s. It
came out of Italy, where glass was melted using a lamp. Now we use bench
mounted torches, which combine oxygen and fuel (natural gas or propane) in
order to create a flame hot enough to melt glass rods.
We heat coloured or clear glass in the flame and then wind it around a steel
rod, called a mandrel. The mandrel has been coated in a clay-like material -
bead release - in order to keep the glass from adhering permanently. Glass is
shaped and decorated in and out of the flame. We have to be careful not to let
the glass get too hot, or the shape and design is lost as the glass droops, or
become to cold, as it will crack or shatter.
A simple bead can take as little as a 5 minutes for an experienced lampworker
to make, and more intricate designs can take much longer. The “bridge” beads
John makes and the larger creatures take approximately an hour each. Once
the object is complete, it is immediately placed in a heated kiln to anneal.
Annealing is a very important part of lampworking and essential to long
lasting beads. It removes stress in the glass and greatly decreases chances of
cracking or breaking by keeping the beads at a specific heat and slowly
bringing them down to room temperature.
Annealed glass is quite sturdy, but being glass will still chip, break or crack if
handled too roughly.
Once cool, the bead release is removed and the bead is inspected to make sure
that it meets our standards– well made ends (not sharp or jagged), no
structural defects like undercut dots (which will pop off), and an aesthetically
pleasing look.
This is a short video of John making a border collie. The sound is of the fan
and oxygen concentrator and is loud, so you might want to turn down or mute
your sound. There is no voice over. I plan to add some longer clips in the
future.
And this is what the dog looks like, after coming out of the kiln the next day:
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