Fused glass hearts are a fun and successful way to enter the world of Kiln Formed Glass. My glass is “tested compatible” to have the same rate of expansion and contraction and is already pigmented and textured. The color is not painted on but is made at a factory in Oregon by combining elements and minerals to make a huge array of glass colors.
There are a variety of embellishments that can be used in fused glass art:
Glass chips: flat irregular shapes made from sheets of glass and tile nippers
Stringers: spaghetti-like pieces of glass in various sizes
Frits: small chunks of ground glass in various sizes to sprinkle or add contrast or texture
The kiln is where the magic happens. These small pieces are very forgiving but in general, glass needs to be heated and cooled very slowly. This helps even out the internal heat of the glass and prevents thermal shock or breakage. The wait is long but the rewards are great when viewing the cooled pieces.
There are several ways to display these hearts. They can be placed on a shelf or table. A hook or D ring can be epoxied on the back to hang on a wall. My favorite way is to display in square picture frames with glass. I cut a mat or decorative paper and place it behind the glass where a photo might go. Using two-part epoxy the heart is glued to the surface of the glass in the frame. Hold it in place until the epoxy sets.
Nancy's work can be found at Carriage House Gallery in Boerne.
