Saturday Sparkle: Gloria Lynn Glass

Saturday Sparkle: Gloria Lynn Glass

For the past few weeks on Saturday Sparkle, I’ve featured some talented artists who have use Angelic and Swarovski crystals. This week I wanted to mix things up a bit, so that I could show you how artists can achieve a sense of sparkle through the use of others types of glass. The heart pendant above is a prime example. It is a fused dichroic glass pendant and it comes to us from this week’s Saturday Sparkle artist Gloria, of Gloria Lynn Glass, based in Bolingbrook, IL.

The unique sparkle in dichroic glass is quite different from traditional glass. Unlike the traditional form, dichroic glass both transmits and reflects light. The word dichroic literally means two colors (di=two, chroic=color), and I learned this week that manufacturing dichroic glass is an expensive process. Extremely thin layers of glass are heated in high-temperature vacuums and then metal oxide additives are deposited into the glass’ surface. Although the history of dichroic glass first started in the later 1800s, the process was not perfected until the days of the NASA Space Race. This is when development of dichroic glass came into its heyday, and was incorporated into other-worldly items – like satellites and spacesuits.

Gloria got started in glasswork in Chicago, while taking a course in Stained Glass Arts at Prairie State in 1990. After being introduced to the spectrum of possibilities with stained glass work, she developed a strong passion for glass artistry. A few short years of experimentation with copper and lead foil techniques led to the purchase of her first kiln. The kiln is where Gloria’s first fun with fusing began.

For the past 18 years, Gloria has designed everything from gorgeous stained glass clocks and candle holders, to intricate plates, sun-catchers and jewelry boxes. In 2001, she learned wire-wrapping techniques from a jewelry-artist friend, and as she finished wrapping her first fused glass pendant, her love for the jewelry arts was jump started.

One of the things that stood out to me about Gloria’s pendants is their magical quality and a sense of fluidity evoking a vibrant energy. In getting to know Gloria, I learned that the sensations are no accident. Gloria is inspired by the mystical qualities inherent to dichroic glass. She also draws inspiration from to the illumination that is inherent to glass by consciously combining elements of the sky, the earth, the water, as well as fire when she creates new glass pieces.

Gloria, what first drew you to fused glass work?
I’m drawn to fused glass jewelry because it allows the artist so much opportunity to be creative, and the finished piece has so much depth, you can get lost in it. It is a very captivating art form.

What are the biggest challenges that you face when working with fused glass?
One challenge I face is overcoming people’s lack of knowledge about fused glass jewelry. Some think I am working in plastic, and when I have an opportunity to explain what I am actually doing, they then find more interest in my work.

The next challenge, which anyone who works in the handmade art or craft field faces, is that prospective customers don’t understand the amount of time and effort that goes into creating the finished pieces, so as a result, people don’t always understand the higher prices.

Another challenge, which is probably not unique to just me, is what when photos of my work are displayed on the Internet, the two dimensional properties and low resolution makes it difficult for someone to experience the full effect. Unfortunately, the two-dimensional medium does not allow the viewer to see the depth of the piece, or to enjoy the brilliant rainbow of changing colors that are in the finished piece.

Your glass work is beautiful. If you could give some helpful advice to a glass-working jewelry newbie, what would it be?
I would advise a person who is new to this art form to take a class in glass fusing and also to experiment with glass fusing on your own. The class gives you the necessary fusing glass basics, but I feel I learned so much from experimentation. The possibilities are almost endless. I feel I have achieved so much in these years, but there is much more left to achieve.

I’d like to thank Gloria for allowing us to show you her pretty dichroic glass pendant today. To see more of Gloria’s illuminating fused glass work, please visit her at:

Gloria Lynn Glass

Blog: www.glorialynnglass.blogspot.com

Shop: www.GloriaLynnGlass.etsy.com