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Glass
dropping through a donut mold.
This can become a vase or bowl.
Artist
Group Memberships:
Guildford
Art Society
Kaleidoscope Artists Group
Surrey
Guild of Craftsmen
The
Sussex Guild
Glass
Organization Membership:
Contemporary
Glass Society
Glass
Art Society
Other
Links:
Craft
& Design Magazine
Supported
Charities:
Beagle
Rescue
RSPCA
The
Blue Cross
British
Hen Welfare Trust
Heifer
Foundation
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All
pieces have been created by me, Jenefer Ham.
Trained in commercial art, and
the former owner of a graphic design firm, I find it exciting to
transfer my knowledge of the principles of good design to glass.
In contrast to sitting at a computer, I enjoy "getting my hands
dirty," and get immense satisfaction from the physicality of
creating.
As a glass artist, I am mainly
self-taught, having ordered my own kiln immediately after taking
an introductory fusing class! While awaiting my kiln's arrival,
I enrolled in a 6-week course on fusing, and hit the ground running
when my kiln arrived. I have felt fortunate to have the tools and
materials on hand to explore this media in my own workshop, as inspiration
sometimes strikes at odd hours!
When we moved to England in
2004, I was excited upon noticing deep window sills seemingly everywhere.
I felt drawn to create dimensional, self-standing windowsill sculptures
to transform sunshine into a blaze of colour.
I have spent the intervening years experimenting
with combinations of colours and surface treatments to enhance the
glow of light passing through my pieces. My "Texture Waves"
windowsill sculptures, tableware and jewellery are the result of
this effort, and come in a variety of sizes and shapes.
I also enjoy working with dichroic glass,
as the reflective nature and the glorious colours are absolutely
addictive!
In August 2012, my husband and I moved to Malta for a few years.
I'm going to use this time to expand my skills to include working
with molten glass with a torch, making lovely one-off beads. I plan
to return to England a few times a year to make my kiln formed glass,
and keep my galleries happy with fresh
pieces.
My pieces are created by layering
and melting together various shapes and colours of glass in a fusing
kiln, which heats the glass to 800 degrees Celsius. Most pieces
go through several heating and cooling cycles in the kiln, as, once
cooled, I add more layers of glass, or use cold-working tools to
shape the glass, then re-fire the piece. Each cycle takes about
20 hours to heat the glass safely, fuse, then anneal properly as
it cools, so some pieces spend a week in the kiln! The final journey
through the kiln is at a lower temperature of 650 degrees Celsius.
This allows the finished piece to assume its dimensional form, taking
shape from the selected mold, some of which I've sculpted from clay.
This multi-cycle process creates a depth of color and a unique piece
of glass that is simply un-duplicatable.
Finished work ranges from wall
(hanging) and windowsill (self-standing) art, to functional bowls
and platters, to jewellery. All pieces are food safe, and can be
cleaned with a soft sponge and washing up liquid, as needed.
My raw glass comes from the
Bullseye factory in Portland, Oregon and is formulated and hand
rolled to exacting specifications. Called "the most sophisticated
glass-colouring company in the world" by glass impresario Dale
Chihuly, Bullseye is an international leader in colour formulation
as well as a business of conscience, actively working to be as "green"
as possible. Read
more about Bulleye Glass...
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