Roberta Ayles

I’ve always worked with glass, starting with copperfoil, then moving through traditional stained glass to my current fascination with fusing. I have a studio at my home in Totnes, and do mainly commissioned work making windows, lamps and splashbacks.

 

I am generally inspired by nature but am happy to be pushed out of my comfort zone too!

 

I also make smaller pieces like bowls and candleholders. These are made by slumping a piece of fused glass into or over a mould. These designs can be more experimental. Glass fusing is such a vast and wide-ranging area that there is always more to learn. I love the element of chance that the kiln brings. Sometimes the most exciting effects come from something which first happened by accident.

 

The fusing process allows me to use texture as well as colour to create pieces in which the play of light is a major element. I use kiln fibre and a mix of plaster and kilnwash to form the third dimension, brushing and pressing marks into the wet surface.

 

Then I add the coloured glass - cut pieces, frit (ground up glass) and stringers (glass spaghetti), and cap it all with a 6mm sheet of clear. Because this is all compatible glass, I can build up layers without the risk of cracks or weakness in the finished piece.

 

Finally, the whole lot is fired to 820C. The firing takes about 24 hours until it is cool enough to remove from the kiln, and the plaster and kiln fibre can be cleaned off easily.

 

Glass 2022

35x55x13cm