Process: Kiln-Formed Glass (aka Fused Glass)

A peek in the kiln at Eve's studio in Vermont. The glass is flat after a full fuse firing. Pictured are coasters and a bowl. The resulting glass is flat.

Glass ready for a second firing over molds (also called slumping). The result will be sushi sets and a bowl.

Fusing is the most ancient of the glass techniques and each of Eve Passeltiner's designs also evolve over time with constant testing that takes into account color, shape, weight, type of glass, heating time, annealing time and the design's overall function. This combination of a scientific and artistic approach comes naturally to Eve, a life-long artist who was a science major at Haverford College.

"When asked how I make a piece, I tell people it’s like making a collage using layers of glass instead of paper and then the glass is fused together in a kiln." Eve begins by cutting pieces of glass and then grinding them to soften the edges. Then she lays these pieces of glass out on her design table. "I look for flow, surprise, balance, and interaction of positive and negative space between the pieces as if weaving the glass together."

Building a piece up to three layers gives her finished work a feeling of solidity one often finds in ceramics, but not always in glass. After firing, the resulting flat piece of glass can be fired again over a mold to create depth. To finish the process, she hand polishes each piece after it is heated in the kiln. Customers praise the resulting warmth, elegance and freshness of Eve's kiln-formed glass designs.