Bryant Stanton, owner of Stanton Studios, has been designing and creating fused pieces that are for sale today! To know more about Bryant’s inspiration for handkerchief vases and fused glass bowls, how they are created, and to see an exclusive interview with Bryant, read on!
This handkerchief vase was designed and created by owner of Stanton Studios, Bryant Stanton, and the abstract design and wild colors match Bryant’s colorful personality! Check out Bryant’s processes for creating these masterpieces in the interview below!
Interview with Bryant about his fused creations
- Where do you get your design inspiration for the handkerchief vase?
Unlike stained glass, which is precise, fusing is not. It’s like the way I cook. Start with the basic ingredient and throw stuff together. It’s very spontaneous. I let the glass speak to me.
- What does your work aim to say or convey?
My fused pieces are made to be a conversation piece. The vases are meant to be looked at from top to bottom, to inside and outside. These pieces are unique, pretty, and no two are identical. Every single piece is made from 100% recycled glass, and pieces that break or don’t turn out are reused in other fused pieces. The pieces show what can be made with recycled glass. Even shards of glass from broken scraps are reheated to form into round 6 mm balls that can be re-used. Nothing is ever wasted.
- How much time does it take to design and create a new fused piece?
It depends on the piece. These fused pieces are formed by layering glass like a giant lasagna, and melting them together. Some pieces are melted fully and create a flat surface, while others utilize tack fusing, which only partially melts the layers together. The number of times each piece is fused varies depending on the design, but some fused pieces are fired up to five times.
- How did you learn these techniques, and when did you begin fusing projects?
I learned fusing back in the 1980’s from books by Boyce Lundstrom and Gil Reynolds.
- What is your most important artist tool?
My mind. Having the knowledge of the properties of glass and understanding the way it interacts in different temperatures is key in fusing projects. However, every time we open the kiln, it’s like Christmas morning. I never know if I’m going to get coal, or if I’m going to get a brand-new bicycle. Even with all the knowledge in the world, glass is unpredictable and sometimes pieces blow up in ways that I didn’t expect, and sometimes I have been surprised at how things fuse together. As Bob Ross would say, I’ve had many ‘happy accidents’.
- What do you enjoy most about fusing?
The spontaneity involved with making the projects, and opening the kiln to see what happened.
For More Information About Bryant’s Fused Glass Pieces
Bryant is selling these beautiful fused creations at Stanton Studios in Waco, Texas! Bryant’s pieces are priced based on size and complexity, and price is variable depending on each individual piece. If you would like a custom fused handkerchief vase or bowl, Bryant would be happy to create one for you as well.
If you’re interested in a fused masterpiece, visit our hot glass shop this holiday season to pick one out, or email Bryant@stantonglass.com for more information about his fused pieces by clicking the button below!
