Joshua Rodine

"They are blown and/or sculpted from borosilicate glass (commonly known as Pyrex), with a special torch using a process called flamework. By utilizing a torch I can achieve much more control and detail than traditional glassblowing. First, I start with a section of clear glass tubing or rod, which I rotate in the flame of the torch until it is molten. Once sufficiently heated to about 3000 degrees Fahrenheit, I roll the section in powdered colored glass to form a base of color. After several coats of powder, I use various techniques to design the piece. Some of these techniques could be using colored glass rods and painting on the glass, or taking shards of color and inlaying them into the piece. There are a multitude of techniques, some dating back to the Egyptians and Romans, to some just developed recently in the United States. Next, the piece is blown and/or sculpted to achieve the final form and placed in a hot kiln to anneal. Finally, after the piece has cooled, it can be coldworked. For me, the coldworking process usually consists of sandblasting the glass which finely etches the surface, and battuto, which is engraving or carving the glass." - Joshua Rodine.

To see more of his work go to http://www.joshuarodine.com/