Fractured Futures
Kiln forming and glass fusing — exploring how fractured forms hold light, color, and meaning within a single unified surface.
On Fracture & Form
Glass is a material defined by contradiction. It is rigid yet fragile, transparent yet capable of holding color with an intensity that opaque materials cannot match. When fractured, glass does not degrade — it multiplies its surfaces, catches light from new angles, and reveals internal structures that were invisible when whole.
The “Fractured Futures” series explores this paradox as metaphor. Each piece begins as separate sheets of glass — distinct colors, textures, and opacities — that are arranged, stacked, and fired in a kiln until they fuse into a single unified form. The fracture lines that remain are not damage; they are the visible record of separate origins becoming something new. They are the seams where difference was not erased but integrated.
This work is informed by the same systems thinking that drives my engineering practice. Just as complex systems emerge from the interaction of simpler components, these glass pieces derive their visual power from the relationships between their constituent materials — relationships that only become visible through the transformative application of heat, time, and pressure.
“The fracture is not where the piece failed. It is where the piece began.”
Medium & Process
Bullseye Glass
COE 90 compatible glass sheets in a range of transparent, opalescent, and iridescent finishes. Bullseye's tested compatibility system ensures that different colors and textures can be fused together without cracking from differential expansion.
Kiln Forming
A programmable glass kiln with precise digital temperature control. Multi-segment firing schedules allow for controlled ramp rates, peak temperature holds, and annealing cycles that prevent internal stress and ensure structural longevity.
Cold Working
After firing, pieces undergo cold working — grinding, polishing, and in some cases, sandblasting — to refine edges, adjust surface texture, and reveal internal layers. A diamond lap grinder and wet belt sander are the primary tools for this finishing stage.
The Firing Schedule
A kiln firing schedule is a precise sequence of temperature ramps, holds, and cooling stages that transforms raw glass into a fused artwork. Total cycle time: 16 to 24 hours.
Design & Layout
Glass sheets are selected for color, opacity, and coefficient of expansion compatibility. Pieces are cut, ground, and arranged on a prepared kiln shelf with kiln wash separator. The design phase demands an understanding of how glass behaves under heat — colors shift, textures emerge, and adjacent pieces interact in ways that must be anticipated.
Initial Ramp
A controlled ramp rate of approximately 300°F per hour brings the glass slowly through the strain point. Heating too quickly risks thermal shock — the glass will crack before it ever reaches fusing temperature. Patience in this phase is structural, not optional.
Rapid Heat
Once past the strain point, the ramp rate can increase. The glass transitions from rigid to plastic, softening as it approaches the fusing threshold. At 1300°F, edges begin to round. By 1480°F, separate pieces have fully merged into a single unified surface.
Full Fuse & Soak
The peak temperature determines the final texture. A tack fuse at 1380°F preserves surface texture and dimensionality. A full fuse at 1480-1500°F creates a smooth, flat surface where individual pieces become indistinguishable. A controlled soak at peak temperature ensures uniform heat distribution.
Anneal & Cool
The kiln crashes to the annealing point — the critical temperature where internal stress is relieved. At 960°F, the glass is held for a soak period that allows the entire piece to equalize. This is where structural integrity is determined.
Controlled Cool-Down
A slow, programmed descent prevents the formation of internal stress that would cause cracking days, weeks, or months later. The kiln cools at no more than 50°F per hour through the critical strain range, then can be allowed to cool naturally to room temperature.