Ronnie Hughes.....
Glass
With a studio in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina I enjoy capturing native wildflowers in very detailed glass sculptures. Employing traditional flameworking techniques and borosilicate glass, I use propane and oxygen-fed torches, which heat glass rods or tubes to a molten state (2000-2500 degrees Fahrenheit). At these temperatures, the glass becomes fluid enough to be blown and shaped (using minimal tools) into delicate looking wildflower sculptures. After completion, my pieces are annealed at 1040 degrees Fahrenheit in an electric kiln. This process removes all thermal stress from the piece, making the glass as strong as it was originally. It is necessary for more complicated pieces to be annealed multiple times.
Approximately 25 years ago I changed my body of work to wildflowers since I found the subject matter and my medium be perfect for one and other. All sculptures are examined for any signs of stress with a polariscope before presenting them to the public. Weight -bearing and balance issues are critically important in this sculptural and artistic process. I hope to show movement in each of my works. For the past 29 years, each sculpture has been created entirely by me with no assistants involved. Unhappy with traditional style bases of wood or other materials, I developed my own organic looking glass base about 19 years. This base makes a more continuous and pleasing presentation to me as well as my collectors.
Although I sometimes use colors to highlight certain aspects of my work, I prefer to work primarily with clear glass for two reasons. I believe that the purity of clear glass lends a mystical quality to the flowers, emphasizing the delicacy and fragility of our natural world. The transparent optical qualities of clear glass also challenge the observer to look more closely and to use his/her imagination to complete my creative vision. |
