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We are very excited to share our newest glass artist with you.
Barbel Brooks, who lives on the intercoastal waterway near our little town, creates fused glass of amazing intricacy and pattern. Using tiny glass stringers, she builds layer upon layer, sandblasting between firings, until she achieves the depth and pattern that she desires. We are showing you some of her larger pieces in this article. Click on the image to get an idea of what we currently have in stock. If you want a larger piece, we will be happy to order it for you.
About her work, Barbel says:
"Fusing glass is my passion.
Artistically and technically, glasswork presents an evolving challenge.
During the fusion process, pieces of glass in varying sizes are assembled with different techniques before being kiln fired several times at 1200 to 1600 degrees F. They are then cold worked by cutting, grinding and polishing. Often fired repeatedly to achieve a desired finish or shape, each piece is a unique representation of my skills and imagination.
With a background in chemistry and physics, mine is a scientific understanding of glass and how it responds magically to heat. The unique transformations never fail to amaze me. I draw upon my own history and experiences to influence my art.
A lifelong relationship with the sea is my biggest inspiration. During my childhood years, I sailed the Baltic Sea in Germany, my native country. As a young adult, the rugged and breathtaking seacoast of Cape Town, South Africa is forever seared in my memory. Later in life, living aboard our sailboat in the Caribbean and experiencing the turquoise waters between the Bahamas and South America for eleven years left another indelible impression. Today, my studio workbench faces Bogue Sound, a wide and ever-changing body of moving water in Eastern North Carolina.
Each piece of glass is a personal symbol of my history with the sea."
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