The matierials and processes in my work is rather unique, and often, people are interested in how these pieces come together. First and foremost, they involve molten things. The glass elements of my work are created by a process called flameworking or lampworking. Rods or tubes of glass are heated in a flame and shaped using tools or blown into to create an infinite number of possible shapes and designs. The glass has a high metal content and often will change colors depending on the chemistry of the flame and the manner in which it is worked. I use a type of glass called borosilicate glass, and it requires very high temperatures, as it was created to make laboratory equipment.

When the glass work is done and has been cooled slowly in a kiln (referred to as annealing), I take those elements and combine them with whatever I have on-hand. I am very fortunate to have friends and customers who understand and appreciate my love of odd bits and pieces, and receive gifts of dead bugs, bones, horse hair, animal teeth, and other random materials. The pieces begin to come to life at this point, and it is time to tie them all together.

The last step of the process is encaustic painting. I make my own paint out of beeswax and a few other ingredients as the mood strikes me. Pigment is added to the wax and then it is painted onto a wooden panel while molten, then fused, and allowed to cool. Pieces that are light enough in weight are embedded in the wax. Heavier pieces are held on mechanically, so as not to strain the encaustic. Often times I will carve into the wax and accent it with oil paints or metal leaf. The textures that can be built with encaustic are absolutely sensual, and the result is a rich and luminous painting that has incredible amounts of depth.