The Penland Book of Glass is fabulous, several glassworkers show masterclasses in pictures. I've always been fascinated by glass and how it is made but glass as art is a whole other discipline.
The little birds here are by Shane Fero and I couldn't have enough of these in my house. The one above is called 'a conversation about eggs'.
Deceptively simple looking but such work goes into each little bird. Even the legs are put on in two pieces, the first before the joint is hollow then the pieces down to the feet are solid and the feet are arranged and melt glassed to the leg.
He's cute and has personality. The body is gently rolled in powdered glass, heated then rolled in another colour to give a graduated shading. 
I like his little beady yellow and black eye
But this one is my absolute favourite. Shane Fero named him the "Rings of Saturn" bird and if you've seen photos of Saturn from the orbiting Cassini spacecraft, he couldn't have named him better.
Another artist showcasing his work is Vittorio Constantini, who not only works the most amazing fish but lifelike insects but I've fallen in love with his fish.
10 comments:
They are just amazing. I don't know whether I have fallen in love with the birds or the fish more. Glass is such a versatile medium.
A couple of years ago there was a Chihuly glass exhibition at the National Gallery. We went twice. Loved it to bits. One of the highlights was a glass ceiling installation. We and everyone else sat on the floor beneath it and oooh and awed. And that despite my difficulties getting up and down.
EC, two more posts about this book coming up, I'm leaving the best til last. It's your fault, I've been trying to find out about your dandelion head.
I'm wondering if it is fine glass.
All Consuming sent me this link http://www.grains-crafts.co.uk/pcast2.html, which may be close to how it was done. It is an amazing piece of work, and if curiosity about it leads you to post wonderful things like those on this post I am a happy bunny. The dandelion is unmistakeably real. Not sure whether it is resin or glass it is set in though. I would have said glass until I had a look at the link.
A Conversation About Eggs.
just adorable.
birds are as amazing as glassmakers.thank you for finding and sharing.
I like them.
wow they're amazing
Some people, (who aren't me), are just SO talented. The birds must take hours each to produce! I love them, and the fish too.
Hi, my name is Robert.
I had a little bird,
But the little bird died.
-John Keats.
Okay?
Shut up.
The unemployed shall inherit the earth.
I read all three posts and my favorite is still 'your' favorite bird :-)
They are adorable - I'd love ALL the birdies please!
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