Pure At Heart Glass Art
Marie Bickford
West Rockport, Maine
“I have been a kiln-fired glass artist for more than a decade. Represented in many Maine-based galleries, and have sold pieces throughout the U.S.A., including Hawaii. I love creating with glass dust powders, crushed glass, (called frit) and sheet glass. I am constantly exploring and pushing limits, creating a lot of “What If’s”
It’s almost like being a mini mad scientist. Glass rarely comes out of the kiln as a finished piece ready for exhibiting. Much grinding, polishing and many re-firings are required. This process may take hours to days for completion. With so many variables in this creative process, it’s easy to get lost -therefore good notes are very important!
Glass is a wonderful medium for me. I can create art just for pleasing the eye as in wall hangings, tabletop & shelf displays. My work also serves as functional art as in platters, plates, bowls, jewelry and much more.
Here is how I begin with my designs:
Choose the right colors of sheet glass, cut Into small to large strips.
Use frits and powder (chopped and ground glass) colors of my choice (because here I get to be boss!) and just create till I am ready to make sure everything is straight and true and layered on a base sheet of glass and good to go into the kiln for firing.
After firing it all becomes work but well worth the outcome. So I won’t bore you with the details. Just know it makes me very happy when someone likes my ART and I really do A HAPPY DANCE when a piece is sold.”
