Art Shows

The All Saints’ Creative Community proudly presents the fused glass artistry of Doug Thomas in the Saint Barbara Gallery from April 14 to May 19 in his show “Three-Eighths Inch State of Mind”

About Doug Thomas, What the Frit? Studio

Long ago, when I got out of the Navy, I needed an activity to keep the creative side of my brain working.  After trying my hand at a few different crafts, I settled on stained glass because it required only a few special tools and could be accomplished in limited space.  Also, I had always wanted a stained glass lamp but couldn’t afford one, so I figured I’d make my own.

After a number of years, I had an epiphany; I wanted to quit handling and breathing the lead and tin required for stained glass construction.  Fusing glass was the answer as there is no lead came or solder involved.  My goal was to get away from something that hung in a window to a functional piece of art that you could hang in said window, but when it came time for dinner, you could pull it down and serve your asparagus on it.  And I love the way the art reveals itself as you eat your dinner!

Fusing glass is usually a three-step process.  First, sheet glass comes in 19″ x 35″ sheets from which I cut each piece of a design, which can be as few as 3 or 4 pieces to over 200.  Second, after I assemble this razor sharp jigsaw puzzle, it goes into the kiln to be fused—melted—into a single, flat piece.  This requires temperatures of up to 1490 degrees (Fahrenheit).  Third, the fused piece is either slumped into or draped over a mold and goes back into the kiln.

Both of these firings need to be gradually brought up to temperature and cooled down very slowly to avoid thermal shock which can crack the piece.  In short, it takes over 20 hours for both the fuse and the slump.

Thank you for visiting the exhibit.  It speaks volumes for the diversity here at All Saints’ in that artists get the chance to display different forms of the art into which we individually pour our hearts.