September 3rd, 2010 by Ron Branch
I’m just beginning to explore the possibilities. The wineglass is a fantastic canvas to work on – it has a wonderful mobility to it. If the lighting isn’t quite right, the viewer is free to hold it up this way or that. This is not something you can usually do with glass art.
This particular glass was quite a chore. I used regular vinyl, which doesn’t like the curve of the glass much. It’s easier though to use thinner materials for detailed work. (click on the image to enlarge)
Glassware
August 18th, 2010 by Ron Branch
This is a fun etching I got to do for Mercury Glass recently.
Click on the image to see a slide show of different stages of the work.
Copyright Mercury Glass Company 2010
Phoenix Az., Sandblasted Glass
May 25th, 2010 by Ron Branch
This was a particularly challenging project that came through last month. The image is of a scientific model of a theory of some sort regarding protein … I think. It was commissioned by the father of the theoretician. The etching might be a bit confusing to look at because many of the shadows are created with two-dimensional shading while others are actual real shadows cast by the lit edges of the carved forms – so even though it may not look like it, this is all happening on one piece of flat glass.
(click on the image to enlarge)
Edge Lit, Glass Carving, Portland Or
May 21st, 2010 by Ron Branch
Happy to report that I’ve been too busy to keep the website up-to-date. I’ll try to quickly catch up. Another restaurant job came in from Chuck Franklin and I managed to snap a few pictures this time. I know chuck got some pictures too which will hopefully go up on his website shortly.
With that job finished I am immediately on to another big one which is another library (Troutdale) with Marlene Bauer. The deadline is going to come quickly – it’s going to take all waking hours for the next three or four weeks.
Chuck Franklin, Glass Art, Marlene Bauer, Portland Or
March 2nd, 2010 by Ron Branch
There is a sense of discovery that never goes away in glass etching – you’re never really sure how it’s going to turn out until it’s done. The glass work I did during the period so far described in the series of booth building posts happened basically in the late eighties. I had taken a part-time job as a “runner” in a Scottsdale company named Glass Design to make some money as I tried to begin college. I had never seen glass art before (or at least had never noticed it), and I remember touching sandblasted glass for the first time and wondering how they got that “on” there. Luckily it was explained to me before I asked the unfortunate question.
I had a proficiency in pencil art, and immediately knew I could do well in glass etching. They were doing simple shading techniques, carving, and mostly one stage peel and shoot stuff. I felt driven to see what I could do with it, and so they let me give it a shot. Within a couple weeks I had dropped my college classes and was working there full time, learning stained glass as well. I had only done a few projects with shading when suddenly a church wanted a huge etched Jesus. It was pretty exciting, and I wasn’t afraid. I should’ve been. I had never even tried doing a face before. It went well considering my lack of experience.
So here is a slideshow of surviving images from that time of intense learning. (just click on the photo)
History
February 13th, 2010 by Ron Branch
The Kenton Library job is on the table. It’s a VERY interesting project. Four large interlocking sliding etched glass panels for Chuck Franklin Glass Studio.
The designer is painter Marlene Bauer. Her challenge was to create a design for the four panels that would also look good when the pieces are slid back into one stack. My challenge will be to emulate her unique style. Her work has a lovely texture to it and I think it is important bring this to the glass. Her paintings can be seen at the Laura Russo Gallery in Portland and at Davidson Galleries in Seattle.
Chuck Franklin, Kenton Library, Marlene Bauer, Portland Or