One of my wonderful students, Cindy, who has taken a few classes with me before, came to me with a big idea — she wanted to create a large, fused glass flower! This was a major project — not just because of its size, but also because of the many individual sections we had to carefully prepare and assemble.
To help Cindy bring her vision to life, I asked her ahead of time what colors she had in mind. I made sure the glass colors were cut, and the molds were ready before she arrived, so she could focus entirely on the creative process. She also got to use some of my favorite tools, like the flat-lap to smooth and perfect the edges, and the circle cutter to shape the petals with precision.
The pictures below show Cindy building both the outer petals and the inner petals of her flower. It’s a detailed and time-consuming process — in fact, Cindy began during the 9:00 a.m. class and stayed all the way through the 2:00 p.m. class! And that time was just spent carefully building the petals and arranging the design. It was so rewarding to watch her confidently use professional techniques and really dive into such a complex, beautiful piece. I truly can’t wait to see it after it’s fully fired — it’s going to be absolutely stunning! Moments like these — seeing a student challenge themselves, stretch their skills, and create something incredible — are exactly why I love teaching fused glass.
When students take a class with me, how many firings a piece needs really depends on the project.
Some creations only require a single firing — but when the project involves changing the shape, like Cindy’s beautiful, fused glass flower, it calls for a separate slumping or draping firing. Slumping means the glass is placed into a mold to gently bend into a new shape — like we did with Cindy’s outer flower.
Draping, on the other hand, is when the glass is placed over a mold, allowing it to flow down naturally — just like her inner flower.
Before I put Cindy’s flower into the kiln for the slumping stage, I actually asked her to come over and take a look. There were two petals I wasn’t sure she would be happy with, and rather than making that decision for her, I wanted her to be part of the process. It turned out to be a wonderful collaboration — together, we decided to turn the flower upside down before slumping it. By doing that, the texture became much more prominent, bringing out the beautiful detail and movement in her design even more! It’s moments like this — when students not only create but also have meaningful input in shaping their final piece — that make these classes so special.
The one part of the flower Cindy didn’t have to create was the center, I have several options for center, and she chose a beautiful center. Below you can see some of the beautiful options. I can’t wait to show you the finished piece once it’s been fully fired!
One part of the flower that Cindy didn’t have to create herself was the flower center. I have several beautiful pre-made options available for projects like this — each one carefully chosen to complement different styles and color palettes. Cindy selected a truly gorgeous center that perfectly ties her outer and inner petals together. It adds just the right touch of detail and makes her flower feel even more alive and vibrant! Below, you can see just a few examples of the beautiful center options for Cindy to choose from. It’s such a fun part of the process — finding that one piece that pulls everything together into something really special.
Wow — Cindy’s fused glass flower turned out absolutely beautiful! It was such a joy to see all her hard work, creativity, and care come together into a stunning final piece. Even better, Cindy was so happy with how her gorgeous flower turned out — and seeing that smile of pride and excitement made it all the more special for me as her teacher. Watching a student’s vision come to life is truly one of the greatest joys of teaching fused glass. I’m so proud of Cindy and can’t wait to see what she dreams up next!
While creating a large, fused glass flower is an incredible and rewarding experience, I don’t recommend starting with a project like this until you’ve taken several classes and feel comfortable with the basics.
This is not only a time-consuming project — it’s also a more advanced and expensive one. When you create a flower like Cindy’s, you’re actually making four separate pieces that all have to fit together beautifully. Because of the complexity, you should plan on attending two to three classes to complete your project from start to finish.
If you’d like to see more of my fused glass creations, please visit my website: Elegant Fused Glass by Karen. While you’re there, be sure to explore the full site — and don’t forget to check out my Elegant Fused Glass by Karen YouTube channel for videos and inspiration! If you’d like to stay up-to-date with my latest projects, classes, and events, I also invite you to sign up for my monthly newsletter, published on the last day of each month. And if you’re interested in taking a class, you’ll find all the details about upcoming opportunities right on my website! If you have any questions about taking classes or would like to schedule one, feel free to email me at elegantfusedglass@gmail.com. I’d love to help you create something amazing when you’re ready!
Thank you so much for supporting my fused glass journey — I can’t wait to create with you!
Keeping my kilns warm,
Karen
