Faith and Frit
The Art of Fused Glass – St. Rose Catholic Church, Girard, Iowa
Written by: Conrad Schmitt Studios
In the Bible, the Holy Spirit manifests in various forms, such as a delicate dove or flaming tongues of fire. In this window at St. Rose Catholic Church in Girard, Ohio, Conrad Schmitt Studios worked in collaboration with glass artist Craig Bacon not only to represent this fusion of themes, but also to literally fuse pieces of glass through various techniques. Father Jordan Kelly gave the green light for artists to experiment with fused glass at St. Rose after reviewing examples of previous work in the CSS Art Glass Inspiration Booklet.
Fused or kiln-formed glass is created by melting small pieces or granules of glass, called frit, to create an entirely new surface. “Lace” glass refers to frit that is directly poured onto the ceramic kiln shelf and fired in small fragments, creating delicate and almost confectionery shapes. The lace pieces are later stacked onto sheet glass and fired at an angle to create “sliders,” or sheets that fuse together the multi-colored pools of melted glass.
These unique sheets are then evaluated for their unpredictable patterns and textures. While the color possibilities appear limitless with frit, careful planning of materials is required to ensure chemically compatible colors are paired together at the proper temperatures. CSS utilized Bullseye Frit with a COE (coefficient of expansion) rating of 90, a measure of the degree to which the colors expand and contract when fired. Firing is a time intensive process that involves steady control of temperature changes in both the kiln and annealer to establish steady heating and cooling timelines which prevent cracking. What makes this process even more challenging is the anticipation of color transformations. While initial firings of orange frit look more umber, later firings may be the desired bright amber. The final product has a fluid merging of colors, creating painterly effects. Subtle hints of yellow within the blue appear like clouds, while streaks of orange have the energy and movement of flames. Small bubbles form throughout the sheets after firing, adding additional textures.
With Craig Bacon’s technical knowledge, this project allowed CSS artists to combine traditional stained glass techniques with a more modern approach that encourages experimentation and innovation. While the background elements of this window are individually cut pieces from a larger fused glass sheet, the dove is traditionally painted and fired glass. Both the fused and painted glass are joined together with dynamic lead lines radiating outward.
The merging of these two different glass techniques presents a harmonious visual pairing. Blue and orange are the main colors used within the fused glass, emphasizing the dynamic contrast of complementary colors. These two colors also have symbolic associations of water or sky and fire, which are opposing elements. Including colors with these elemental parallels connects the Holy Spirit to the earthly realm, presenting a tangible reminder of faith.
The image of the Holy Spirit serves as an important reminder of spiritual transformation through faith. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus uses a mustard seed as a metaphor of faith. The same parallel exists with frit: even the smallest granule of glass contributes to a larger sheet, emphasizing the importance of every collective piece. Just as individual pieces of glass frit are transformed into one unit in this window, each member is a valuable part of the community of believers at St. Rose.
REFERENCES:
For More Information:
Bullseye Glass
Related Services For This Article: