The Magic of Glass
amount of give , and the belts just work differently . Also , if I wanted to chamfer the edge of a piece and give it a symmetrical slope , I would use the belt sander , as well .”
For certain pieces , Trimpol makes use of the sandblasting machine to change the opacity of the glass that he is working with . This technique is put to excellent use in a
16 VERMONT MAGAZINE specific variation of their bubble paperweights , which feature layered colored glass , clear glass , and trapped air bubbles that form a beautiful pattern . In the sandblasted version of the bubble paperweight , the majority of the piece is sandblasted , save for a small ovoid window in the bottom center of the piece . The non-opaque window creates a viewing portal into the paperweight , highlighting the colored glass bubble and air bubble pattern within its interior layers .
“ The bubble paperweights combine a number of the techniques that Michael uses in an incredible way ,” says LaJeunesse . “ You get to see the true magic and potential of glass .”