The Magic of Glass
not create the final shape of our pieces . We ‘ free blow ’ our pieces and shape them by hand here . The optic molds only help to create texture during the shaping process and change the appearance of certain pieces .”
Trimpol also uses the optic ribbing technique on several other types of pieces , including bowls , urns , and vases . Additional highlights from Little River Hotglass ’ vast collection of visuallyarresting pieces include their flattened banded vases , which are made using an Italian glassblowing technique known as “ incalmo .” Using the “ incalmo ” technique , multiple open-ended bubbles of blown glass are fused together to form a single unit . In the case of Trimpol ’ s flattened banded vases , the technique creates lovely color juxtaposition between the color bands , which can be made with differing opacities and textures , as well .
To make one of Little River Hotglass ’ standard handblown perfume bottles , Trimpol begins shaping the glass by rolling it and smoothing it into a slightly flatter and more uniform shape after the first “ gather ” from the melting furnace . He then re-heats the glass in his re-heating furnace . He always spins his glassblowing rod at a steady , measured clip while it is inside the furnaces . By doing so , he ensures that the heat will be evenly distributed and that the glass will not fall out of alignment with the rod .
After re-heating the glass , Trimpol brings the rod and hot glass over to a table with an evenly-layered pile of small , richlycolored glass chips , otherwise known as “ frit .” This frit is specifically made for artisan glassblowers , who use it to decorate their pieces and add color to them . After arriving at the table , Trimpol dips the glass down into the chips , pressing down once on the bottom of the glass before turning it over and pressing down on the other side . The heat allows the chips to bond to the hot glass , which is then placed back inside of the re-heating 24 Highland Ave ., Manchester Center , VT . 05255 www . tilting . com tilting @ tilting . com 802-362-3022 802-379-1175
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