Nanette Bowring "Reflections"

Before having to wear eyeglasses every moment of her waking day, the first thing that came off when she would get home from work was her glasses. Having a couple pairs meant that one pair would sit for awhile on the end table. One pair sat so long it actually had to be dusted as if it were a piece of art! The rest is history!

This piece is called 'Reflections' as it reflects many of her loves; fused glass, eyeglasses, hummingbirds, and plants! The photo is an added reflection in the lens for the viewer as it is always fun to put a face with a name!


Dimensions: 9.5” x 7”
Materials: It is all fused glass and the image in lens is a decal.

Judith Geiger "Honolua Dream"

This image was brewing in my mind for quite a long time before I finally made it in glass. When it was finished, someone asked me if it was a self portrait and I realized that was exactly what it was.


size: glass panel 17” x 19”
set in wood frame 25” x 27”
medium: kilnformed Bullseye glass

Faye Walker-Malench “Dreams in Color”

My night-dreams are filled with colors, textures and shapes. My daydreams pull those all together into satisfying, beautifully crafted work. My awake and aware self wonders if it is possible. Such is the allure of glass.

Ten inch multi-layered square of Bullseye glass. The panel is developed using mixtures of fine powder and frit, silver foil, gold leaf, vitrigraph stringers, pre-fired glass dots, paints and mica. The bottom layer of the fusing is iridized, facing inward, to give more depth. For the same purpose, the panel is photographed overlaying a mirrored tile.

Deborah Lewis "In a Heartbeat"

This was harder than I first thought. After the satisfaction of participating in the quilt collaboration project, I jumped into this one without thinking how was I going to portray myself so everyone would "know" me? I'm certainly not much at drawing people-unless you count stick people!

I decided on a "snapshot" of me: things I love, care about, and derive great pleasure. The two hearts represent my husband and daughter, who have always supported me in my adventures in glass.

The daisies display my love of flower gardening, while each of the 3 paw prints represent each of my three Labrador retrievers, which oversee all my glass projects. I have always had companion dogs and my life would not be complete without them.

The sunset over the water signifies all the wonderful sunsets my husband and I have shared over the years and especially this past year when we installed our own pond. It's become a wonderful habit to meet each other at the dock just before the sun sets for a few minutes of peace in a busy world.

The shaft of wheat represents our farm life. While it is a "business," farming truly is a way of life; one which I hold dear. The raindrops represent our dependence upon weather. A good rain at the right time can make the difference between a good year and a bad year.

For as long as I can remember I have made things with my hands. I am most content when my hands are busy. I rely on them to take my dreams and ideas into reality. They have served me well.


My project measures 10 by 10.5 inches. It is made in System 96 glass. I added extra details including a handmade twisty for the sunset, pattern bars as segment dividers and (a first for me) powder wafers for the hands. I lined the piece with fiber paper and blocked it with kiln furniture to maintain it’s size and insure all was firmly fused together. The piece was fired flip and fire method to retain crisp lines between segments then the edge sanded and the whole piece sandblasted. Detail pieces were added and fused again to a slightly contour fuse to maintain a little dimension to the details.

I am fairly satisfied with the piece. I wish I had made it bigger so I could have added more items. I attempted to make room for them but it began looking cluttered, so I decided to keep just a few special things. This represents one moment in my life, one heart beat.

Candida van Nugteren "All Me"

The different colours of the hair stand for all the different things I love to do (besides working with glass, I also make quilts, watercolour paintings, soapstone sculptures , weave treasure bracelets and read at least 2 books a week) The eye and hands represent that I'm always open to new things, like to experiment, and my hands are great tools to explore new creative techniques.

Process/materials: I was very exited when I read about the self portrait project. Being a newbie (I started fusing 2 years ago) I saw this project as a challenge to explore some new techniques. I really like Peter McGrain's work, so I decided to try my own interpretation of vitrifusaille.

For this piece I used only Baoli glass. When I finished the design, I used a clear base, and placed all the different coloured pieces carefully on top and full fused (830 C). Some “hair” pieces I enhanced with little dichroic scraps.

Step 2 was to trace all of the outlines, the hands, and the eye, using traditional stainers black enamel, fired it for 5 min. at 610C.


Step 3 was putting the grisaille (shadow) on with a soft brush, and then stippling to get the desired effect. At this point I also used a little white, blue and green enamel to detail the eye a bit.The piece went into the kiln for the third time, 5 min at 630C.

Susan Bradshaw "HaikuDancer – Tauren Hunter"

HaikuDancer: currently a fierce, level 36, World of War Craft Tauren Hunter. All of four months old, this wide-eyed hunter is still learning about the world around her - Which key operates the tools at her disposal - How to control her pet - How to run without falling off high places.

Size: 11 x 11 inches
Materials: Bullseye Glass

Duane Beard & Ben Moran "Mujō"

Imperfect, impermanent, incomplete. The Buddhist doctrine of impermanence and the Japanese aesthetic of wabi sabi inform much of our life and our works. We strive for perfection; perfection does not exist. We seek beauty; beauty is fleeting. Transience is the only constant. Wabi sabi nurtures all that would be with three simple truths: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, nothing is perfect.

Mujō, wabi and sabi all suggest inclinations toward desolation and solitude, yet in the Buddhist view of the universe, these may be seen as positive characteristics representing liberation from a material world and transcendence to Nirvana.


Our self portrait tries to capture this impermanent, imperfect, unfinished nature of ourselves. The perfectly laid out circular bowl blank which blows the giant bubble. The yin and yang of our dual residency (Texas and Ontario) requiring our gecko to be alternately molten and frozen. The circular hole that we square pegs are always seeming to be pounded up against.


Process and Materials: Pattern bar square peg created of Spectrum iridescent blue/white streaky kiln fired in homemade pattern bar former. Frit cast geckos created of Bullseye Fusible in a Colour de Verre mold. Fused bowl blank created of Spectrum white iridescent under layer and light aqua streaky iridescent top, fired the other way around. Bubbles courtesy the kiln gods.

Dimensions: Ten inch circle, 5 inch by 1 inch by ¾ inch overhanging pattern bar, 5 inch by 2 inch by 1 inch geckos, 1 inch and 2 inch bubbles

Holley Southworth "Her Holleyness"

Upon defining myself, I came to the general conclusion that I am first a woman, second a a mother and third an artist. This piece is my symbolic representation of these three qualities. Many of the motifs I've included in this piece portray what I see in myself as well as other women: Fertility, Emotion, Strength and Beauty to name a few. The overall vision is meant to remind myself to value all that I (we) possess.



Size: 11 x 11 inches
Materials: Bullseye Glass

Barbara Ridgley "Millie 'n Me"

I try not to take myself too seriously, and when it came time to do a self portrait, I tried twice to do a serious picture. It just didn't come together, and I realized it was because it just wasn't fun. I switched modes and did a cartoon version of myself and my overzealous (and much loved) bearded collie, Millie, on a walk. It was a blast to create this portrait, and I think it paints a pretty good picture of my often crazy, but humorous life.



Size: 8”x 8”
Materials: System 96 Glass, Powder & Fine Frit.