glass process, pine needles, and, what was I thinking?

Process in glass is a slow revelation. The image above is a scan of some pine needles I gathered at the park as part of my exploration of "what remains" -- my little foray into the world of detritus. I transfered this scanned image onto glass

and the result is a wonderful re- impression of the image, which I then fired in the kiln to get this sweet result

...note that, in this photo, I placed the glass on a black-and-white textile and the photo reveals that delightful pattern in the background (another process in the making, perhaps).

My next firing layered this glass with an iridized glass overlaid with thin lines. Iridized glass has a rainbow-esque sheen:

 I had created this piece in a size suitable for being rolled up into a vessel shape. In my glee to use this fab piece of iridized/lined glass, I forgot that iridized glass should not be on explosed plane -- that is, the rule is "irid down." The iridized coating would most likely burn off in the subsequent firing.

Of course, with irid down, that would have meant that I would lose the bas relief lines, as they melt, and would fire flat.  But then, of course I would lose those lines anyway when the piece was put into the furnace and worked into a vessel shape....a plethora of serial mis-calculations on my part.

The next error I made was in design. When a piece is transformed into a vessel/vase, the top and bottom inch or so are lost. I am going to lose the lovely little curve of the pine needle image at the bottom.

So, I gave the piece to master glassblower Ryan Staub, who has been at Pacific Art Glass working with his gaffers Myles Freedman and Mike Aparecio while glass artist/teacher extraordinaire Patty Gray teaches her advanced fusing class. Tomorrow I will make the 80 mile drive there to pick up the finished piece -- yes, the anticipation mounts. Sleep tonight may be elusive.

I know I will be happy with any result, as Ryan is a magician. I also know that I will learn oodles from this process, and that's a good thing.