Funky Folksy Fish

The latest catch of fabulous fused glass fish have just landed fresh from the kiln.

I love making these fish because I get to play with so many different colours of glass to make different combinations of fish. I start with the basic template drawing and cut lots of fish "bodies" from off-cuts of opal vanilla and clear glass. I have even used Uroboros irridescent glass in bubbles and stripes. Irri glass looks flat and colourless until it is held up to the light, then the oily colours of irridised glass sparkle and catch the light.

So, every fish starts as a basic shape that I can add shapes cut from bright glass and play around with. I make some fish in opal glass and some in transparent glass to make each one different. I have my favourites, of course, such as turquoise with cranberry transparent glass and orange with lime green opal glass. If I think there might be a subtlety to the colour combinations I change it fast! Tasteful? Moi? I like positioning their eyes (made from glass blobs) too, so that each fish has a different expression.

Next comes the laborious task of grinding all the shapes so that I don't get any strange knobbly, misshapen bits after firing. Then the wash, rinse and dry before gluing the component parts together. Attaching the metal hangers is always a bit tricky and, if the glass doesn't fuse over the top, the hangers will pop out. (Which results in much gnashing of teeth). Once dry, it's everyone into the kiln for a fry-up so that they come out smooth, glossy and sleek.

These fantastic fish are being listed on Folksy all this week. They will make the perfect Easter gift or look great on the bathroom wall.