These images are some details of some prototypes of the new body of blown glass sculpture I am working on. There is an evolution depicted here from the first marver cast tiles used in the roll up process which yielded too many fine bubbles, then the clear, cut rondels, and then the colored, cut rondels. Then I started working with rondels on the pipe and closing them down after the senses have been applied. I am still working on these forms and there is a lot of ground to be covered. But I am happy enough with these detail shots to post them. All of the distortion, be it magnification or minification, is from a series of lenses I place inside these closed forms before rolling them up. The surface is etched and enameled. I have been working on accompanying text which will appear on later posts, when the objects better reflect the intention and direction of this new work.

-Matthew Stewart

Shown here are some images of the new sign at Firehouse Glass completed in June. The existing armature was a clock tower which was installed on the original building back in the 1930's. After a couple of decades of use the clock quit working. When we began the renovation it was a mess. Many of the glass panes were broken, there was no power to the unit, and all the sockets and wiring inside needed replacing. The red and amber blown glass flame elements are cold fused to the safety laminate panels using space age polymers. I have received a lot of positive feedback from neighbors regarding this project.

-Matthew Stewart

The pink cups shown here are made from an erbium formulation that we recently melted at Firehouse Glass for the first half of Fritz Dreisbach's visit before the GAS conference. The opaline cups I plan to make more of and the swan stem goblets are tricky to make. There are so many parts to them and each is an opportunity to wreck the overall form. On the other hand, they are a terrific learning tool for a glass blower.

-Matthew Stewart

These still images are of another flaming water feature. This particular installation consists of opaline white and other cool tone blown glass elements with propane bubbling up through the water contained in the large vessel. In ground lighting accents illuminate the perimeter glass forms while the main focus is drawn to the fire. The accompanying video describes the full sight and sound elements present with these pieces.

-Matthew Stewart

These spring colored traditional forms are the fruits of my Friday night demonstrations at Firehouse Glass for the month of March. I find the ampolina, the veronese, the becca di oca, and these goblet forms including mezzo stampo, roman ring, and saturn ring cups exhilarating and challenging to make. Each of their many parts are opportunities to exhibit either the difficulty or ease with which these forms may be made.

-Matthew Stewart

These photographs were taken in a sample garden designed by Linda Meyer and built by John Stone displayed at the annual Yard, Garden and Patio Show. This flaming water feature utilizes fifteen blown glass leaf forms which are lit from underneath the river rocks and a central red blown glass vessel form which is full of black tinted water churning with natural gas, igniting as it reaches the surface. Water and fire are an unlikely elemental coupling and the viewer is left standing curious and stimulated. I am very happy with this generation of this idea. We received a terrific amount of positive feedback and we plan to make more of them together in the future. one photo includes a trio of goblets resting in the foreground. Located at the bottom is a quick video of the feature in action.

- Matthew Stewart

On Friday my crew and I installed this chandelier in the rotunda. Shown here are some pictures of me hanging the blown glass elements on the metal armature. Also there are some shots of the fixture all lit up and casting shadows on the walls and ceiling. The day of the installation went very smoothly, and I am pleased with how this turned out.

-Matthew Stewart

Here are some shots I found from 2006 of a project I did for the French American School Auction. I brought colored Bulls Eye glass sheets, frit, stringer and powder into the classroom where students each made a little glass sandwich making tiles about 2 1/2 inches square. I then fused all their sandwich tiles together in a kiln and made a panel for doing an Aussie roll-up. I rolled the panel up on a collar and made a bowl with help from my friend Andy Paiko. I really enjoyed the enthusiasm the children had for this new medium and the imagery they utilized. They were all totally fearless. Pictured here are two shots of the roll-up panel (top and bottom), the finished bowl from a few angles, and the process involved in transforming a fused tiles into a blown glass form.

-Matthew Stewart

Each Friday night from 6-10 I do a public demonstration at Firehouse Glass in Vancouver, Washington. These cane vessels are the result of my glass blowing demos for the month of August.

-Matthew Stewart