How the Beads are made...from the Inside out!
-Chad Pitts |
First let me start by saying that these are unlike any beads you
have seen before, I call them beads but that may not be the best
name for them as when most people think of beads they think of
some little mass produced items that are strung together. Maybe
neck candy is a better term? Each of these pieces are a hand
blown, signed, original work of art, no two pieces are alike,
they’re meant to be worn alone, whether displayed on gold,
silver, silk, leather or hemp, these beads make the perfect
accessories for any occasion!
These unique works of art are hand blown out of
borosilicate glass at
temperatures upwards of 2600 degrees. Borosilicate glass or
Pyrex is a high quality high temperature glass which is commonly
used in cook and lab ware. I begin by blowing a ball on the end
of a blow tube (slightly bigger than a golf ball), I blow the
end out and spin it vigorously in the flame to open the end and
create a funnel shape. Next I burn or vapor gold and/or silver
as well as the finest colored glass into the funnel, alternating
layers to achieve the desired result. This gives the piece a
unique iridescent or metallic sheen. Then I close the end and
reduce the piece, which embeds the colors and leaves a unique
design beneath a thick layer of clear glass, which has a
remarkable depth. Then I will begin to shape the piece by
heating sections of the glass and using my breath to blow or
slightly contract areas of the glass to achieve the desired
shape, depending on the shape I am creating I may also cut it
with shears, mash it with graphite or just let gravity work its
magic! No molds or mandrels are used! Once I have the shape I
want I will blow out the holes. Finally I will anneal the piece,
I soak the piece in a kiln at 1050 degrees and slowly cool this
aligns the molecules of the glass, which makes the piece very
durable. The result is a beautiful one-of-a-kind work of art,
full of rich shimmering colors and mind-boggling depth! This
unique process gives these beads a look all their own!
Thank you for taking the time to read about my work!!
Hope you're having a wonderful day! |
