Hi!

I'm a glass artist in the Pennsylvania Pocono area, who's trying to combine fusing with carving. Right now, I'm working on carving shapes that I have cut out and shaped and fused in the kiln in varying layers, and in carving through those layers reveal shading and translucency of the colors behind it. I've found that specialty glasses(like marbled) give very interesting effects. I've been inspired by cameo glass, but was seeking a way to do it without caustic and dangerous acids. Some sandblast, but I'm using a Fordham drill with diamond bits to carve with, and I love it. Purists may say it's not true carving as it's not stone wheel carving, but before you knock it, you should try it. I love the fact that I can hold the drill like a pencil, therefor giving me more control. I also can see what I'm doing better. The drill bits vary from teeny-tiny, to big drill bits perfect for deep carving. Supplying water has been a challenge, and I use a shallow plastic dish filled with water, with thin pieces of styrofoam to give me a surface to press against, that I can add or subtract, depending on the height of the piece, and how much water I need to get on the surface. I am planning on putting together a drip system soon, and will show that when I do it. In the next few days, I'll post some pictures of things I've recently carved to give you all an idea. Hopefully, by keeping a journal of what I'm learning, we all can learn by my mistakes and discovery!