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Title: Where Glass Mushrooms Grow
Artist: AJGlass
Image created by: AJGlass using an Epson Perfection 1200U scanner and PhotoShop.
Medium: Glass
Type: Soft Glass, 104 Coefficient of Expansion (Moretti/Effetre, Vetrofond, Lausha)
Description: Glass Mushroom Sculpture

Details: The dime provided is for scale of the larger image. The inset mushroom image is of the same side of the same mushroom. Opaque White, transparent Teal, and Clear glasses were used to create this sculpture which has been annealed in a kiln. This sculpture took 35 minutes to make and 18 hours to anneal. No image color correction was necessary.

Discussion: It was difficult for me to create this sculpture for three reasons:

1. White soft glass when molten has the consistency of water and is thus difficult for me to work with.

2. Heating a large rod of glass to the optimal temperature in the flame so that it doesn’t crack is very difficult while also holding and applying a hot glass mushroom.

3. This glass mushroom sculpture was created off-mandrel.

I created this piece in several stages. First I rounded the top of a large clear glass rod in the torch flame. Then I set the rod down and as it cooled to room temperature, I used a teal glass rod and a pair of tweezers to hold and shape the mushroom. I then decorated the top of the mushroom with white glass. Next, I picked up the cooled clear rod and carefully reheated it in the flame and attached the mushroom to it. I then melted and flattening the bottom of the clear rod so that the sculpture would stand up. Finally, I placed the sculpture directly into a hot kiln to be annealed.

Further comment: In nature, mushrooms develop from spores and grow naturally on tree trunks and other organic surfaces. Glass mushrooms are made from glass rods. Here you see a glass mushroom "growing naturally" upon one.

Legal: Copyright © Aaron J. Greenblatt. All rights reserved. Commercial use prohibited. This image and commentary may not be used for any reason without expressed written consent.

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