The Artist
Rose Hagan was born in Philadelphia, grew up in Connecticut, and became a Californian when she attended Stanford University and fell in love with Northern California. After a successful career as an intellectual property lawyer, Rose turned her passion for art into a second career.
Glass seduced her with its contrasts: it can transmit and reflect light and color, it can be both fragile and strong. Rose creates kiln-formed tableware, sculptures, wall art and furniture inspired by nature and color. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in California and Missouri and is in private and corporate collections throughout the U.S. as well as in Canada, Germany and Israel.
The Process
Fused glass (also called kiln-formed glass or warm glass) begins with raw glass in various forms: sheet glass, crushed glass (frit), glass powders, and glass rods (stringers). These raw materials are cut, layered, and manipulated while cold, then put in the kiln where the piece goes through various phases of heating and controlled cooling until it reaches the desired effect.
Depending on the rate of heat, top temperature, and time spent at a particular temperature, fused glass pieces can take on some very different appearances, from a rough, matte texture with layers clearly delineated to glossy and smooth with the layers completely blended. By programming the stages of heating on an electronic controller, I can ensure the glass will fuse in the way I want it to. Many pieces go through multiple firings to achieve different effects.
After fusing, I can change the appearance of the piece through cold working it with tools ranging from a tile saw to grinders to a sand blaster. This part of the process can be loud and messy, but the results are worth it.
Once I’m happy with the appearance of a piece, I can shape it in the kiln by placing it on top of a ceramic or stainless steel mold and firing it again at a lower temperature. The piece will slump or drape over the mold, taking on a new shape.
