Sculpture

Robert O'Dell was born and raised in St. Catharines. After becoming interested in glass artistry, he attended the Craft and Design program at Sheridan College, majoring in glass blowing. Graduating in 2004, Robert worked for four years with Angelo Rossi at Niagara Artistic Glass Studio in Niagara Falls. During this time, Robert continued his education, attending courses at the Corning Museum of Glass. Currently, as well as pursuing his artistic career, Robert is assisting Hamilton-based glass artist Paull Rodrigue.

THE ART OF SCULPTING GLASS

The transformation of raw materials into glass takes place around 1300 C [2400 F] and the glass emits enough heat energy to appear almost "white-hot". The molten glass is then left to "fine out", (allowing the bubbles to rise out of the mass). Next, the working temperature in the furnace is reduced to around 1100 C [2000 F]. At this stage, the glass appears bright orange.(Most glassblowing is done keeping the temperature of the glass in the range of 870 C [1600 F] to 1150 C [2100 F].)

Glassblowing involves 3 furnaces. The first, "the furnace", contains the crucible, filled with molten glass. The second, the "glory hole", is used to reheat a piece in between periods of the artist working with it. The third, the "lehr" or "annealer" is used to slowly cool the glass. (Cooling can take place from a few hours to a few days, depending on the size of the piece. Controlled cooling prevents cracking from thermal stress.)

The art of glassblowing takes many years to master. It takes much difficult practice to gain the feel and timing necessary to control and shape the medium. The major tools are the blowpipe (or blow tube), the "punty" (a solid steel rod), blocks, jacks, paddles, tweezers and a variety of shears.

The tip of the blowpipe is pre-heated and then dipped into the crucible of molten glass. The medium is 'gathered' onto the blowpipe in much the same way as a dipper is used in a jar of liquid honey. The glass is cooled slightly and shaped. Then a bubble is made by blowing air into the pipe. After another cooling period, more glass can be 'gathered' around this core. The number of repetitions depends on the size of the finished work of art. During these stages, colour can be added in several ways and to selected layers -- rolling the cooling glass in coloured powdered-glass; rolling it in "frit", which is small chunks of coloured glass; or using the end of the pipe to pick up solid hues from pre-heated dense rods of coloured glass.

Once the size and colour patterns are achieved, the glass is blown and shaped to the desired form. The piece is then transferred to the "punty" where it can be opened for the artist's final touches. Then, the piece is removed from the "punty" and placed in the "lehr" to cool slowly.