Watery Wonder 2

Freestyle fabrication - gravity stringer, dichroic frit, clear and reactive white glass hand shaped on grinder, with heavy shelf paper cut to create 3-D surface for cap and 3 tentacles.  Tack fired.

The focus of this fabrication was to replicate the jellyfish realistically.  The opportunities we have to view them safely are in aquariums where the combination of their undulation and the pumps circulating the water keep them constantly in motion.  It is tricky to capture all of the details even though they are structurally very simplistic.

Freestyle fabrication - gravity stringer, dichroic frit, clear and reactive white glass hand shaped on grinder, with heavy shelf  paper cut to create 3-D surface for cap and 3 tentacles.  Tack fired.

I was so fortunate to have access to the freeform stringers created at the studio.  There is no way I c.ould have used a candle and bent clear, rigid, straight stringers into these delightfully curving and fluid kiln-products.  The kiln, freeform pieces lend a tremendous sense of motion and authenticity

Freestyle fabrication - gravity stringer, dichroic frit, clear and reactive white glass hand shaped on grinder, with heavy shelf paper cut to create 3-D surface for cap and 3 tentacles.  Tack fired.

Under the cap, where the tentacles are emerging, I added dichroic frit.  In just the right light, it has the electric, neon-esque aura much like the "real deal."  In the lighting of this photo, the dichro takes on a slight lavender hint, but it's pretty subdued.

The foundation glass for the piece is actually transparent, clear glass.  I tried photographing this in several settings, but the emphasis in each image shifted from the jelly to the background image.  This "background" is actually plain newsprint paper that is about 2 feet away from the jelly.  The next jelly I tried is much more stylized and the glass is resting on a white background to emphasize the contrast.  Check the post on the 5th to compare these two interpretation.