Cia has been blowing glass for 30 years starting at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland/Berkley, ending in 1990. She also works with metal in a variety of ways and is a frequent contributor to the MAKE community.
Her craft began with pouring molten glass on a 3 foot triangle made of steel plate creating a volcano. Followed by dripping large layers of glass across a sand design on the floor at school. Then quickly putting the twisted shape in an annealer for curing before hanging one abstract design on another as a series called `hanging tension` was formed.
“Today the tension between molten glass and other materials is as intriguing as it was then. MAKE SANTA FE has allowed this series to develop again as demonstrated at the Art of the Machine event.”
Cia ThorneThe process is when molten glass flows through gaps in metal, it burns as it drips through wood patterns, sets flammables alite, and cools almost on contact with another object. This is a dramatic canvas to create motion and interaction between the materials.
The drive really comes from the dance that happens when working with glass in its molten form. There is choreography in motion at very high temperatures, and the material solidifies seemingly in mid-movement. It can become a flowing dance between people and material.
Inspired yet? We are.