Decorative Glass - MayJuneJuly 2009

May/June/July 2009

Decorative Discussions

Wow!
People are Really Starting to Take Notice
by Gregory Thompson

A long, long time ago in a far away place, glass was first discovered … and then it was thrown to the side as something left over from a manufacturing process, such as making bronze tools. But soon after something awesome happened. Glass landed in the hands of an artist who had only painted on the sides of caves by the light of a burning oil-soaked rag. He held the glass up to the light and said, “Wow!” and art glass was born.

Early Developments
The first items made out of decorative glass were jewelry for the queens and kings of the time. A quick advance to the Middle Ages saw the birth of stained glass that was used to not only tell stories, but also protect people from the elements. Stained glass also brought radiant, colored light into the middle of the massive stone structures of the period.

Now we are in the 21st century and many artists are working with decorative glass. It has become an incredible business. Today’s available products encompass everything from back-painted glass to laminated glass with colorful interlayers. Even stained glass, which has been around for centuries, is popular among artists and business owners alike. Just think about all that can be created through the use of decorative glass. There are glass mosaics that span multiple stories; photos laminated and sandblasted into large lites of glass; throw in kilned-slumped and fused glass for fun, and imagine the possibilities.

What to Expect
It’s anyone’s guess what the next ten years will bring for decorative glass, but looking on the horizon there are many emerging technologies. We have seen laser engraving and color application done through the same process. Coatings have been applied to the surface of the glass to bring out all kinds of light-reflecting and -refracting colors.

If you were to visit most any of the decorative glass suppliers in the United States and went behind their buildings or looked through the racks of samples, you would likely find just the right piece of decorative glass for your next job. And if you’re ever in New Orleans, you should see some of what Dependable Glass Works is doing that’s not yet hit the market—from mirrors that seem to go on forever to marbles encased between two pieces of glass. For that matter, stop by any decorative company and see what they are developing. At our glass studio, we have samples that have not made it to fruition yet; they are still being contemplated and are top secret—all I can say is, they will be green.

Companies continually seek new patents in order to keep that competitive edge, because in any business that’s what creates trends. Watch as the trends unfold over the next year and see how eye-catching some of the decorative glass options are. But until then remember, artists do try and make money, and when they can’t sleep (which is most of the time) they create new ideas.

Gregory Thompson is the chief executive officer and owner of GRT Glass Design based in Indianapolis. Mr. Thompson’s opinions are solely his own and not necessarily those of this magazine.