GlassArts Studio

Welcome to the internet site for GlassArts Studio and the wonderful world of stained glass and mosaics. These are ancient art forms that result in images incomparable to other types of artistic media because of the transparent and reflective qualities of the materials. Pictures never, ever, do justice to original works of art using these materials. My name is Bill Blazak and I have been working with glass for over 20 years. My studio is located in rural, southeastern Pennsylvania. Below is a little history about stained glass and mosaics and a description of how contemporary pieces are constructed. The following pages contain examples of stained glass and mosaic pieces constructed in my studio, most of which are for sale. The last page of the website provides contact information if you wish to purchase a piece or ask any questions and also provides links to several sites of interest in the stained glass and mosaic art world.

Stained glass, or colored glass, can be traced back to 686 AD to windows in St. Paul's Monestery in Jarrow, England. In many cases, stained glass is not really stained but different colors are blended when the glass is still molten to arrive at the stained appearance. In my studio, stained glass panels are produced exclusively by the copper foil method originally introduced by Tiffany in the 19th century. The process involves 1) design of the panel, 2) selection of glass colors and textures, 3) cutting and grinding the glass to appropriate shapes, 4) wrapping the edges of the cut glass in copper foil, 5) juxtaposing the wrapped pieces of glass, 6) soldering the pieces of glass together using a lead/tin based solder, 7) applying patina to the solder, and 8) cleaning the finished panel. The panel can then be framed in traditional methods using zinc came or can be placed in a regular picture frame (my personal preference because the variety of frames is limitless). Creation of stained glass panels in this fashion requires a creative element in design and a craft element in the assembling of the panel. Because of the tedious and time-consuming nature of stained glass art, quality pieces are not inexpensive. Glass can also be painted with special paints.

Mosaic art dates back to ancient times, eg, decorative columns in Sumeria dating to 2000 BC and the the beautiful mosaics of the Roman Empire period discovered in Pompeii. When made with the appropriate materials and adhesives, mosaics can last for centuries. Mosaic materials (called tesserae) can be almost anything that can be attached permanently to a substrate (or support). Broken china, buttons, bottle caps, pebbles and even macaroni have been used to create mosaics. In my studio, the main materials used in creating mosaics are vitreous tiles, stained glass, mirror glass, and often pebbles. Smalti are also sometimes used for special situations, as are gold glass tesserae. For panels used inside the home and away from water, tesserae are attached using a PVA (polyvinyl acetate)-based adhesive onto medium density fiberboard (MDF) or directly onto a wall, cabinet, etc. For all panels to be installed outdoors or indoors where they will be exposed significantly to water (eg, backsplashes), tesserae are attached using a 100% silicone adhesive to cement backerboard or directly to a sink, etc. This combination provides for a product that is impermeable to water and yet the silicone adhesive provides some flexibility to the extremes in temperatures on outside installations.

Mosaics are created in the studio or at the installation site as follows: 1) the panel is first designed, 2) the shapes, colors and ways of laying the tesserae are decided, 3) the tesserae are cut and attached using the appropriate adhesive, 4) the spaces between the tesserae are filled using a cement-like substance termed grout (which may be colored or a basic shade of gray), 5) the panel is then sealed with a polymeric sealant and then 6) cleaned. The panel can then be framed in a number of ways if it is an independent piece. In some cases, what is known as the reverse method is used whereby mosaics are constructed in the studio upside down and then transferred and affixed to the installation site. As for stained glass, the process for mosaics is also time-consuming and tedious resulting in creations which again are not inexpensive when produced with quality.

Please feel free to surf the remainder of my site and see some of the creations from GlassArts Studio. I have included a range of projects so you can see how versatile stained glass and mosaics can be. You may also visit www.glassartsstudio.etsy.com to see more works created in my studio that are for sale. I am a member of the Phoenix Village Art Center, Chester County Art Association, Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen and the Society of American Mosaic Artists. Please contact me for any purchases or custom work you may desire. Thanks for visiting!