Sandy Mooney

Medium: Fused Glass/Photography/Jewelry
Web Site:  http://www.sandymooneystudios.etsy.com

Fused Glass:  Working with glass is a process I find fascinating.  Creating a piece of fused glass requires cutting out pieces of glass, layering them in a kiln, and firing them to a temperature where the glass slightly melts and fuses together.  The resulting sandwich of glass may then be fired again in a mold to create a three-dimensional piece.  It may also be enameled, metals may be embedded in the glass - there are all kinds of possibilities.  Generally, I use three kinds of glass - dichroic, Bullseye, and float.  Dichroic glass has a metallic coating and is extremely reflective and color-changing.  Bullseye is thicker glass and may be opalescent, transparent, and may have a number of different surface treatments.  Float glass is flat window pane glass which I paint with enamels, then fire in a kiln using a mold.

Photography:  I think of myself as primarily a nature photographer but I also like architecturally interesting objects, people, old buildings - usually what catches my eye.

Jewelry:  My jewelry is all handmade and one-of-a-kind.  The pieces ae mostly made from natural gemstones but may include Swarovski crystals, glass, or other materials.

I have always done some kind of art since I can remember.  It was mostly drawing when I was young.  I took all the art classes available in school and went through the Graphic Design program at Spokane Falls Community College; which, at the time, was an equal blend of fine art and illustration.  About 7 years ago I got a little more serious about design work and started making and selling jewelry.  Three years ago the glass bug bit, so last year I bought a kiln and began making larger pieces.  This past winter my photography was brought into the mix.