DAIKEN design is the result of a tax man, actually a tax woman, going astray. I began taking classes in fusing glass about nine years ago and developed an instant glass addiction. The first day, I bought one small kiln. Now, I have eight kilns of various sizes, and there is no hope of recovery.
There is something about the colors of regular glass and the sparkle of dichroic glass that never ceases to thrill me. Maybe I have a magpie gene that draws me to shiny things.
My glass work begins with sheets of fusible stained glass. Some of them have special coatings, such as dichroic and iridescent. I cut up the glass to combine colors and create patterns and designs, and then fire it to about 1450 degrees F. in my kilns.
Often, I fire the work repeatedly, and cut and shape it between firings. Glass must be cut and ground with diamond-edged, water-cooled equipment. The dishes and plates are shaped in molds.
I recently moved my studio to a location overlooking Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Valley. I hope to get inspiration from the view to incorporate into my work.
Email DAIKEN Design: info@daikendesign.com
