Urn Creation
Urn Creation – An Elemental Process
Just as each life is unique, each American MemoryCraft Urn will be unique, too. There are so many choices for families choosing cremation, and so many reasons why families choose one design over another. Our intent is that the design suits the person and the family it will serve. The creation of each of our urns reflects the most fundamental characteristics of life. First, pure elements from the earth are combined with fire, then it is formed by the experience of the artist, who creates a unique new shape with their own breath and their own hands. Below we show you how the urn creation process unfolds.
Gathering Glass
The work of gathering the largest portion of the glass for the vessel consists of multiple trips from the crucible to the workbench. The crucible keeps the raw molten glass at about 2200 degrees Fahrenheit. At the workbench the artist forms the glass using tools made of wood and steel. The initial form comes from the slow and consistent spinning of the molten ball, which grows with every dip into the crucible. Slowly, the oblong ball of glass grows to 5 or 6 pounds. The artist has his hands full as this ball is attached to the end of a 5’ long steel punty stick—the glass blower’s pipe—which itself weighs 15-20 pounds.
Adding Color
When it reaches the correct mass for the vessel being made, the artist adds color chips, or “frits,” to the ball as you might add sprinkles to an ice cream cone. Now that the color is introduced, it is worked slowly into the molten glass, reheated, and worked again.
Creating Patterns
When the colors have been heated and fully integrated into the glass ball, that artist may work with his hands to create subtle patterns in the color. The colors at this point look like those of a volcano—brilliant orange, red and yellows—mixed with the intermittent dark of cooler spots that have been worked or colored.
Opening with Breath
The artist introduces human breath into the ball through the mouthpiece at the other (just slightly cooler) end of the punty stick. Then, as the heat expands the breath inside, the glass slowly begins to grow.
Spinning Hot Glass
As it grows, the artist forms the glass the whole time. Often he spins the super-heated ball with nothing more than a damp piece of newsprint paper protecting his hand! While the paper offers some protection, the intense heat of the glass and glowing red punty stick permeates the artist’s exposed limbs and face. The need to keep the glass hot while keeping the glass in motion is exhilarating…and a tremendous workout!
Forming the Vessel
The process of spinning, heating, spinning, heating goes on for some time. Then the artist transfers the punty stick from the “open” side of the vessel to the bottom, where he breathes more air into the vessel. As a result, the remaining body shape can be finished, the neck defined and any top treatment completed.
Finishing the Urn Creation Process
At the end of this fiery, exciting journey, the vessel is ultimately separated from the punty. Now freestanding, it can be finished. Finally, the artist places it in an annealing space where it slowly cools to room temperature in a process that takes approximately 24 hours.
The Result…
Forged in fire, opened with breath, formed in constant motion by the artist’s hands. A beautiful Urn Amato in Scirocco Palette now stands ready to enter its life of service.
Watch the Urn Creation Process in Motion
Get In Touch
To send an inquiry regarding pricing, ordering, design, special sizes or colors, please use the contact form below. We are always grateful for customer testimonials and invite you to submit yours here as well. Please let us know if we can include it on our Testimonials page.
You can contact us by phone at 541-858-2555. We look forward to speaking with you! Contact us by mail at:
Rogue Art Glass, LLC
PO Box 760
Grants Pass, OR 97528
