Coral Reef Life

Love the colorful fish found in the coral reefs. Wanted to capture the color and movement of a variety of fish as well as the wonder of nature.   This is my own design.  I created the pattern using Glass Eye 2000 after a great deal of research of fish and ocean images.  As solder lines dividing colors on some of the fish would have distracted from those species, I fused glass to create some of the fish.  Since fused glass does not maintain its exact shape and size after fusing, I laid the fused fish on my original pattern and adjusted all surrounding pieces on the pattern.  The panel is 45 5/16” wide x 16 7/8” high without the wooden frame.  It was created in copper foil.  Placed braided wire reinforcement in 4 places from top to bottom of the panel.  Photos show 1) the paper pattern with fused fish placed on it, 2) the panel in daylight,  and 3) the panel at night with a light on in the room, and 4) illustrates the use of cord between 2 pieces to maintain the space needed for the braided wire.  At night with a full moon and no inside light, the shapes of the fish are seen clearly from the inside and the water looks like how I imagine it would if I were standing on the ocean floor.  I have not been able to capture that scene in a photo.  A friend made the beautiful wooden frame for this panel.  It is hung in front of the window in our bathroom which allows for some air circulation.

• stained glass
• fused glass
• copper foil
• braided wire
• lead came
• paint
• solder
• lead came patina
• Kwik Clean
• Mothers Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax