The ‘Pate de Verre’ Process

A large body of our art today is created with ‘Pate de Verre’ method (which means ‘paste of glass’ in French). We make this ‘paste’ using powdered glass or frit, plus an added wet binder. The paste is then carefully layered in one of our handmade plaster molds before firing in one of our kilns. During the firing process the glass melts and conforms to the shape of the mold.

Making the Mold

The process begins with shaping clay or sculpting wax.
Plaster is poured over the clay shape to create the firing mold.
After the plaster hardens, the clay can be removed. The resulting ‘cast’ is then cleaned and packed with the glass powders and frit.
The final piece, after removing the plaster, and cleaning and finishing the edges.