Colorful whimsy and beauty captured in hand-blown glass art
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ob and Laurie Kliss make art look fun. Their uniquely appealing, hand-blown glass pieces are marvelously playful, vividly colorful and delightfully different. From graceful “BOBtanical” floral sculptures to cunningly detailed fantasy teapots, the one-of-a-kind pieces created by these two Fresno artists embody a world of multihued energy and texture. Imagine Dr. Seuss, Alice in Wonderland and a touch of Disney, combined with the bright and reflective beauty of glass. “Life is pretty serious, so we figured we’d make something happy,” says Bob, who admits to being partial to their olive green and red pieces. “I love the bright acid greens and happy purples,” comments Laurie. “Colors with a punch.” The two artists founded Kliszewski Glass in 1993, building upon their shared background in stained
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glass and fused glass art. “But the blown glass is so much more vibrant,” Bob says. “And no shapes are exactly the same.” In creating these unique glass sculptures, the pieces and colors for the base are first assembled, before being fused with secondary elements. Bob then blows the vessel, continually heating and re-heating the piece to temperatures of up to 1000 degrees. Melting and fusing the glass, he works it to a final desired shape; after cooling, each piece is signed and dated. “Some people see flowers. You’ll notice that they curve: flowers don’t grow straight up and down,” says Bob. “Other people see ocean floor life.” For a closer look at the colorful world of Kliszewski Glass, visit Bob and Laurie’s web site: www.klissglass.com.
Organic forms or abstract designs, these sculptures shine and shimmer
culptor Jeff Laing quit his corporate job in 1991 to make art. He never looked back.
piece, “Flow,” displays multi-colored dichroic glass on opposite sides.
Jeff and his wife Susan produce dazzling stainless steel sculptures, often embellished with elements such as copper and dichroic glass. Originally invented by NASA to use in astronauts’ helmet shields, dichroic glass is a color-shifting material made of layered metal and glass.
Each one-of-a-kind piece begins as a 4-by-10-foot sheet of stainless steel. “We start with an idea – or maybe a dream,” says Susan.
“Each sheet can have 35 to 65 layers,” says Susan. “One can flip from purple to green to blue; another goes from hot red to orange to yellow. We’re very excited for people at the Palo Alto festival to see the pieces.” “I like using dichroic glass with the steel: it’s a great combination,” Jeff comments. The two Colorado Springs artists are bringing a variety of work, from 22-inch wall hangings to a freestanding 10-foot sculpture. One brand-new
Jeff is responsible for the steel fabrication, a process that includes plasma cutting and TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding. Both artists share the sanding work; Susan sets the glass and finishes each piece with a protective coating. “I love to create,” says Jeff. “The satisfaction of making a thought, memory or emotion into concrete form is what drives me … my hand and spirit touches each piece from start to finish.” To see more of their striking work, visit: www. laingstudio.net.
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