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Scott Chaseling, an Australian artist, has taken stained glass into areas of technical complexity not previously seen. It is not necessary to understand how he creates his sculptures in order to enjoy them, but having some understanding of the process - what Chaseling calls "the dance" - does add to one's appreciation of these astonishing pieces.
Chaseling produces stained glass that takes the form of both cast sculpture and of blown glass. He has combined very old techniques such as the centuries-old Murrini technique from Venice with his own processes to create something unique. The works themselves are tall (sometimes up to half a meter in height) half-cylinders. The material goes through several phases and, ultimately, has been painted, fused, blown, cast and polished. He uses vibrant and bright, sometimes even lurid, colours and incorporates narrative panels and graffiti-like text. These features remind the viewer of one of the artist's acknowledged influences: his childhood fascination with comic books. The painted sections of the finished work, which are about the size of a postcard, show everyday scenes. It is this accessible pictorial content that appeals to others, too. However, the process that creates these works is far from simple or accessible.
The creations of Scott Chaseling begin with meticulous planning with some works requiring a month or more of careful planning and designing before it gets anywhere near the kilns. The process begins with a plan for the work and the artist cuts glass canes or rods that will form a mosaic and the basis for the work. This mosaic is a flat version of what will become the final work. The painted panels are made by applying enamels to clear glass sheets which are backed by white sheets so that the pain colours are visible. This painstakingly created mosaic is the basis for what follows. Chaseling then sets the pre-painted and tessellated sheets which are curved half-round into a mould. Molten glass is then poured on top of the sheet and into the mould in order to fuse the sheet and the molten material into one solid sculpture. The painted panels or other objects that are added to the molten glass and then kiln-formed have the appearance of floating in the final piece.
These engaging and accessible pieces, with their vibrancy and narrative qualities, have taken sculpture and stained glass into new territory, and Scott Chaseling for one has not finished pushing the boundaries with this exciting material or art form yet! To find out more about all types of glass, contact Palace of Glass.
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