In 2012, Sally Nooney added kiln-formed fused glass to her creative practice — and the art form has become a joyful new dimension of her work. Her attraction to glass began with a simple fascination: the way light moves through and around transparent color in ways that paint, however skillful, can only approximate.
"Fused glass" begins with carefully selected pieces of colored glass — sheet glass, frit (granules), powder, and dichroic glass with its metallic surface — arranged on a kiln shelf. The arrangement is then fired in a kiln at temperatures between 1,350°F and 1,500°F, where the glass melts and fuses into a single unified piece. The result is cooled slowly (a process called annealing) to prevent cracking.
Sally approaches glass design with the same sensibility she brings to painting — attention to color relationship, composition, and the quality of light. Because glass transmits light rather than reflecting it, the color relationships are fundamentally different from paint, and each firing brings new discoveries.
Sally's glass pieces draw from the same sources that inspire her paintings: the North Carolina mountain landscape, wildlife, and the natural world. Autumn colors appear in warm amber and orange compositions. Mountain streams suggest cool blue-green arrangements. Wildlife forms — birds, leaves, organic shapes — are worked into panels and platters with a combination of cutting and layering techniques.
The fused glass collection includes decorative platters, bowls, wall panels, and small functional pieces. Each piece is unique — no two firings produce exactly the same result, and the interplay of color and light varies with the environment in which the piece is displayed.
The American glass art tradition runs deep, from the Art Nouveau period through contemporary studio glass. Sally's fused glass work participates in this tradition while bringing to it the naturalist sensibility and Southern warmth that characterize all her art.
Glass commissions are available for special occasions, architectural installations, and gifts. Whether you envision a landscape panel for a specific wall or a set of coordinated platters for a dining room, Sally can develop designs that meet your vision and complement your space.
Inquire About Glass ArtUnique, handcrafted, and made locally in the North Carolina High Country. Each piece arrives with a certificate of authenticity.
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