OK I may know how to check the fuse box under the stairs but how do we fuse bits of glass together? Additionally, how do we do this creatively, with a purpose? Could there be a link, a way of engaging with glass?
Rachel Parkinson, from Wolverhampton, has seamlessly brought together the hobby of glass fusing and her life with God. Rather than separating them into compartments of her life, she has melded prayer into her life; hence, going on walks, kicking the leaves, her work as a Minister, and her hobby all can be part of her relationship with God. It’s quite interesting to ponder on that image of weaving her dialogue with God into all of that: you might see waves of different colours flowing into and out of each other. This image seems to resemble what she makes with all of this glass.
Here was a passionate explanation of the ways that his hobby of glass fusing could be used as a means of community engagement, of radical hospitality with gifting such items to mark a friendship or an occasion.
She started with a prayer (from StF 399):
When deep despair casts out all light and hope is wearing thin; come Spirit, dance with gentle grace, shine through the fullness we embrace and make the colours sing!
Singing the Faith 399 by Michaela Youngson
Rachel starts with a cautionary warning: this could become all consuming! There maybe nearby workshops where our interests could be cultivated but if you were to focus upon this hobby be aware of the space and time it might take! 🙂
What equipment might we need?
The glass can come in various forms: 3 mm sheets which can opaque or transparent, and even iridescent. Some examples were dichroic which have a thin film applied allowing a multitude of colours to be reflected back. The glass can also come as frit or chunks – which can have ecological benefits to our buildings – and even power. It can also come in the form of rods, called stringers.
Rachel uses specific tools such as a diamond tipped scraper, some heavy duty pliers and variously formed moulds. Here it gets technical! You could either heat the glass to 730 degrees C which would allow the glass to fuze and maintain contours or raise the temperature to 795 degrees C so the glass was molten. Here the glass fragments would seamlessly meld together. The image below highlights the difference.
You could also take out the glass from the 2 foot cubed kiln and (carefully) place it on a mould where it would ‘slump’ – lovely technical word! – and form to that shape.
Do we need to plan much?
She made the point that it was important to plan ahead. You had to have the vision of what was needed to be created before you cover the desk with glass fragments. Blessed with being introduced to this craft by Michaela Youngson various glassworks have been formed for specific events. Here is an exhibit for the JPIT Conference on Climate Change, showing the soil cracked by the extreme heat, and the frozen landscapes – that huge disparity in temperatures experienced across our world. A clear way of a way of engaging with glass and a topical theme.
Given that, what might we do with the offcuts and fragments from cutting glass? Well, Rachel explained how she could stack the leftovers into pyramids, heat the creation to 795 degrees so all the fragments became molten, and subsequently slump it over a former. What could that create?
Gifts
These pieces of glass were generally all gifted to others, as a way of engaging or showing appreciation. Here’s one which highlights the separation barrier which runs down the length of the West Bank. A glass nativity set is also added for further poignancy. Rachel was concerned at the appearance of the Daleks, far right 😉 This form of a way of engaging with glass might be one that would be treasured by many, but also a way of being very much present to the current day.
Craftism
We could make these crafts to adorn our living rooms but they also could be used to demonstrate a point, to have a purpose. Supporting other ministers, Rachel has made glasswork that highlighted the injustice in Universal Credit payments and the poverty that covers this land linked so tightly with the pandemic. They were sent to her MP.
They could also enhance our worship. She made these plaques to give added emphasis to the Lenten Cross for one local church. The betrayal plaque was subsequently broken when being moved, but being glass, it could be fixed and re-fired – the crack, still evident, now having greater meaning.
Fund Raising
She has helped raise funds through her hobby, asking people to give direct.
Missional Outreach
With the biennial ‘Festival of Glass‘ in her local area which includes #Stourbridge she invited people from the various groups she is involved with to ‘gift’ – there’s a theme here – pendants of fused glass to make bunting for the Festival. She has also helped others to focus attention upon refugees asking ‘Home is where the Heart is?’.
Rachel has also asked what words might have cropped up in the pandemic. She noted that there were some that were very new, such as furlough, key worker, rule of six and R-rate; but others were far removed from that and glimpsed a form of resurrection: garden, joy, solitude, appreciation and acceptance. Here she displayed such words in the form of glass plaques outside her house to allow passers-by to engage – another of her emphasised words.
What could it mean to us
If we had a uniting theme, a purpose which could engage with others – outside of the church – we may have a way of entwining our craft to focus our passion for social justice, whether that be local or national. So whenever we consider a project, we might ask “where’s the engagement?”. If it exists within the walls of the Church we might ponder were there other solutions?
Our collective collaborative work with the Angels service may be one early example of how we seek to engage with our community using our crafts.
We might need to plan well ahead, thinking strategically so we can include all of our many talents and be able to highlight and engage with all across Strathclyde.
It’s up to us, seeking where God wants us to move and be.
Videos of discussions
Here is the video of the Glass Fusion session on Monday 6th December:
Here is her video of how she includes walking and her hobby with prayer:
I found the dialogue interesting