Deborah Ballog has been making glass art since 1996. She starts with sheets of colored glass which she cuts into pieces and arranges in a kiln. She adds pre-fused or blown components to achieve the patterns she wants. The glass is heated until it melts and fuses together, then cools. The process requires timing and patience; it can take up to 24 hours to create one piece of glass - and frequently that is just the first firing.
Using this flat fused piece as a starting point she creates a variety of three dimensional objects. The fused glass is reheated to melting point so that it 'slumps' over or into different forms and molds. The flat piece of glass turns into vases, bowls, plates and scupture.
Deborah likes to experiment with glass, such as incorporating metal and fabric into the pieces. She sometimes intervenes in the fusing process by hand manipulating the glass in the kiln ('combing' it) while it is molten. The combing leaves swirls in the pattern which can't be achieved any other way.
Deborah is always seeking new techniques to expand the range of her craft. She is inspired by the work of glass artists Klaus Moje, Toots Zynsky and Rene Culler. She lives and works in central Alabama.
