As a young adult Kathy struck out on her own to start a stained glass studio in the wilds of Alaska after an apprenticeship in stained glass with Mary Matchell of Crystal Glass in Carbondale, Colorado. Shortly after her arrival in Alaska she started experimenting with fused glass and incorporated it into her stained glass windows. She completed many stained glass windows for private homes, churches and 1% for Art commissions in Alaska in the 1980s. Kathy had the opportunity to live in “the Glass Kingdom” of Sweden for a year where she studied glass and built stained glass windows for the German artist, Ann Wolfe.
Rick studied glass with master glass blowers Jan-Erik Ritzman and Svenne-Ake Carlsson in Transjo Sweden. While studying glass blowing in Europe he was able to visit the historic Josephine Hutte glass factory, where his great grandfather was a glassmaker around the turn of the last century.
The couple established K Dahl Glass Studios in 1991 in Crawford Colorado, designing and blowing functional art glass for fine American craft galleries across the country. After 17 years the couple closed their glass blowing studio to concentrate their efforts on their fused glass and stained glass studio. Rick still blows glass occasionally at North Rim Glass Studios in Crawford, as Jared and Nicole Davis' hot shop sprang forth in 2006.
The textural and sculptural qualities that prevail in their glass work are achieved by constructing and layering their materials, and then carefully monitoring the temperatures during the kiln forming process. Additional firings can transform the glass into three dimensional forms. Materials may include crushed, powdered, iridized, dichroic, transparent and opalescent glasses, as well as non-glass materials such as metal leaf, powdered mica and metal sheet.
These artists work together to offer creative and inspiring solutions to practical needs. The couple has many years of experience designing and constructing new stained glass panels, as well as conducting the repair and restoration of traditional leaded glass windows found in many homes and building from the late 1880’s to current through State Historic Preservation Grants and private funding.
Kathy blends her talent as a fine art painter with 34 years of experience as a glass artist to design the couple’s art glass. Rick, a master glass artist of 25 years, directs the technical aspects of each project. Their studio is a busy place and can be visited by appointment. They sometimes offer classes and workshops in glass and fine art.
Different kinds of art glass….
Rick studied glass with master glass blowers Jan-Erik Ritzman and Svenne-Ake Carlsson in Transjo Sweden. While studying glass blowing in Europe he was able to visit the historic Josephine Hutte glass factory, where his great grandfather was a glassmaker around the turn of the last century.
The couple established K Dahl Glass Studios in 1991 in Crawford Colorado, designing and blowing functional art glass for fine American craft galleries across the country. After 17 years the couple closed their glass blowing studio to concentrate their efforts on their fused glass and stained glass studio. Rick still blows glass occasionally at North Rim Glass Studios in Crawford, as Jared and Nicole Davis' hot shop sprang forth in 2006.
The textural and sculptural qualities that prevail in their glass work are achieved by constructing and layering their materials, and then carefully monitoring the temperatures during the kiln forming process. Additional firings can transform the glass into three dimensional forms. Materials may include crushed, powdered, iridized, dichroic, transparent and opalescent glasses, as well as non-glass materials such as metal leaf, powdered mica and metal sheet.
These artists work together to offer creative and inspiring solutions to practical needs. The couple has many years of experience designing and constructing new stained glass panels, as well as conducting the repair and restoration of traditional leaded glass windows found in many homes and building from the late 1880’s to current through State Historic Preservation Grants and private funding.
Kathy blends her talent as a fine art painter with 34 years of experience as a glass artist to design the couple’s art glass. Rick, a master glass artist of 25 years, directs the technical aspects of each project. Their studio is a busy place and can be visited by appointment. They sometimes offer classes and workshops in glass and fine art.
Different kinds of art glass….
- “Cold glass” is a term given to glass art that is created without the direct use of a kiln or furnace. Typically working with sheet glass, pieces are cut and fitted to a pattern, then assembled into traditional stained glass panels for architectural applications such as windows and doors for new construction.
- “Warm glass” is a term used to describe glass that is fired in a kiln. Often sheets of glass, shards, frit, and glass powders are layered and then transformed when heated until molten, fusing it together.
- “Hot glass” is a term utilized for art glass created by taking molten glass from a furnace onto a blowpipe, which is then blown and shaped by hand into a three dimensional object, often bowls, vases and stemware.