Trio of D-Ring Snaffle Bits on Steel Blue Glass

This piece is part of our Bit Collection of equestrian home decor. It is 5″ x 5″.

I hope you enjoy this one-of-a-kind piece of art glass. It is made using “steel blue” glass, which is named for an unusual characteristic: when exposed directly to ainthe kiln’s heat without a layer of glass on top, the color changes from shiny blue to matte grey. Initially considered a mistake by the glass manufacturer, artists were intrigued by its creative possibilities and it is now one of the company’s most popular colors. This modern piece of equestrian decor is certain to find a niche where it looks perfect in your home, or should you gift it, the home of the happy recipient.

Creating it was a 3-step process.
Glass Selection: First, two squares of glass were cut to the size of the finished piece, one steel blue and the other clear.
Creating the Design: The bits were created by sifting finely ground orange glass onto the blue glass using a stencil made on a Glowforge laser cutter. After carefully lifting the stencil, stray orange powder was removed. Then a bit of frit was lightly scattered on the steel blue background. Some of it was clear frit, with resulted in raised blue dots,and some was clear dichroic glass, which left glowing remnants behind after firing. Most of the background was left bare, so the matte grey finish characteristic of steel blue glass is on full display.
Fusing in the Kiln: The piece was carefully placed on top of the clear glass and the two layers went into the kiln where they were heated to 1425 degrees, the temperature at which glass begins to melt and the layers fuse together. After a couple of minutes at this temperature, cooling began. The brief hold time was intentional, as we wanted some of the original texture to remain.