To Slump or Not to Slump....

... that is the question!  Actually, having had a glass piece standing on the window sill for a couple of weeks now, I think I have made up my mind...

But I will rewind slightly, because I don't think I ever posted this anyway.  

A few months ago, when we did the fundraising at Uni for New Designers, I made a fused and slumped glass dish to go in the auction - this is the one.

Was quite popular this, a friend of mine won it, which pleased me, and I also made another one which apparently has made it over to sunny Spain (lucky dish!)

Anyway, the ones I made so far were just plain, clear glass.  I was asked if I could do them in colours too, which I had been thinking about, but of course Uni just got in the way of all that creativity!!

I had cut this glass months ago, but didn't actually put it into the kiln until a few weeks back - I had chosen a blue irridised glass - I have had some great results with Bullseye irridised on small pendants; I love the way that if you cap it with clear it goes all sparkly, but if you fire irridised side up, it takes on a metallic sheen.  What I wasn't expecting,  because I had only used small sections from a sheet of glass, was the variance across one sheet:

I have to say I love the effect!  The intention was to slump this in to a bowl too - but before I did, I stood it in some of the metal feet that I keep going back to (thank you Bro!) just to see how it looked upright.... and it's, well, a bit temperamental... in a good way!

Sometimes, like right now, at night, with the house lights on, it shines metallic and appears opague... but in the day, when the light shines through from the back, the lovely richness of the blue simply shines through.

So, I think this one may just have to stay as a panel.  Got a lot of positive feedback on it already, so now I just have to learn to let it go...

(it sits in my lounge window, the room being very tame shades of browns and golds, and shouts it's bright blue at me... perhaps it needs it's own windowsill to show off in?)

Must make some more!