Steven Hewitt
Artist’s Bio
A graduate of the University of SC (Columbia) with a BFA and MA (ABT) in ceramics. He has been an active studio artist for over 35 years. Since 2001 Steve has directed his artistic interests in working with kiln formed (warm) glass. He has studied in-depth techniques for warm glass at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and has taught introductory level courses in warm glass for city recreation centers and the Columbia Museum of Art. His work has been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions regionally and nationally. His work is included in public and private collections that include: SCAC State Art Collection, the Spartanburg Museum, the Allan Stone Gallery, N.Y., the Mark Copland Collection, the South Carolina State Museum, S.C. National Bank, Springs Mills Corporation, Lancaster, S.C., the Porter Price Collection, Columbia, SC, and the Milliken Collection, Spartanburg, SC.
About Glass
The fused glass figures are formed through a process of heating scrap blown glass to1500 degrees to form a single new sheet. This sheet is then bent over plaster forms through a slow slump heating process (to about 1350 degrees) that allows for the glass to take on a new shape or texture. After allowing for a slow cooling process the figures are cold worked and epoxied on to granite bases.
Kiln cast glass forms in plaster are first modeled in plasticine clay and then a wet mixture of plaster of paris and silica sand are poured over the modeled shape to make a mold. The plasticine is removed from the mold and after the drying the mold is filled with glass and slowly heated to 1500 degrees and held at this temperature between 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size and thickness of the form being cast. The kiln is then cooled for 24 to 72 hours so that there is very little heat related stress. The molds are carefully broken to remove the glass object. The final stages are referred to as cold finishing (grinding, sand blasting and scrubbing) and are used to remove any excess plaster and small blemishes.
Sand Casting with a Kiln is a process that requires either using founds objects or plaster images to press into a sifted mixture of sand and bentonite clay. This mixture is next heated in the kiln to develop a shell. After allowing for the sand to cool crushed glass (frit) is placed in the void. The kiln is heated to around 1500 degrees and is allowed to slowly cool. Like any other type of glass forming using a kiln – a cold process is used to remove blemishes.