HOME DICHROIC PENDANTS 1 DICHROIC PENDANTS 2 CUSTOM ARTIST BIO | ||
| Brian Smith - Glass ArtistHi, my name is Brian M. Smith. Let me tell you a little about myself. I have always been the artistic type but I have a hard time in classrooms. So straight out of high school I went from job to job trying to find my calling. I’ve done everything from Zoo keeper to pizza delivery, from lifeguard to production assistant in feature films and from door to door sales to fire inspector, and many in between. Then in a moment of clarity I decided to follow my passion, creating cool things. I took a few glass craft classes back several years ago and I was off and running. I didn’t plan on having an art glass business but everyone wanted to buy the things I was making. So what a great way to make a living right!I have acquired many skills and tools over the years to give my art a unique look, including; sandblasting, fused and stained-glass techniques , kilns, welding, lost wax casting (rings), acid etching, vinyl plotter for custom designs, and some other secrets! My favorite thing to do is to surprise you with a beautiful customized piece. There is nothing like taking a part of your life and integrating it in glass. Go to my custom page and let’s see what we can come up with.
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Find meat Portland Saturday Market every weekend, March through Christmas (located at the SW corner under the Burnside Bridge). Phone: 503-504-0365 Email: BoriginalsArtGlass@Yahoo.com
WHAT IS DICHROIC?
"Dichroic" is defined as the property of having more than one color, especially when viewed from different angles. Dichroic glass is a high-tech spin-off of the space industry. Thin layers of metallic oxides, such as titanium, silicon, and magnesium are deposited upon the surface of the glass in a high temperature, vacuum furnace. The glass to be coated is carefully cleaned, and fastened to a planetary arm in the top of the furnace chamber. The oxides are placed in a crucible on the bottom of the chamber. Air inside of the chamber is removed with a high vacuum-producing cyropump, and the chamber is heated to 300°F. The metallic oxides are vaporized by an electron beam, and the rotating glass target is evenly coated with many thin layers. The resulting color is determined by the individual oxide compositions. Dichroic coatings transmit certain wavelengths of light, while reflecting others, thus creating an interference-effect similar to the iridescence observed in Nature's fire opal, dragonfly wings and hummingbird feathers. The transmitted color is different than the reflected color, and a third color is produced by viewing the dichroic piece at a 45° angle. The resulting colors are pure, saturated, single wavelengths of light, that appear to originate from within the dichroic piece.
HOW DO I DO IT?
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