Raymond Rains

I have long been fascinated with glass and after attending a weekend workshop in 1999 I made a commitment to explore and develop my own style of making glass art. Working alone without studio assistants forces me to constantly think about new ways to accomplish my objectives. Glass is a beguiling and unforgiving medium presenting countless challenges and I am continually surprised at the direction it leads me. Learning how the combinations of color, light, and form develop is a captivating journey. My work includes mouth blown vessels using an extensive pallet of colors, two and three dimensional mixed media, incorporating various forms of glass and Dichroic metal oxides. My use of copper, steel and brass is somewhat unusual, capturing pure copper between layers of fused glass then forming them into bowls or standing pieces of sculpture. These sculptural pieces are created with hand forged steel frames, then applying a brazed brass surface.While the process of creating art is rewarding in itself, I am additionally gratified by the fact that people buy my work, and humbled when I see my work in other people’s homes or collections.