What is flameworking(lampworking)?

The art form dates back to ancient Roman and Egyptian times when people would use an oil lamp to melt the glass. It has since been modernized by using a torch commonly with oxygen and propane to create a flame.

The "raw materials" are glass tubes and rods (transparent or pre-coloured). The artist first heats the glass until they become soft and pliable. Flameworkers and glass blowers use a variety of tools to make their work; tweezers, paddles, mashers, and most importantly their breath, to shape and mold the glass pieces.

Once the piece is completed, it is placed in a kiln to cool it down and even out the tensions in the material.

Nowadays it is commonly used to create laboratory equipments, beads, glass figurines, neon signs, pipes, kitchenware and so on.

In the picture, you can see me during work. I wear special glasses so I can see inside the flame without hurting my eyes. I also often wear my kevlar (the yellow sleeve on my arm) which protects my lower arm from the radiating heat. Glass does not conduct heat so it is okay to touch it with your bare hands. I love that with this technique, you're so close to the process.