Jack Storms Glass art: materials and process.

Jack Storms Glass art: materials and process.

Prepare to be dazzled by the mesmerizing world of Jack Storms, where glass transforms into brilliant sculptures that seem to capture light itself. At first glance, his creations might leave you wondering: how does light dance so magically inside the glass, and how are these intricate patterns carved while keeping the glass intact?

Jack Storms' art is a blend of science, mathematics, and pure artistry. Let’s take a deep dive into the world of Jack Storms optical glass art, exploring the fascinating materials and techniques he uses, including dichroic glass and optic glass, as well as the meticulous process of cold working.

What Is Optical Glass Art?

Optical glass art is a spectacularly unique medium, unlike anything you've seen before. Unlike traditional glass art, which often involves heat to shape and form the material, Jack Storms' process relies solely on cold working. This means no melting or blowing glass – instead, it's all about cutting, polishing, and laminating the glass with utmost precision.

Dichroic Glass: The Shimmering Star

One of the standout materials in Storms' work is dichroic glass. But what exactly is it? Dichroic glass is a special type of glass that is coated with multiple layers of metal oxides, giving it an iridescent quality. This means the glass shifts colors depending on the angle of light and view, creating a stunning, almost magical visual effect. Historically used in ancient Rome, dichroic glass has found new life in modern art, adding a vibrant and dynamic element to sculptures.

Optic Glass: Clarity and Brilliance

Optic glass, another key material in Storms' sculptures, is known for its exceptional clarity and ability to manipulate light. Unlike regular glass, optic glass is meticulously crafted to have a uniform structure, allowing for precise control over how light refracts through it. This property makes it perfect for creating the dazzling optical illusions that are a hallmark of Storms' work.

The Cold Working Process: Precision and Patience

Creating one of Storms' masterpieces is no small feat. It begins with a large block of lead crystal, a type of glass containing at least 24% lead oxide. Lead crystal is prized for its brilliance and the way it refracts light, but working with it without heat is incredibly challenging.

Storms starts by slicing the lead crystal into geometric patterns. He then inserts slivers of dichroic glass into these slices with extraordinary precision, using high-end epoxy to glue and seal the pieces together. This epoxy shares the same refractive index as the dichroic glass, ensuring that light passes through seamlessly. By carefully managing the refractive indices of the materials, Storms creates stunning illusions of depth and suspended elements within the glass.

The Fibonacci Sequence: Nature's Perfect Pattern

A unique aspect of Storms' work is his use of the Fibonacci sequence, a series of numbers where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and so on). This sequence appears frequently in nature, from the arrangement of leaves on a stem to the spiral of a seashell. By incorporating this mathematical ratio, Storms infuses his sculptures with a sense of natural harmony and balance.

The Art and the Artist: A Labor of Love

Creating these optical glass sculptures is a labor-intensive process, often taking weeks to months – sometimes even years. The work demands extreme precision, patience, and skill, as each lamination and cut must be perfect and the compounding of the sequence of cuts and laminations is what gives his pieces the amazing amount of depth. It's a dangerous craft, too; Storms has lost the sight in his right eye after a piece of glass flew off the lathe, an accident that took him away from his craft for almost a year. Yet his passion for glass art brought him back with renewed vigor.

Every piece Storms creates is a testament to his dedication and love for his family. His wife and son inspire many of his finest works, their presence felt in the careful attention to detail and the emotional depth of each sculpture.

Experience the Magic

Jack Storms' sculptures must be seen to be believed. The way light interacts with the hundreds of surfaces creates a prismatic display that is nothing short of breathtaking. His work is not only an artistic triumph but also a marvel of science and mathematics, making it truly one-of-a-kind.

Explore the enchanting world of Jack Storms and discover how he transforms glass into living, breathing works of art. Visit our online gallery at www.jackstorms.com and let yourself be captivated by the magic of optical glass art.