Glass
What is dichroic glass?
Dichroic glass is a type of fusion glass that has gone through a very specialized treatment. This glass was originally created by NASA for its unique properties. Basically, it is a sheet of regular fusion glass that is placed in a vacuum chamber and covered by very fine layers of quartz crystals and metal oxides.
At Studio Katto, this glass is then fused with other types of fusion glass using our special techniques in order to create pieces of jewelry and objects that are unique!
Glass artistic statement
From the very beginning of my artistic career, colours and forms have fascinated me. Through glass, I've also developed a love for the play of transparency and opacity and for the visual depth that I could not find in traditional oil painting.
Since glass is a material that is a rather cold, I use organic forms that recall our environment. Mountainous landscapes, ocean scenes, vegetation, insects and birds... are but a few examples of things you can see and imagine inside my pieces. The type of glass that I favour and that is included inside each one of my pieces is dichroic glass. The properties of this glass, which is covered by a fine layer of quartz crystals and metal oxides, are a bottomless source of inspiration for me. Glass as an expressive material, symbolises perfectly the fragility of our world, of our environment and of our society. On the other hand, the vibrant colors, the shimmers and the shine of dichroic glass allow me to show the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us and helps me convey the importance of protecting and preserving it. Also, I made the conscious choice of leaving my pieces in free form by not using any type of metal to restrict the glass in its post fusion form in order to let the natural harmony of the colors and forms speak for themselves.
The “Tectonik” collection is at the heart of my creations. I use the method of “tectonic plates” that I have developed. It is a method that uses numerous layers of dichroic glass and other glass that are fused together and cut over and over again. The “Tectonik” pieces are a part of a unique collection that stands on its own, but it is also included inside several other side collections. Theses collections vary in style, but whether you are looking at a small jewellery piece or more imposing pieces like bowls and plates, dichroic glass will always be the main focus.
The uniqueness of each person pushes me to create unique pieces that will touch everybody in a different way. It is very important for me to be able to offer pieces that are different one from the other, like the people that are around us. This artistic constraint is pushing me to develop new techniques and new ways of looking at the materials. Learning is a priority in my artistic and personal development.