Pendulum | Glass sculpture

Pendulum was created using casting and cold-working techniques, with controlled modeling and precise glass drilling before melting. The drop, seemingly suspended within the glass, was planned and formed during the firing process.

The creation of Pendulum followed a multi-step process rooted in experimentation. It began with a fine art plasticine prototype, which I then encased in a plaster-silica mold. Once the mold had dried, I carefully removed the original model, leaving behind a hollow cavity to be filled with glass.

Next, I applied mathematical formulas to calculate the required volume. To create the suspended “pendulum” effect, I selected two precisely measured glass blocks, each with a single hole drilled near its edge. I positioned these holes to face each other vertically inside the kiln.

During the two-week kiln cycle, the heat caused the glass to soften and melt, allowing air to escape through the edge holes and rise between the blocks. This process formed the central floating bubble, seemingly suspended at the front of an expanding glass veil. I achieved that effect through strategic glass placement and surface treatment prior to melting. Ultimately, the result is a quiet sense of motion, frozen in clear optical glass.

Pendulum was made using Ohara’s eco-optical glass, a lead- and arsenic-free material known for its exceptional clarity. This glass played a crucial role in creating the illusion of emptiness surrounding the central veil and the suspended pendulum. Although the entire sculpture is solid, its optical properties make it appear as though the forms are floating within open space.

Creating Pendulum was a slow, deliberate process that unfolded over several weeks. From sculpting the initial prototype to preparing the mold, calculating the glass volume, and completing the kiln cycle, each stage required careful planning. Finally, the cold-working phase—grinding and polishing the glass—was essential to revealing the optical effects and bringing the suspended forms to life.